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Explaining

Employee engagement

Here, we explain employee engagement as a concept, with a specific focus on how you can work to improve it using your modern employee survey.

Here, we explain employee engagement as a concept, with a specific focus on how you can work to improve it using your modern employee survey.

What is employee engagement?

 

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment and enthusiasm an individual has for their employer and the organization’s offering, strategy, and goals. It impacts the level of willingness that the employee has to put effort into ensuring quality work and contributing to a positive work environment. High employee engagement drives team and organizational success.

Here, we explain employee engagement as a concept, with a specific focus on how you can work to improve it using your modern employee survey.

Why employee engagement matters

Over the past decade, organizations have increased their focus on creating a positive and productive work environment conducive to employee engagement. Rightfully so, as “research shows that for every point increase in employee engagement, organizations can expect a +0.5% increase in increased total revenue,” according to the ROI of Engagement guide. The guide is a compilation of research reports and shows that, in addition to increased revenue, an increase in employee engagement contributes to reduced costs linked to sick leave, employee turnover, recruitment, and productivity. A higher employee engagement also impacts customer satisfaction, safety, and quality.

Despite the enormous benefits of high employee engagement, McKinsey research shows that 53% of employees are on the spectrum of mildly disengaged to quitters. This means that most organizations can still do a lot to improve and maintain engagement and must treat it as an ongoing process, not a one-off project.

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What drives employee engagement?

Whether an employee is engaged at work depends on several factors and relates to their personal values, motivation, ambition, and needs. Engagement is closely linked to how employees perceive their work life. Therefore, knowing how employees view reality is key to influencing employee engagement and adopting practices that are more in tune with fostering an engagement-focused culture.

Neuroscience suggests nine areas of greatest importance to well-being and work performance: clarity, efficiency, inclusion, enthusiasm, recognition, value, autonomy, development, and balance.

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  • Clarity

    High clarity means teams feel predictability about their work, understand expectations, and know what will happen in the short- and long-term.

  • Efficiency

    Efficiency means feeling that you have the practical knowledge, resources, support, and technical aids needed to perform your tasks well. Sometimes, the conditions are already in place in the organization, but the employees may be unaware of them or feel they are not accessible.

  • Inclusion

    It is essential for everyone to feel involved and respected in a team and that there is an inclusive treatment and conversation climate.

  • Enthusiasm

    Enthusiasm means feeling joyful about work and the workplace. Enthusiasm can compensate for more demanding periods when the workload is heavier or tasks that are less stimulating.

  • Recognition

    The feeling of appreciation from others for great work efforts. Appreciation results in so-called positive reinforcement, which means individuals and teams want to do more of and repeat the good efforts.

  • Value

    That we are expected – and have the opportunity to – prioritize the most important activities (“80 / 20 rule”) and a common understanding of what is most important to spend time on right now.

  • Autonomy

    Having the authority and freedom to take own initiatives and pursue these within the framework of what is considered reasonable or necessary to achieve expectations and goals. Autonomy means that you are in control and can direct your situation – not that you are left on your own.

  • Development

    Tasks are instructive and interesting – and seeing an opportunity for continued development. A feeling of learning in the present and predictability around one’s future development drives increased motivation. Development can take place in different ways, for example: (1) specialization/deepening within the same role/area of knowledge, (2) broadening into new areas of knowledge, (3) extended leadership responsibility over other individuals.

  • Balance

    A way of working and a workload that is sustainable in the long term, i.e., a situation where employees have a stress level that is optimal for performance and good conditions for handling periods when there is a lot to do. The optimum is not a low workload with excess time, but a balanced situation. According to the latest research, feeling “a little stressed” is positive for the individual to perform.

How to improve employee engagement

  • Improving employee engagement requires a strategy that considers several factors. A key part of this strategy is promoting open and transparent communication within the organization. This means creating an environment where employees feel safe sharing their opinions and ideas without fear of repercussions. By encouraging active dialogue and listening to employees’ views, companies can create a culture of mutual respect and trust, which in turn fosters engagement.
  • In addition, it is important to offer meaningful work tasks and opportunities for skills development. Employees who feel that their work is meaningful and that they have the opportunity to grow and develop within the organization are more likely to be fully engaged in their work. Recognizing and rewarding good performance is also an important part of creating engaged employees. By showing appreciation for employees’ efforts and achievements, organizations can create a positive company culture that motivates and inspires their employees.
  • It is also important to empower employees to take responsibility and have influence over their work. By giving employees power and autonomy to make decisions within their areas of responsibility, organizations can foster a sense of ownership and commitment among their employees.
  • Finally, with a foundation that promotes employee engagement, it is of the utmost importance to continuously measure and evaluate how well leaders and employees live up to expectations. Measuring helps you identify areas for improvement and adapt strategies accordingly. A common misunderstanding is to consider engagement a one-off action. Instead, organizations should be responsive to employee needs and expectations and proactively work to create a work environment where everyone feels motivated and engaged. This is the basis for building a strong and successful company culture.

Who owns employee engagement?

 

It was traditionally thought of as HR’s responsibility, but trends show employee engagement is shifting to become a shared responsibility shared by senior management, the HR department, direct managers, and the employees themselves.

By working together, the organization can create a stimulating and rewarding work environment that promotes employee well-being and contributes to its overall success.

Senior management

Senior management is responsible for communicating the company’s vision, values, and goals. They must clearly communicate these to the whole organization and integrate them into the company culture. In addition, it is the ultimate responsibility of management to provide resources and support to promote employee engagement, including driving the implementation of employee surveys.

HR

HR plays a key role in implementing strategies and programs to promote employee engagement. This can include organizing training and development opportunities, as well as creating policies and benefits that promote a positive work environment.

Managers

Direct managers play a key role in creating a dynamic and engaging work environment for their teams. It is their responsibility to actively follow up on employee surveys and use the results to identify areas for improvement. By providing constructive feedback and support to employees, managers can facilitate necessary changes and foster an environment where employees feel heard and respected. In addition to this, it is also the manager’s responsibility to create development opportunities and clear career paths for their staff. By providing opportunities for learning and growth, managers can help motivate and retain employees within the organization. Managers should also act as role models for the company’s values and norms. By exemplifying openness, collaboration, and respect, they can help create a positive and supportive company culture where employees feel inspired and committed to doing their best work.

Employees

Employees are also responsible for being engaged at work and suggesting improvements when needed. A great way to encourage employees to do this is to build social belonging as a central part of the organizational culture, develop inclusive leaders, and support their self-leadership.

 

Why are employee engagement surveys important?

 

Employee engagement surveys play a crucial role for different stakeholders within an organization. It is important to involve the whole organization in the survey and the follow-up of the results and not let it be a tool to gather information for HR and management. Employee engagement surveys are an important tool that benefits everyone by providing valuable insights, driving organizational improvement, and improving overall employee satisfaction and performance. As it benefits the entire organization, everyone has a responsibility to highlight issues and what works well.

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  • Senior management

     

    For senior management, employee engagement surveys provide valuable insights into the organization’s overall culture and its people. They help the management team understand strengths and weaknesses, guiding strategic decisions to improve employee engagement and organizational performance.

  • HR

     

    HR uses results from continuous employee engagement surveys to design and implement initiatives that improve employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity. These surveys help HR professionals identify trends, assist leaders and employees, and develop tailored solutions to promote a positive work environment.

  • Managers

     

    For managers, employee engagement surveys offer a regular check on their teams’ satisfaction and engagement levels. By analyzing survey data, managers can identify areas for improvement, address issues proactively, and strengthen relationships with their team members. This feedback enables managers to adapt their leadership approach to better support and motivate their teams.

  • Team

     

    Employee engagement surveys give teams the opportunity to express their opinions, concerns, and suggestions confidentially. By participating, team members help shape the work environment and culture of the organization. Survey results promote open dialog within teams, fostering transparency, collaboration, and a sense of ownership in driving positive change.

  • Employees

     

    Employee engagement surveys give individual employees the opportunity to share their opinions, perceptions, and experiences within the organization. This feedback mechanism allows employees to feel heard, valued, and included in decision-making processes. In addition, survey results can highlight areas where individuals may need additional support or development opportunities to thrive in their roles.

Are employee engagement surveys useful?

Employee engagement surveys are useful when conducted with a few things in mind. In particular, you must:

Arrow_Circle_RightAsk the same questions to all employees each time to ensure a coherent measurement result and that you can track patterns and trends
 
Arrow_Circle_RightMake it easy for managers to lead continuous improvement dialogues in their teams based on the measurement results

Arrow_Circle_RightEnsure your employee engagement survey software provides in-depth analytics and personalized improvement recommendations

Arrow_Circle_RightAct on the employee feedback given in the survey

Arrow_Circle_RightGive every employee and manager access to the survey results

Arrow_Circle_RightHold employees accountable for taking ownership of change

Arrow_Circle_RightAsk enough questions to collect the necessary data but ensure answering them does not take long

Arrow_Circle_RightFrame questions for constructive feedback
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When performed correctly, employee engagement surveys are useful for several reasons, including:

  • Measuring engagement levels

    Modern employee engagement surveys, or pulse surveys, measure the engagement levels regularly.

  • Empowering authentic team dialogues

    Confidential surveys with relevant in-depth analytics steer teams to focus on what matters the most for well-being and performance.

  • Continuous improvements

    Small but continuous improvements are more manageable and more likely to succeed than yearly change initiatives.

  • Identifying issues and getting recommendations to act

    Instead of guessing what works well and what must change, asking your employees gives you the full picture and allows you to act on what will have the biggest impact.

  • Fostering open communication

    With a transparent survey process where employees gain access to the measurement results, you

  • Showing employees that their opinions matter

    When you listen to employees and act on their feedback, you involve them in the organization’s journey, and they feel listened to and that their input is valuable.

  • Uncovering hidden dynamics in teams

    Managers can better learn their teams’ needs, perceptions, and emotions that impact employees’ work.

  • Developing and maintaining a strong employer brand

    Listening to employees enables you to build the employer brand foundation on what employees value and increase its strength.

  • Promoting an inclusive and positive culture

    Regularly learning employees’ perceptions helps to involve everyone, catch issues early, and maintain a culture conducive to well-being and performance.

How can employee engagement be measured?

 

The easiest and most effective method for measuring employee engagement levels is to use a modern employee survey, also called an employee engagement survey. CatalystOne Engage’s methodology is cyclical in nature and follows the steps shown below. This process is based on proven scientific principles, including neuroscience findings and management models.

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  • Step 1: Survey notification

    To ensure maximum participation, you must make it easy for employees to answer. Employees should be able to access the survey via email, SMS, kiosk, or by scanning a QR code. Easy access helps ensure an ongoing employee engagement survey process.

  • Step 2: Quick response

    Measuring only the most important areas minimizes the time employees spend on answering the questions. Research suggests asking nine questions that drive employee engagement. A regularly occurring employee engagement survey is easy to use and takes about 60 seconds to complete.

  • Step 3: Aggregation and analysis

    The structure of data analysis and the quality of AI models are key to gaining the most relevant and in-depth insights while maintaining the confidentiality of all respondents. Integrations with HR master data enable an even clearer understanding of employee engagement.

  • Step 4: Results and recommendations

    As soon as a survey closes, the results and recommendations must be generated. Employee engagement and experience change regularly, and measurement results must be up to date at the moment of discussion. Recommendations must be provided based on the latest measurement and draw on the trend.

  • Step 5: Dialogue

    The survey results must be available at individual, team, and aggregated levels. It allows individuals to reflect on their performance and well-being. Teams have authentic discussions about where to improve and can draw on what works. HR understands how the people strategy works and can adjust where and when needed. Senior management knows the challenges and opportunities of the organization’s focus areas when making daily and strategic decisions.

  • Step 6: Act

    Employees are accountable for making small, continuous improvements in the areas that matter most to their performance and well-being. This requires an active effort from each employee to contribute to positive change and drive the organization forward.

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