Employee engagement in nonprofit organizations: the role of perception of HR and organizational culture

PurposeThe study draws on social exchange theory and theoretical perspectives on engagement to examine the multidimensional relationship between employee perception of HR practices (PHRP), organizational culture (POC) and engagement in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in a sample of nonprofits in Canada.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines the relationship between PHRP, POC and engagement in NPOs. The authors employed a quantitative research design (Creswell, 1998) involving data from a sample of NPOs in Ontario, Canada.FindingsThe findings suggest that PHRP has a direct effect on the level of both job and organization engagement. Employee perception of the value, relevance and importance of the job and membership in the organization induce the investment of physical, cognitive and emotional energy. The study emphasizes the importance of PHRP at individual and organizational levels as antecedents of engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings highlight the need to examine the contextual drivers of HR practices and engagement to better understand the multidimensional context of NPOs (Borzaga and Tortia, 2006).Practical implicationsThe evidence reiterates the need for nonprofit managers to develop and implement HR practices that advance engagement.Originality/valueAlthough what is known about nonprofit employee engagement is limited but growing (Park, Kim, Park, and Lim, 2018), the question of engagement and perception of HR in NPOs is yet to be examined.