There’s More to Employee Engagement Than You Think

Last updated Sep 19, 2022
  • Employee engagement is a concept designed to ensure that your employees are committed to your organization’s goals and values and are motivated to contribute to the overall success of your business.
  • Typical phrases used in employee engagement writing include organizational citizenship behavior, job involvement, discretionary effort, going the extra mile, feeling valued, and passion for work.
  • Employee engagement is important for all managers.
  • You need to protect your investment in your people by retaining employees and intellectual capital to ensure your business continuity and its ability to meet key business objectives.

What makes one company more successful than another? Is it because one produces better products or services? Offers a better cost structure? Adapts a more cohesive marketing strategy? Or perhaps it employs more innovative technologies?

Certainly, all these contribute to superior performance, but all of them can be reproduced over time, and businesses that continuously evolve can and will reach the grade.

The one major thing that can create a sustainable competitive advantage (and in turn, ROI, company value, and long-term strength) is your workforce, the people that make up your company.

What is employee engagement?

It’s a concept designed to ensure that your employees are committed to your organization’s goals and values and are motivated to contribute to the overall success of your business.

Typical phrases used in employee engagement writing include organizational citizenship behavior, job involvement, discretionary effort, going the extra mile, feeling valued, and passion for work.

You’ve heard about it before, but what does it mean for you?

Let’s look at the statistics…

Research shows four out of 10 workers are disengaged globally – with 70% of US workers reporting that they don’t like their job. This creates an environment where many people are emotionally disconnected from their workplace and less productive than their engaged counterparts in the workforce.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report showed that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work, with Australia’s engagement rate at 24%.

Furthermore, according to Right Management Manpower Company research, engaged employees are 7 times less likely to leave in the next year and 1.5 times more likely to stay for at least 5 years.

Employee engagement is important for all managers. You need to protect your investment in your people by retaining employees and intellectual capital to ensure your business continuity and its ability to meet key business objectives.

Reasons why employee engagement matter to organizations

REASON 1: Engaged employees boost productivity.

Research shows that employees who are invested in their role in the organization are more productive. A Gallup poll noted that engaged employees were known to be 21% more productive than their less engaged counterparts. Management needs to engage its employees and find more ways to boost the organization’s productivity.

REASON 2: Employee engagement increases customer satisfaction.

A passionate employee is noticeable and chances are, customers will also take notice. People who are passionate about their jobs are often the best employees to interact with customers. Employees who believe in the value of helping customers are more likely to deliver a better customer experience and eventually increase customer satisfaction.

REASON 3: Employee engagement enhances company culture.

Generally, engaged employees are often easier to work with. It’s not because of their cheerful disposition, but because they exemplify a culture of employee engagement. Ideally, an engaged employee lives the company’s values at work, and they are recognized by the company for it. By celebrating engaged employees, the management can create a culture of engagement in the organization.

Related: How to Attract and Retain Executive Talent in 2022

What can you do to improve employee engagement?

There is a string of research and ideas on how to increase employee engagement. Here are some of the main recurrent themes on how to do this:

  • Align employee goals to business outcomes. 

Employees need to know that they are working for their own goals as much as the organization’s when they come to work each day. They need to see how their role impacts the organization’s overall profit.

  • See your employees as people, not as a number. 

Successful companies with a higher propensity for employee engagement are committed to open and honest communication and engage in social interactions outside work. As a manager, take a genuine interest in employee well-being.

  • Increase employee input and involvement. 

Listen to problems at the local level as well as at the organizational level. Support team-building activities, coaching, and mentoring.

  • Know the strengths of your employees. 

Putting people in the right job fit is a part of engaging your employees that both the organization and the employee benefit. Engagement increases when managers focus on employees’ strengths.

  • Recognize and reward your employees. 

From mastering a new work process, gaining a sought-after client, and solving a problem that creates value for an organization, to exemplary demonstrations of an organization’s core values; employee recognition is a very big part of employee engagement.

If employees truly are a company’s best asset, then leaders and managers should make caring for them a priority. In the never-ending battle for competitive advantage where employees are the differentiator, engaged employees are the ultimate goal.

CDA is here to help you attract engaged employees!

Curran Daly & Associates is a specialized executive search firm that values specialization above all. We have dedicated recruiters who are subject matter experts in their field.

Our holistic and targeted approach to executive search service will help executives find the right role for the right organization. Contact us to learn more.  

Reference:

Moseley, C. (2022). 5 reasons why employee engagement is important. Retrieved 15 September 2022, from https://blog.jostle.me/blog/5-reasons-why-employee-engagement-is-important

By: Curran Daly + Associates

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