DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN ORGANIZED RETAIL: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY

Abstract

The study is an empirical study that examines the factors of employee engagement in the organized retailing sector of Bangalore, India. Since the industry is experiencing a rapid digitalization and high employee turnover, it is essential to understand what organizational and technological factors lead to workforce commitment. An organized survey was carried out on a purposive sample of 250 retail professionals in different format, which includes supermarkets and departmental stores. In the study, descriptive statistics, reliability tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression modelling were used to test five important constructs, which include leadership support, supervisory practices, work environment, reward systems, and digital readiness. The internal consistency of all the constructs was established as high through statistical analysis, where the α of Cronbach has a range between 0.86 and 0.92. The results of correlation showed that there is a strong positive correlation between Work Environment and Culture and engagement (r = 0.70), then Leadership Support (r = 0.68). The multiple regression was found to be statistically significant (F = 237.62, p = not significant) and the combination of the predictors was found to explain 45.3 % of the variance in staff engagement (R2 = 0.453). The strongest predictor was Work Environment (β= 0.412), Digital Readiness (β = 0.331) and Reward Systems (β = 0.289). The results indicate that long-term motivation in the retail industry cannot be achieved without a moderate combination of supportive human leadership and technological agility. The findings provide an action plan that HR professionals can follow to enhance output and retention rates by using specific workplace culture and digital training programs.