Antecedents of organizational engagement in non-teaching employees: A case study in a higher education institution

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the levels of organizational engagement and the relationship between engagement and sociodemographic variables in the higher education context. Engagement is a critical aspect of individual performance and a fundamental building block of organizational development. The way it is managed and its interrelationship with personal characteristics have been the area of development in several studies. Methods: The study was quantitative and had a cross-sectional nature through the application of a questionnaire survey to 127 non-teaching employees from a higher education institution. The questionnaire survey was validated, showing good psychometric qualities. Results: The hypotheses that systematized the specifications between the engagement components and the age, academic qualifications, and professional position variables have been confirmed in some of their various subalignments and can therefore be considered as determining how individuals are organizationally engaged. The hypotheses that guided the specifications between the engagement components and the gender and seniority variables were not confirmed; therefore, there was no relationship between them. Conclusions: The non-teaching employees are engaged in the institution, although with various levels anchored by some sociodemographic characteristics. It was a pioneering study in a national context between the distinct types of organizational engagement and sociodemographic variables in the higher education context. It contributed to the formulation of management strategies focused on organizational commitment, supporting the formulation of systems based on organizational behavior.