Five Essential Drivers of Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is now a buzzword in corporate scenarios. Organizations are now dawning on the realization that getting the best out of employees goes beyond job satisfaction. As long as your employees receive their paychecks on time, they will remain satisfied, isn’t it? Why is it then a large part of the global workforce is disengaged?

As per a report published by Gallup, 67 percent of US workers are either not engaged or disengaged from work. This trivia should make it clear to you that employee engagement is a broader spectrum. It inculcates much more than the job satisfaction of employees.

Fostering a culture of high employee engagement is a prime concern for all businesses. The Conference Board cites that low engagement rates can result in annual losses of up to USD 500 billion. Still, not more than 40 percent workforce is actively engaged. This is a testimony to the fact that most organizations are not doing enough, and they are getting vulnerable to the impact of disengaged employees rather. Or there seems to be a deficit in the understanding of employee engagement and its driving factors. This post shed light on the greatest driving forces behind cultures of active and high employee engagement.

What steers employee engagement in the workplace?

1. Organization’s Brand Value

Let us begin with the basics. The brand value of a company has a direct impact on the engagement of employees. Will anyone want to give his best for an organization that has a negative reputation? However, in companies with high brand value, employees will carry a constant feeling of pride. Imagine how proud and motivated the employees of Google or Microsoft would be. They would love to give their best to a business that has a positive value among people.

So, the company’s image in society has a significant impact in influencing engagement in employees. Businesses need to work on their PR strategies to develop positive reviews. In most cases, companies are not considerate of the need to maintain a good reputation. To cite an example, a survey by Glassdoor suggests that not more than 50 percent of workers recommend their companies to their friends. For some reason or the other, they do not hold their organization in good regard. So, public opinion about a brand is a key influence for high engagement.

2. Growth Opportunities

You would never want to land in a situation where your growth becomes stagnant, right? Everyone loves to prosper, progress, and keep his journey going on the ladder of success. Given that, development and growth prospects are imperative for engaging employees. A working environment that supports personal growth and development will be ideal for workers. They will be able to align their personal ambitions with the organization’s goals in a more enthusiastic manner.

Otherwise, if employees do not see themselves growing in an organization, they might disengage. This disengagement may soon translate into high employee turnover rates. In fact, as per a report by SHRM, a mere 29 percent of workers are happy with the career advancement prospects offered by their firms. As a ramification of this, employees are willing to leave their current job and switch to other companies. Hence, career advancement is among the most crucial elements of engagement.

Read More: Micromanage If You Want Zero Employee Engagement

3. Recognition

Employee engagement correlates with employee motivation directly. It is evident that all of us find great motivation when we receive appreciation. Recognition from the employer can do a world of good to an employee’s confidence. Therefore, recognition is an indispensable prerequisite for high employee engagement. To validate, as per a study by O.C. Tanner, almost 40 percent of workers say that recognition is of utmost importance. Besides, Hubspot states, 70 percent of employees agree that they will work much more challengingly if they receive appreciation.

When you work hard on a project and invest overwhelming efforts, you seek recognition. Irrespective of whether you are an employer or employee, everyone loves recognition. It becomes a reason for us to keep making relentless efforts. Further, it gives us a sense of happiness and empowerment.

4. Empathy and gratitude

We are together in this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. Coping with Coronavirus anxiety and apprehensions is becoming tougher. The pandemic is teaching the world to be more empathetic and thankful than ever before. Even in the contemporary workplace, empathy and gratitude are now crucial to the cause of high employee engagement. Remote working opportunities are on the rise, and all businesses are inculcating this new culture. However, even remote workers have started reporting stress and undying fatigue. They look up to their employees for empathy. A Forbes article claims that 90 percent of workers want their employers to value mental wellness. Employers who support wellness and empathy have better chances of engaging and retaining their employees.

Similarly, gratitude in the workplace is essential. It helps create a positive company culture and healthy relationships between employees. These little things collaborate together to create great outcomes. Remember, high engagement can upscale a company’s profits by almost 20 percent!

Watch this video on how Happily can be a great employee engagement tool for your organisation!

5. Workplace communication

Effective and concise communication is significant for all domains of business operations. Similarly, productive communication is critical in driving high performance. From collaborating on projects to feedback sharing, efficacy in communication is a necessity. But trends suggest that companies seem to be undermining the vitality of internal communication. As reported by Trade Press Services, 74 percent of employees miss updates on the company’s information. Besides, 33 percent of employees cite lack of honest communication as declining motivation’s prime reason (Recruiter). Moreover, based on my research, less than 6 percent of companies communicate goals daily.

The above trends recommend that not giving enough significance to communication may be a reason for low engagement. Communication of core values, effective feedback sharing, and transparency are all important virtues. Without worthwhile communication, these processes will remain constricted. The organizations will not be able to drive the kind of performance and engagement they desire.

To conclude, there is empirical evidence to confirm the significance of the above factors. These factors ensure that the working environment is positive. Further, it creates an environment driven by the motivation and happiness of employees. The above five factors cater to all the needs of employee diligence and engagement.