Thabethe, Goodman Bongani2017-05-102017-05-102016http://hdl.handle.net/10539/22498MBAEmployee engagement has been a popular topic amongst researchers as an instrument to improve employee performance and productivity. However, although banks within South Africa have been using performance management tools to improve employee performance and productivity – this has proved to be ineffective. Banks in South Africa have been mired in bad opinions of their underperformance and uncompetitiveness due to ineffective performance management and lack of applying the employee engagement process effectively. Given this context, the main purpose of this study was to identify and examine the factors affecting employee engagement. A mixed-method was used for this study, both the quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted whereby data in the form of a questionnaire type survey was collected from a sample size of 65 from the banking employees and also two focus groups were conducted with the managerial employees, including an HR representative, as the target audience. Results were analysed and correlation was done to the propositions and the literature. Overall, both the factors hindering EE and factors fostering EE were identified and later a relationship (correlation) between those factors and performance were analysed. The findings identified factors hindering and fostering employee engagement and also acknowledged the positive relationship between employee engagement and performance.enEmployee motivation -- South Africa.Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa.Banks and banking -- South Africa.Thesis