"Employee engagement - a key driver of Organisational Performance."

Employees want to feel that they are engaged in their work, that they are important and valued by their employer, they also want to feel a sense of autonomy over their work schedules and flexibility in how they get the job done. This includes workers’ desire to have a sense of belonging in the?Organisation. Fostering this sense of belonging in the workforce then becomes a crucial part of the Company’s success as it drives Organisational performance and delivers Organisational success. Employee engagement is one of the most important metrics for assessing job satisfaction and is consequently essential for the fact that it benefits everyone in the team.

An employer needs to understand what causes employees to be disengaged before beginning to work on interventions to restore their engagement in the workplace. Some of these factors usually include:

·??????? Lack of learning, development initiatives and opportunities for growth.

·??????? Lack of transparency, trust and effective communication.

The Importance of Employee Engagement in the Workplace

Engaged employees often develop an emotional connection or attachment to their job and Company and focus on working toward the Organisation's goals. While Companies may define employee engagement according to their own needs, the basic characteristics of an engaged employee are:

· Strong desire to perform the job; they are aware of their function and what it demands.

· They exhibit productivity and loyalty towards their employer.

· They possess the drive and knowledge to strive for their organisation's success and understand what it entails.

· They become emotionally and logically connected to their Company.

It is also important to observe the three key behaviours that indicate the level of intellectual and emotional attachment that the employee has to the Company:

1.????? Say: an employee who regularly gives a positive review of their employer.

2.????? Stay: a worker who, despite having other options, feels strongly that they should stay.

3.????? Strive: an employee's extra effort made to further the success of their employer.

Engaged employees care about their work and the performance of the Company and feel that their efforts make a difference. They are in it for more than a salary and may consider their well-being linked to their performance and thus instrumental to their Companies overall success.

Employee Engagement Strategies for an Improved Workplace

Adopt a bottom-up approach - It is important to ensure that communication is maintained by providing surveys, questionnaires that allow employees to share their thoughts and concerns. HR needs to keep abreast of the pulse of the Organisation and trends in the sector.

Promote two-way communication - Employees should be encouraged to voice their issues and concerns so they do not feel underappreciated or neglected. The open-door policy might also be helpful and essential in maintaining the effectiveness of this communication.

Recognise good work - Establishing a recognition-rich atmosphere where excellent performance is recognised with benefits and incentives may be an excellent strategy. However, to make employees feel valued often requires a few kind words and a certificate of appreciation go a long way.

Create a sense of purpose - A stronger sense of emotional attachment to the Company will encourage employees to devote more of themselves and make larger accomplishments.

Importance of Communication as a Core Factor in Driving Employee Motivation

Poor communication leads to a lack of transparency and trust in the organisation. How you communicate therefore plays an important role in enhancing employees' morale, engagement, productivity, satisfaction, improved teamwork, and cooperation.

Efficient communication in the workplace promotes better outcomes for teams, individuals, and companies. At the same time, when done effectively, it can motivate employees to get more done with better results and fewer misunderstandings.

Gatherings such as daily toolbox talks at the start of each day, mass gatherings in the form of a town hall discussion and an address by your CEO are some of the key formal communications that should be incorporated in the calendar of the Organisation. Informal interactions are also good at forming social connections, building culture, establishing trust, and finding common ground.

Every Organisation needs to put employee engagement at the heart of their business, not only for the good of the employees but for the success of the business.

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