A recent Gallup poll revealed that a mere 36 percent of U.S. employees — and 20 percent of employees worldwide — are engaged at work.
How do you think your employees measure up against these stunning statistics? Are your employees engaged and enthusiastic about their jobs, or are they doing the bare minimum just to get by?
If you’re confused about how to measure employee engagement or why it’s such an important metric, this guide explains in detail everything you need to know.
Employee engagement describes employees’ mental and emotional connection to their work, their colleagues, and their employer as a whole.
Highly engaged employees feel strongly connected to their jobs and those with whom they work. Employees with low levels of engagement tend to feel more disconnected.
When employees are engaged, everyone at the company wins.
According to 92 percent of executives, engaged employees perform better than disengaged or minimally engaged employees.
This is, of course, good news for business owners and managers who want to improve company-wide outcomes.
High levels of engagement are good for employees as well.
First, engaged employees are more likely to enjoy their jobs and have more positive attitudes toward their work. They’ll have more opportunities to rise through the ranks, earn promotions, and gain more favorable positions within the company, too.
Customers and clients also win when employee engagement increases. Engaged employees do better work, which means they provide better results to the customers and clients with whom they work.
Do you need more convincing to focus on employee engagement at your company? If so, here are some specific benefits you, your team, and your customers will experience when you start making engagement a priority:
Another Gallup survey revealed that business productivity increases by 18 percent when employees are highly engaged.
This might be because employees are more motivated to work hard and get things done when they feel connected to their jobs and the company’s mission. They’re not just earning a paycheck. They’re making a difference.
Job satisfaction and employee engagement typically go hand in hand. If employees are happy with their jobs, they’re more likely to work hard and stay committed.
On the flip side, committed employees who are connected to their employer, colleagues, and position are more likely to find meaning in their work and feel more fulfilled.
A whopping 48 million people quit their jobs in 2021, and over 8 million quit in the first quarter of 2022.
Is your company suffering from The Great Resignation like so many throughout the country?
If so, a lack of employee engagement is probably playing a role. Engaged employees are more likely to stay loyal to their employers because of the strong connections they’ve developed.
As we mentioned earlier, customer satisfaction tends to increase when employees are engaged.
What happens when your customers are happy with the products or services your business provides? They’re going to be more likely to recommend those products or services to others.
This helps you organically grow your following and build your business.
Improvements to your company’s reputation don’t just benefit you from a customer standpoint. They also benefit you when it comes to recruiting new employees.
When your employees are engaged, they’re more likely to be brand ambassadors for your business. They’ll sing your company’s praises unprompted — talking about their jobs on social media, leaving positive reviews on sites like Glassdoor, etc.
This makes it easier for you to attract top-tier talent and connect with skilled and experienced job seekers.
The step to improving employee engagement is doing some research to find out where your employees currently stand. You can use the following methods to measure employee engagement:
One of the easiest ways to measure employee engagement is to administer surveys.
Ask specific questions about topics like workload, schedule, relationships between coworkers and managers, and training processes. Then, use this information to make meaningful changes within your company.
You can administer paper surveys, send them via email, or use an employee experience platform to measure engagement and progress over time.
One-on-one meetings are also helpful.
Sitting down with employees face-to-face gives you a chance to understand each team member and their goals and needs. You’ll also learn what you can do to help them be more engaged at work.
Exit interviews can teach you a lot about the areas in which your company needs to prove.
Sit down with employees who are leaving and ask them why. Find out what kinds of changes you can make in the future to improve engagement and prevent more employees from quitting.
After measuring employee engagement, you might find that your numbers aren’t where you’d like them to be. If this is the case, your next job is to create a plan to improve engagement.
Here are some steps you might include in that plan:
Regularly assess and reevaluate your plan for improving engagement, too. It will need to consistently evolve, just like every other aspect of your business.
Are you convinced that it’s important to measure and work to improve employee engagement at your company?
If you want to experience the benefits discussed in this guide, investing in an employee experience platform is a great first step.
Spring provides you with all the tools you need to assess and boost engagement rates among your employees. This includes team questions, surveys, shout-outs, and events.
Sign up today to see what it’s all about.
Disclaimer: Any articles written on this website, including this article, are not to be taken as legal or HR advice. Employment laws are constantly changing and vary by location and industry. You should consult a lawyer or HR expert for guidance.