Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between mindfulness and work engagement, with a particular focus on exploring the extent to which four facets of mindfulness, i.e. “attention”, “awareness”, “present focus” and “acceptance” impact on work engagement.Design/methodology/approach: Exploratory factor and multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypothesised relationships among a sample of 130 employees.Findings: The findings show that mindfulness as a single construct is positively related to work engagement. The analysis from the facet level of mindfulness illustrates that each of four facets is also significantly related to work engagement. In particular, employees with refined attentional skills and accepting the present moment reality were found to contribute more to work engagement.Practical implications: Organisational programs that focus on building personal resources could use the meditation-based mindfulness programs to help individuals widen attention span as well as to develop non-judgemental attitude.Originality/value: Focussing on developing mindful employees and promoting mindfulness practices at workplace, especially, by working on specific strategies, to expand “attentional skills” and the “attitude of accepting the present moment reality” may be another promising strategy to enhance work engagement.

Higher education institutions have recently transitioned from face-to-face to online teaching and learning environments. However, academic staff lack sufficient training in applying emotional intelligence (EI) skills and strategies in online learning environments. Although literature addressing academics’ EI is sparse, some studies have suggested that lecturers’ EI greatly influences teaching and learning. This study used the concept of EI to understand students’ perceptions of how lecturers’ EI impacted their learning and engagement in an online learning environment. We conducted four online focus group interviews of 14 students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at two campuses of an Australian university, one in Melbourne and the other in Malaysia. Four main themes were identified using thematic analysis. Students discussed their perceptions and experiences on (a) vulnerabilities, coping and empathy; (b) relationships with lecturers, trust and safety; (c) communication, tone and voice; and (d) managing emotions of lecturers. Our findings suggest that lecturers’ EI impacted students’ learning and engagement in online learning spaces. However, the impact differs between Australia and Malaysia due to cultural differences. Drawing on the findings, we present online education good practices grounded in the theory of EI. Lecturers delivering online courses should consider employing these practices for effective teaching. Implications for practice or policy: Higher educational institutions need to support lecturers in developing the necessary EI skills to engage students in online learning. Lecturers need to make meaningful attempts to develop positive relationships with students in online forums to support students’ engagement. Lecturers working in online learning environments need to support students to develop friendships and connections with their peers. Lecturers need to include regular discussion breaks during online lectures to allow students to share their opinions and experiences.

Purpose: Skilled migrants' careers are heterogeneous, with existing theories capturing only some of their diversity and dynamic development over time and circumstance. This paper aims to draw out the multilevel (macro, meso and micro levels) influences impacting skilled migrants' careers by using the lens of the intelligent career framework. Furthermore, structuration theory captures the agency of skilled migrants facing different social structures at and across levels and explains the idiosyncratic nature of skilled migrants' careers. Design/methodology/approach: Following an abductive approach, this paper examines the career influences for a sample of 41 skilled migrants in three different host countries. Individual career stories were collected through qualitative interviews. Important career influences from these narratives are categorised across the intelligent career competencies (knowing why, how and whom) at the macro, meso and micro levels. Findings: Findings illustrate the lived reality for skilled migrants of these interrelated multilevel career influences and go some way in elucidating the heterogeneity of skilled migrants' careers and outcomes. The interplay of individual agency in responding to both facilitating and challenging social structures across the multilevels further explains the idiosyncratic nature of skilled migrants' careers and how/whether they achieve satisfying career outcomes. Some potential policy implications and options arising from these findings are suggested. Originality/value: By considering multilevel themes that influence skilled migrants' career capital, the authors were able to better explain the complex, relational and idiosyncratic shaping of their individual careers. As such, the framework informs and guides individuals, practitioners and organisations seeking to facilitate skilled migrants' careers.