Management planning is one of the fundamental constructs in management research and several empirical enquiries have been conducted to assess the relationship between it and employee engagement. This study sought to investigate the effect of management planning on employee engagement. A review of extant literature on management planning and employee engagement was conducted and the major finding was that management planning has a direct effect on employee engagement. The research anchored on the Critical planning theory with a focus on small and medium scale organizations. The study recommends that managers should ensure that management planning is done effectively and comprehensively so as to drive employee engagement and ultimately, organizational performance. While it is impractical to involve all employees at all levels of planning, it is recommended that all employees are involved at varying levels of management planning as may be required so they have an opportunity to contribute to plans that will shape the future of their organizations and their respective working conditions. This involvement fosters employee engagement and will in turn enhance employee productivity and organizational performance.