50 Million Survey Responses Tell Us There Are 5 Keys to Employee Engagement

An internet search for “employee engagement solutions” yields everything from software to employee surveys to personal fitness devices. Also sprinkled in there will be vacations, perks, recognition systems and a number of seemingly unrelated options.

There is an endless set of definitions for “employee engagement.” Although based more on opinion than fact, there are even more explanations for what creates the ideal?employee experience. We all seem to intuitively agree, however, that when we find a workplace where we can choose to dedicate our hearts, spirits, minds and hands to our work, we are happier, healthier, and?more productive.

In 2014, our?DecisionWise?people analytics team began a 6-year research study that ultimately resulted in gathering, analyzing, and publishing the results of nearly 50 million employee survey responses. Based on the findings from this research, we released the book,?ENGAGEMENT MAGIC.?Our intent was not to write a book, but to discover the answer to a question “what drives employee engagement?”

Arriving at this answer was more difficult than we anticipated. Now, nearly 50 million employee survey?responses later, we feel comfortable in answering that question with even more research, rather than opinion.

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What is employee engagement?

Let’s start with a definition of “employee engagement.” When employees tell us about “a good day at work,” their responses vary quite a bit. For some, it means they solved a customer concern. For others, it involves getting everything checked off the daily task list, resolving a patient issue, delivering a quality product or helping a struggling student. We are all engaged by different factors. But, what are the commonalities?

When all was said and done, it wasn’t about free meals, onsite gyms or doggie day care. Believe it or not, the "remote vs. in-office" debate didn't dictate engagement (I'll touch on that in a moment). It wasn’t even about employee happiness (although?happiness is a key component?in our ability to engage in anything we do, not just in the workplace).

“Employee engagement is an emotional state where we feel passionate, energetic and committed to our work. In turn, we fully invest our best selves — our hearts, spirits, minds and hands — in the work we do.”

We poured through the data to identify common factors in employee responses. Five factors or “keys” stood out above the rest. These keys indicated that, despite individual needs and perspectives, there was some clear agreement when it came to a few elements driving employee engagement.

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The "MAGIC" of Employee Engagement

We have grouped these keys under the acronym “MAGIC” to make them simple to remember:

Meaning-?Your work has purpose beyond the work itself.?When a job is “just a job,” it is purely a transactional relationship—"I get paid, and you get my 40 hours of work.” But when the work I do is something that I value, or has worth to me beyond the job itself, I find purpose in what I do. What I do must have significance to me personally and professionally. Employees?find meaning?when they believe their work serves a purpose beyond that of a company’s profitability, or even their own personal income.

Autonomy-?The power to shape your work and environment in ways that allow you to perform at your best.??As an individual, I bring both unique skills and needs to my work. It is important, then, that I am empowered to perform my work in a way that allows me to do what I do best. Some employers shy away from?granting autonomy?(and many employees fail to take it or realize it when they have it) out of fear that it will result in anarchy. Autonomy does not create chaos. It does, however, allow for a degree of self-governance within acceptable parameters. It allows me to shape my role and environment in a way that is best for me?and?for the organization.

Growth-?Being stretched and challenged in ways that result in personal and professional growth.?Our research into engagement has shown that the?desire for growth, particularly among certain demographics (Millennials and GenZ-ers), has more impact on the employee experience than it ever has in the past. The ability to?develop, grow and progress?benefits not only the individual but also the organization. This desire for growth isn’t a Millennial/Z exclusive, however. Employees of all generations realize that the opposite of growth is professional and personal stagnation, and that’s not a good place to be.

Impact-?Seeing positive, effective and worthwhile outcomes and results from your work.?When employees give their all, yet have little impact on the organization’s or team’s success, engagement plummets.?When we asked employees to rate their agreement with the statement “I can see how the work I do has an impact on the success of the organization,” nearly one-third of employees don’t make the connection between what they do and how it helps the company succeed. One-third! On the other hand, if what I do has an impact (on the organization, the community, patients, customers, students, etc.), I am often?willing to go through tough times?if I have hope that it will make an impact.?

Connection-?The sense of belonging to something beyond yourself.?When our researchers paired attrition results to the responses of this massive survey database, we noticed that employee responses to the item “I feel like I belong here” had far greater correlation to an employee’s intent to stay than did any other item on our surveys. It’s simple—we stay were we feel like we belong. My?connection to the organization—whether or not I feel a part of the organization, my job, the people around me and my work—will dictate my level of commitment and engagement. As a side note, these surveys found that connection had little to do with whether the employee was a remote worker or worked from an office.

Notice that?MAGIC?is not something tied to adding more expense. It’s also not as simple as waving a magic wand (poor pun intended). However, being aware of our influence on employees’ meaning, autonomy, growth, impact and connection, as well as how those keys play out in?our own engagement, is the first step in creating an environment in which employees will choose to engage.

DecisionWise #employeesurvey #employeexperience #employeeengagement