Disengagement at work is proving to be a source of continued trouble for business organizations. Various estimates suggest that in excess of 70% of the workforce is either passively or actively disengaged, which in turn subjects the organizations to enormous financial burden. Regretfully, this problem has not found sufficient intellectual resonance in the academia. Therefore, employing conservation of resources (COR; Hobfoll, 1989) as the guiding theory, in this research, we conduct an integrative literature review to consolidate the extant approaches to disengagement at work. Apart from explaining the construct, we also identified its antecedents, moderating influences, and outcomes. Implications for human resource development (HRD) research and practice have been discussed. We believe that such an attempt is likely to encourage an informed debate on the subject in the academic domain, while helping practitioners identify actionable interventions.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the two alternative theoretical explanations of disengagement at work. Following the job demands-resources (JD-R) perspective, the relationship between job complexity and disengagement is tested. In accordance with the process model of burnout, the association between exhaustion and disengagement is examined. The paper also examines conservation of resources (COR) as an integrative framework as far as the moderating role of resilience in both these relationships is concerned. Design/methodology/approach Survey-based quantitative methodology was followed. A total of 138 employees of an agro-processing unit in North India were surveyed, and 119 usable responses were obtained. Besides the constructs of interest, the questionnaire also sought responses on the relevant demographic variables. Findings Both job complexity and exhaustion predicted disengagement at work. However, contrary to a negatively hypothesized relationship between job complexity and disengagement, a positive association was found. Resilience was found to be negatively moderating exhaustion-disengagement relationship. No influence of resilience was found on the complexity-disengagement association. Research limitations/implications The findings could be specific to the sample and to India. Caution should be exercised while generalizing. Future researchers should validate the findings across contexts. Practical implications The results suggest that complexity may not necessarily be perceived as a resource. Hence organizations must invest in training and skill development programs for their workers. Further, managers should assess resilience as an important component while selecting workers. Originality/value Contrary findings vis-à-vis job complexity and disengagement could have implications for the JD-R perspective. Further, this research integrates alternative explanations of disengagement employing the COR framework.

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Individuals across organizations and roles are increasingly seeking a meaningful and fulfilling experience in their activities. Towards that, the Bhagavad Gita advises the practice of Karma Yoga. However, the conceptualization of Karma Yoga in extant management literature is shrouded in confusion with little agreement on its dimensionalities. In this article, employing qualitative method, we offer an alternative conceptualization of the construct. Accordingly, we define Karma Yoga as a persistent positive state of mind that is characterized by absorption and service consciousness. Furthermore, the findings also suggest the importance of sense control and equanimity as the necessary prerequisites for individuals to practise Karma Yoga.