Employee engagement in SMEs: a bibliometric review and research agenda (1989–2024)

Purpose This study aims to examine the trends, intellectual structure, frequently explored topics, and future research directions in employee engagement within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), thereby providing insights for theoretical development and HRM practice. Design/methodology/approach This review applied bibliometric methods to examine 730 documents indexed in the Scopus database and published between 1989 and 2024. The study utilized descriptive analyses and science mapping techniques, including co-citation and keyword co-occurrence analyses. Findings The findings reveal growing academic interest, highlighting a shift from transactional to transformational human resource management. Further research in South America and Africa is needed to improve the generalizability of the existing knowledge base. Three main clusters were identified along with influential authors and key theories in each area: “Integrated Psychological and Occupational Health”, “Dynamic Organizational Studies”, and “Work Engagement and Burnout”. Temporal co-word analysis shows the enduring relevance of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, with an emerging focus on the impacts of COVID-19 and sustainability, including corporate social responsibility (CSR), reflecting a trend toward integrating sustainable practices into business strategies. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge, this is the first bibliometric review focused specifically on employee engagement in the SME context, an important HRM issue for the effective management of human resources.