Tims et al (2011) Do transformational leaders enhance their followers' daily work engagement? Bakker & Demerouti (2008) Towards a model of WE. Bakker et al (2011) Work engagement: further reflections on the state of play. Bakker et al (2011) Key questions regarding WE. Arnold Bakker. Employees' psychological connection with their work has gained critical importance in the information/service economy of the 21st century. In the contemporary world of work, to compete effectively, companies not only must recruit the top talent, but must also inspire and enable employees to apply their full capabilities to their work. Contemporary organizations need employees who are psychologically connected to their work; who are willing and able to invest themselves fully in their roles; who are proactive and committed to high quality performance standards.
They need employees who are engaged with their work (Bakker & Leiter, 2010). Work engagement is most often defined as "...a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption" (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2010; Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker, 2002, p. 74). See Bakker, Albrecht & Leiter's (in press) position paper for a research agenda on engagement: