Is Employee Engagement driving your organisations growth?

Employee engagement has become one of the most pivotal factors in ensuring the long-term success and growth of an organisation. Talent is often a primary differentiator, fostering strong employee relationships is not just a matter of enhancing workplace satisfaction, it’s essential for driving organisational growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Understanding Employee Engagement

At its core, employee engagement refers to the emotional commitment employees have toward their organisation and its goals. Engaged employees are not merely present but are motivated, aligned with the company's vision, and proactive in driving its success. They view the company's outcomes as tied to their personal success, which fosters a high level of dedication.

Gallup's research on engagement highlights that companies with highly engaged workforces outperform their peers by 147% in earnings per share.

This striking statistic underscores the connection between engaged employees and financial performance, clearly demonstrating that engagement is not just a human resources concern but a critical business priority.

Employee Centered Design

Employee surveys designed with employees’ expectations at their centre, will garner more focused data, leading to better decision-making and improved employee engagement. For example:

• Relevance: Surveys must address the specific issues and concerns that employees face. Irrelevant questions will lead to inaccurate responses not valued, leading to lower participation and less honest feedback.
• Trust and Openness: When surveys are tailored with employees’ expectations, it fosters a sense of trust. Employees are more likely to provide honest and constructive feedback if they believe the survey is genuinely interested in their needs and objectives it will lead to positive changes.
• Actionable Insights: Professionally designed surveys will uncover specific areas that need improvement. This allows organisations to take targeted actions based on the feedback, which leads to meaningful improvements in employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Employee Voice: Custom surveys applying employee expectations ensures that employees feel heard and valued. This enhances their sense of belonging and commitment to the organisation.
• Avoiding Survey Fatigue: If surveys are not aligned with employee expectations, they may become repetitive and unengaging, leading to survey fatigue. This can result in lower response rates and less reliable data.

Employee Engagement and Relationship Building

Engagement acts as the foundation upon which strong employee relationships are built. When employees are engaged, they feel more connected not just to their work but also to their colleagues, managers, and the broader organisational ecosystem. This connectivity fosters a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared purpose, all of which contribute to better interpersonal relationships within the organization.

The Social Exchange Theory, introduced by Blau in 1964, provides valuable insight into why engagement drives relationships. According to the theory, when employees perceive that the organisation values their contributions and well-being, they reciprocate through greater loyalty and commitment.

These positive exchanges build trust, open communication channels, and strengthen professional relationships, all of which support a collaborative and productive work environment.

How Employee Relationships Drive Organisational Growth

Strong employee relationships, fostered by engagement, have a direct impact on several critical areas that contribute to organisations growth:

Collaboration and Innovation

Engaged employees are more likely to collaborate effectively. As relationships between employees strengthen, communication improves, and the willingness to share ideas grows.

Research by Deloitte found that companies with collaborative cultures are five times more likely to be high-performing. These collaborative efforts are the bedrock of innovation, which is vital for growth in a rapidly changing business environment.

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Productivity and Performance

Engaged employees demonstrate higher levels of productivity. A meta-analysis by Harter et al. (2020), published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, revealed that highly engaged teams see a 21% increase in profitability. The relationships built through engagement create an environment where employees support one another, reducing friction and allowing for more efficient workflows. This dynamic is critical for organisations aiming to scale and sustain long-term growth.

Retention and Talent Development

High levels of engagement also lead to improved retention rates. Employees who feel valued and connected to their colleagues are less likely to leave the organisation. The Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report estimated that turnover costs employers over $630 billion annually, much of which could be mitigated by better engagement and relationship-building strategies.

Furthermore, strong employee relationships facilitate knowledge transfer and mentoring, allowing for internal talent development, which is essential for sustainable organizational growth.

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Employee Advocacy and Brand Ambassadorship

Engaged employees are natural advocates for their organisations.

A study by Edelman found that 56% of employees are more likely to advocate for their employer when they feel highly engaged.

This advocacy extends beyond the workplace, as engaged employees promote the brand externally, attracting top talent and even new business opportunities. In this way, employee engagement directly contributes to the company’s external reputation and growth potential.

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Creating an Engagement-Driven Culture

While the importance of engagement is clear, creating a culture that promotes it is no small task.

According to Aon’s Global Employee Engagement Report, less than a quarter of employees worldwide are fully engaged, indicating a significant opportunity for organisations to improve in this area.

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Some key strategies to drive engagement include

Leadership Engagement: Leadership sets the tone for engagement. Leaders who are transparent, accessible, and demonstrate genuine care for employee well-being foster an environment where employees feel valued and connected.

Research from the Harvard Business Review points out that 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores is related to the actions of managers, highlighting the crucial role leadership plays in engagement strategies.

Empowering Employees: Providing employees with autonomy and opportunities to contribute meaningfully to organisational decisions enhances engagement. When employees feel they have a voice in shaping the future of the company, they develop a stronger emotional connection and a deeper sense of responsibility.

Recognition and Rewards: Recognising employees for their efforts and contributions strengthens their commitment. A Gallup poll found that employees who feel recognised are twice as likely to be engaged. Recognition doesn’t always need to be financial; public praise and personal acknowledgments can go a long way in fostering a culture of appreciation.

Development Opportunities: Offering continuous learning and development opportunities engages employees by investing in their growth.

According to LinkedIn's “Workplace Learning Report”, 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development.

By prioritising personal and professional development, organisations create an environment where employees feel supported and empowered to contribute to long-term growth.

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The Engagement-Growth Nexus

Employee engagement is more than a human resource initiative—it is a strategic driver of organisational success.

When engagement is high, strong relationships form, creating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and loyalty. These relationships, in turn, serve as the foundation for productivity, retention, and ultimately, organisational growth.

Investing in employee engagement should not be viewed as an optional strategy, but rather, as an essential element in building a thriving organisation. As the research demonstrates, the connection between engaged employees, strong internal relationships, and organisational success is irrefutable. Organisations that embrace engagement as a core business strategy will not only see growth but will build a foundation for sustained success in the future.

By prioritising engagement, organisations lay the groundwork for a culture that supports innovation, drives performance, and fosters long-term growth, positioning themselves as leaders in dynamic and competitive markets.

How can we help:

• We can help you achieve your employee engagement objectives;
• We design surveys that are tailored to your organisations needs
• We ensure survey development is built around your employees expectations, the process is centered around them
• We ensure employees are part of the design process, their input is key to participation
• We include emotional measures that automatically form part of the reporting output
• We design surveys for trending, rather than a one off event
• Reporting is prioritised to ensure the most important issues are top of your action planning list and have the most impact

Thank you for reading this article.

We will be delighted to discuss your employee engagement and experience survey initiatives? - email me on [email protected] to arrange a discover call.