Beyond Alienation: Applying Karl Marx’s Perspicacity to Boost Employee Engagement

In this scholarly enquiry, we delve into the confluence of Karl Marx’s theory of alienation and contemporary approaches to fostering employee engagement. It contends that Marx’s profound insights into the estrangement experienced by workers furnish a robust framework for comprehending and remedying workplace disengagement. By scrutinising the facets of alienation—such as detachment from the fruits of labour, the labour process itself, one’s inherent humanity and colleagues—this study identifies strategic interventions to cultivate a more dedicated and engaged workforce. Through a critical evaluation of modern organisational strategies, this paper proposes that addressing the foundational roots of alienation via empowerment, acknowledgement, meaningful tasks and supportive atmospheres can notably enhance employee engagement and organisational effectiveness.