Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement in the IT and ITES Sector: An HR Perspective

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has moved from the periphery of business strategy to a position close to its centre, and among its less obvious effects is the influence it exerts on the people who work within an organisation. This paper examines the relationship between CSR and employee engagement through a human resource (HR) lens, with particular reference to the information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITES) sector. Drawing conceptually on insights from research into workforce dynamics in this sector where engagement, communication, and a supportive culture were found to shape how employees relate to their organisations – the paper argues that CSR contributes to engagement chiefly through the meaning, pride, and sense of belonging it cultivates among employees. It reviews the contemporary literature on socially responsible HR, employer branding, and the human dimensions of sustainability, and considers how IT and ITES firms, competing intensely for skilled talent, can use CSR not merely as an external signal but as an internal force that deepens commitment. The paper concludes that the engagement value of CSR is realised through HR practice, and that authenticity rather than display is what distinguishes CSR that engages from CSR that does not.

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