Determinants of women’s employee engagement in the Bangladeshi workforce
- 1Department of Business Administration, University of Scholars, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 2HHH Research Consultancy & Development, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract
This study examines the determinants of women’s employee engagement in Bangladesh, focusing on socio-cultural influences, organizational culture, leadership support, work-life integration, and career development opportunities. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 242 women employees across four industries, the study applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to estimate the associations between these five determinants and women’s employee engagement. Organizational culture, leadership support, and work-life integration are each positively associated with women’s employee engagement, whereas socio-cultural influences and career development opportunities show no direct association. Career development is associated with engagement only where perceived size-related HR infrastructure is high, while perceived industry gender-equity support does not condition the socio-cultural association. Engagement strategies therefore need to be tailored to the organizational setting rather than to the sector. The study extends the Job Demands-Resources model and Social Exchange Theory by specifying a gendered conversion mechanism: workplace resources are associated with engagement only where they are relationally enacted and infrastructurally credible. The findings are relevant to organizations and policymakers, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive leadership practices, flexible scheduling, and equitable access to promotion. The design is cross-sectional, and the sample is non-probabilistic, so the findings are associational rather than causal. The study informs the design of supportive and inclusive workplaces that sustain women’s engagement in the Bangladeshi formal sector.
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BibTeX
@article{tanjila2026determinants,
title = {{Determinants of women’s employee engagement in the Bangladeshi workforce}},
author = {Moumita Tanjila and Umme Kulsum and Shadia Sharmin and Rezwan Ul Haque Aubhi and Md. Sohel Rana and Md. Abu Hasnat},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0359645},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359645},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Determinants of women’s employee engagement in the Bangladeshi workforce
AU - Moumita Tanjila
AU - Umme Kulsum
AU - Shadia Sharmin
AU - Rezwan Ul Haque Aubhi
AU - Md. Sohel Rana
AU - Md. Abu Hasnat
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/29
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0359645
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359645
AB - This study examines the determinants of women’s employee engagement in Bangladesh, focusing on socio-cultural influences, organizational culture, leadership support, work-life integration, and career development opportunities. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 242 women employees across four industries, the study applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to estimate the associations between these five determinants and women’s employee engagement. Organizational culture, leadership support, and work-life integration are each positively associated with women’s employee engagement, whereas socio-cultural influences and career development opportunities show no direct association. Career development is associated with engagement only where perceived size-related HR infrastructure is high, while perceived industry gender-equity support does not condition the socio-cultural association. Engagement strategies therefore need to be tailored to the organizational setting rather than to the sector. The study extends the Job Demands-Resources model and Social Exchange Theory by specifying a gendered conversion mechanism: workplace resources are associated with engagement only where they are relationally enacted and infrastructurally credible. The findings are relevant to organizations and policymakers, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive leadership practices, flexible scheduling, and equitable access to promotion. The design is cross-sectional, and the sample is non-probabilistic, so the findings are associational rather than causal. The study informs the design of supportive and inclusive workplaces that sustain women’s engagement in the Bangladeshi formal sector.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -