Development and Initial Validation of the Multidimensional Employee Engagement Instrument (MEEI): A Mixed-Methods Scale Development Study

Abstract

Employee engagement remains one of the most widely studied constructs in organizational research. However, the ever-increasing involvement of Generation Z and Generation Y employees in the workplace raises the question of whether current employee engagement measuring tools are appropriate. The literature states that Generation Z employees are different than Generation X and the Baby Boomers. In this study, we developed and provided initial validation for a contemporary multidimensional measure of employee engagement using DeVellis and Thorpe’s nine-step scale development process. A sequential mixed-methods design integrated a comprehensive literature review, completed in 2024, phenomenological interviews with employees representing Generations X, Y, and Z, and psychometric evaluation of the resulting instrument. Contrary to expectations derived from portions of the generational literature, participants described a remarkably similar understanding of what employee engagement is across generations. However, the final factors show that the first factor of the six-factor instrument focuses on Person-Job Values/Passion/Purpose Fit, which is supported in the 2024–2025 literature; with factors two, three, and four aligning with the contemporary literature: Person-Colleague Fit, Person-Supervisor Fit, Person-Community Fit. The fifth factor focused on Person-Job Flexibility Fit, which is supported in the 2024–2025 literature. The sixth factor reflects Person-Organization Fit and aligns with the contemporary literature. Confirmatory factor analyses and validity testing provided initial evidence supporting the reliability and construct validity of the Multidimensional Employee Engagement Instrument (MEEI). The findings suggest that employee engagement is not simply an individual psychological state, but a multidimensional person–environment fit construct reflecting employees’ alignment with higher-order values: work, colleagues, supervisors, community, flexibility, and organizations. This study contributes a theoretically grounded and psychometrically supported instrument for advancing employee engagement research and practice.