Disengaged employees cost U.S. companies billions of dollars annually in lowered productivity, a cost which has been compounded by the difficult economic situations in the country. The potential for increasing productivity through increased employee engagement was examined in this study. Using personal engagement theory and the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of salaried aerospace employees affected productivity and the financial performance of an organization. The implications for positive social change include new insights for leaders seeking to increase productivity and financial performance, and to support employee engagement for maintaining sustainability, retaining talent, increasing profits, and improving the economy.

Dr. Wayne Richards Jr., is a highly engaged Program Manager responsible for the capture execution, performance and the integration of organizational objectives. | Dr. Emad Rahim is an award-winning author, educator, entrepreneur, Fulbright Scholar and TEDx speaker. He has been featured in the Huffington Post, Forbes and CEO Magazine.