What is Employee Engagement?
Definition: “Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.” Forbes
Employees who have an emotional commitment truly care about their work and their company. Their motivation goes beyond receiving a paycheque or jostling for the next promotion, they are invested in the organization’s goals and take action to move the company forward.
You know an engaged employee when you see one. They are the ones that will go the extra mile. It can be the small things like picking up a piece of garbage off the floor, organizing the files so it’s easier for everyone to find them, or answering a co-worker’s question even though they asked just as they were putting on their jacket to leave for lunch.
Engaged employees drive better business performance. A research study by Towers Perrin found companies with engaged workers have 6% higher net profit margins.
Why do companies with highly engaged employees perform better? Here are some trends:
· They provide great customer service and take pride in their products/outputs which leads to higher customer satisfaction.
· As a result of their commitment to great customer service, they drive more repeat business and referrals
Put another way, “To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” As quoted by Former Campbell’s Soup CEO, Doug Conant.
“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.”
All workforces have different challenges in fostering high employee engagement. For hybrid organizations, it can be challenging for managers to see the signals of an engaged employee. Pre-pandemic, employee behaviour was often on display within the workplace environment. Leaders and managers could often see employee’s stepping up to help drive the organization forward or taking pride in creating a great workplace. Digital teams can make this harder to identify. Managers need to find new ways to acknowledge and reward employees who are modelling the behaviours that contribute to an engaged employee.
Levels of Employee Engagement:
Highly engaged employees
These people would be considered your “brand advocates”, they are high performers, they have positive attitudes toward their coworkers and the organization, and they seek to improve the company by doing the job that needs to be done, not just what’s in their job description.
Indicators to watch for:
· Helping people with tasks outside of their role
· Identifying issues and proactively providing solutions
· Speaking highly of the brand often
· Alignment with the corporate vision, mission and values
· Supporting coworkers to help the overall success of the company
Moderately engaged employees
Moderately engaged employees generally have a favourable view of their organization but also see areas for improvement. They are less likely to spearhead initiatives to help solve any issues they see and focus more on what are the expectations of their role. They deliver on their core functions but could be incentivized to leave the organization if another, better suiting, opportunity came along.
Indicators to watch for:
· Completes tasks on time and with proficiency
· Helps other co-workers from time to time but mostly sticks to their own workload
· May present issues with the organization but doesn’t bring any suggestions on how to improve it.
· May endorse the brand from time to time
Barely engaged employees
Barely engaged employees are indifferent to their place of employment. Not only are they not keen to proactively solve issues within the organization, but they also aren’t overly motivated to complete the work that is assigned to them. Employees that fall into this category of engagement are more likely to be researching other jobs and pose a greater risk for turn-over.
Indicators to watch for:
· Is not consistent on delivering on the tasks in their job function
· Is not engaged with teamwork and helping others
· Does not take on work outside their job function
· Doesn’t speak positively about the brand
Disengaged employees
Disengaged employees have negative feelings toward their organization. They may be vocal about it and create a toxic workplace. They generally are not team players and are not connected to the company’s mission, vision and values.
Indicators to watch for:
· Speaks out negatively about the organization
· Is disengaged with corporate communications and initiatives
· Does not perform job functions consistently
· Does not attend optional meetings
Benefits of Employee Engagement
Why care about employee engagement? Here are some benefits to having an engaged workforce.
Higher employee retention
We all know the challenges, and costs, of recruiting, hiring and onboarding a new employee. Engaged employees don’t have a reason to leave.
Employers that take the time to get this right, will make employees feel:
· That their contributions are meaningful to the company’s overall success (Recognition)
· That they will be supported when they need it (Supported)
· That their voices and options are valued (Valued)
· That they are informed organizational change and why it’s happening (Respected)
Brand advocates
Good employees can help recruit more good employees.
Engaged employees will:
· Speak highly of the brand
· Strengthen your corporate culture
· Give complimentary reviews
Higher attendance
When employees are engaged in their work, they will be less likely to call in sick or take time off when their skillset is needed. They will be mindful of being there for the team.
Engaged employees:
· Are accountable to themselves and the organization
· Plan for success and do their best to ensure the success of their projects / tasks
Employee engagement stakeholders:
· Leadership – drive the vision and approve the strategy
· HR – support through various strategic initiatives, monitor progress via surveys
· Managers/Supervisors – support, guide and communicate about the strategic initiatives, provide recognition, one-on-one feedback, and growth opportunities for employees
· Employees – Provide ongoing feedback, participate in employee engagement initiatives
There are many employee drivers that help with employee retention: having autonomy, having your voice heard, to equitable compensation packages.
What helps strengthen employee engagement?
An engaged leadership team
When the leadership and management teams lead by example, they have higher success rates that employee’s be engaged. Employees want to work for leaders and teams that put people first, value employee contributions, and show integrity.
Strong Corporate Communications
Getting your internal communications right will help strengthen your employee engagement strategies. It’s important to remember that trust is built in small increments, and it only takes one misstep to lose trust. When the organization is going through change, it’s critical that employees feel like they are being kept apprised of the changes. They might not like the change but understanding why it is happening will help build trust.
Fostering a Culture Continuous Improvement
There are many ways for organizations to continuously improve. Here are a few of the top ways to foster a growth-oriented organization:
Solicit feedback:
· Company-wide employee engagement surveys
· Pulse surveys (for feedback on a specific topic)
· Employee lifecycle surveys
o Onboarding survey, active employee surveys, exit survey
Ongoing Coaching, Feedback & Performance Reviews
· Provide your employees with ongoing coaching to help them with their personal growth
· Learn about their career goals and growth aspirations to ensure alignment
No matter your business, employee engagement is key to an organization’s success. If you need support developing your employee engagement strategy, let’s connect.
About KindCo
KindCo is a Vancouver-based brand engagement consultancy that specializes in employee engagement and corporate events. We bring people together through the art of gathering.
Founder, Nikki Hedstrom, has over 15 years experience as a brand engagement and event specialist. .
