Employee engagement practices in family-owned businesses in Lebanon -

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this project is to explore the HR practices within family businesses in Lebanon and the extent to which they target employee engagement by looking at its various constructs and finally come up with future recommendations. Design-methodology-approach - A sample of employees from family owned businesses in Lebanon who undergo administrative white-collar work activities were randomly selected to participate in the study. They were requested to fill a survey that was structured in a way that would help differentiate the different perceptions of current HR practices and locate areas for improvement. Findings - Results of the study suggest HR departments in family owned businesses in Lebanon should further invest its resources in employee engagement, its variables job satisfaction and organizational commitment in order to retain its employees while developing them along the way. The study was also able to highlight the different demographic groups that businesses should focus on in order to ensure retention. Research limitations-implications - The findings are based on a small sample compared to the actual population of employees in family businesses in Lebanon. The survey was held in English, which is not the first language in Lebanon. Additionally, various constructs apart from job satisfaction and organizational commitment could better define employee engagement.