How does employee engagement impact productivity?

1 What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement is the degree to which employees feel connected to their work, their team, and their organization. It's not the same as employee satisfaction, which is more about how happy or content employees are with their job conditions. Employee engagement is about how motivated, passionate, and loyal employees are to their work and their employer. Engaged employees are willing to go the extra mile, contribute to the organization's goals, and advocate for the brand.

2 Why does employee engagement matter?

Employee engagement matters because it affects your bottom line. According to Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% higher profitability, 17% higher productivity, and 10% higher customer ratings than disengaged teams. On the other hand, disengaged employees cost the U.S. economy up to $550 billion per year in lost productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and quality issues. Employee engagement also influences your employer brand, your talent attraction, and your retention rate. Engaged employees are more likely to refer others, stay longer, and speak positively about your company.

3 How can you measure employee engagement?

To measure employee engagement, you need to use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methods include surveys, polls, and metrics that track employee behavior, performance, and feedback. Qualitative methods include interviews, focus groups, and observations that capture employee opinions, emotions, and experiences. You should use both types of methods to get a holistic and accurate picture of your employee engagement level and identify the drivers and barriers of engagement.

4 How can you improve employee engagement in your recruiting process?

Your recruiting process is a great opportunity to demonstrate your employer value proposition, culture, and expectations to potential employees. To further engage employees in the process, you should align job descriptions with your mission, vision, and values. Additionally, clear and frequent communication with candidates is essential, as well as providing a positive and realistic candidate experience. Assessing not only the skills but also the fit and potential of candidates is also important. Offering feedback and recognition to candidates is also beneficial. Finally, onboarding new hires effectively and efficiently is key for employee engagement.

5 How can you improve employee engagement in your workplace culture?

Your workplace culture is a reflection of your values, beliefs, and norms, and it's essential to create an environment that engages your employees. To do this, you should define and communicate your purpose and goals, foster a sense of belonging and inclusion, encourage collaboration and innovation, provide autonomy and flexibility, support learning and development, recognize and reward achievements, and solicit and act on feedback. Employee engagement is not a one-time initiative; rather, it's a strategic priority that can give you a competitive advantage. By improving employee engagement in your recruiting process and workplace culture, you can boost your productivity, performance, and profitability.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?