Did you find this article while searching Google for an “employee engagement guide”? That’s not surprising given the fact that the number of searches has increased by a factor of 1,000 in the last 15 years, indicating the term’s popularity. 

Employee engagement was a new management concept that hit the best business journals in the 1990s. By the early 2000s, this was a widely accepted concept among business owners and managers worldwide. This internal communications and human resource strategy has since helped boost morale and foster team spirit. Most organizations often get confused between employee engagement vs satisfaction. 

To win at the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace. Keep your employees engaged and satisfied for long term growth of the company.https://t.co/WF44pL3lDi#EmployeeEngagement #EmployeeSatisfaction #EmployeeEngaged #UprightHC pic.twitter.com/dMDlDVqKRm

— UprightHC Solutions Private Limited (@UprightHC) October 27, 2020

Don’t worry..

This ultimate employee engagement guide will provide a thorough understanding of employee engagement topics in complete detail. 

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement measures how invested employees are in and motivated by their work. 

It may appear to be a simple concept, but it significantly impacts your company’s performance (more on that in just a minute).

Employee engagement levels get influenced by various factors that differ depending on location, company, culture, and individual characteristics. 

These factors are unique to each individual, but they also change over time.

According to a survey, more than 90% of business owners and managers believe that properly engaged employees performed better, boasting of their coworkers’ success and contributing more to the organization’s goal.

Why is Employee Engagement Critical?

via GIPHY

No matter how good a person’s work ethic and overall fit is to your company, if you don’t have a plan to support their interests and needs throughout their career, their engagement levels will suffer significantly. 

Employers face a significant challenge because only 32% of employees get engaged at work. 

Executives and leadership teams frequently ask why employee engagement is so critical.

Given below are 3 reasons that prove its impact on your business:   

• Enchanted employee satisfaction. 

While 89 percent of employees are “somewhat-to-very” satisfied with their jobs, this does not imply engagement. An employee can be completely content sitting at their desk, sending emails and doing minimal work. 

Employees who are engaged believe in the company and its mission, and they give their work their all every day. This engagement naturally leads to higher levels of satisfaction. It’s a win-win situation. 

• Superior retention rate.

Employees engaged are 87 percent less likely to leave their current employer. That’s fantastic news, but it gets better. 

While more than half of disengaged employees would look to leave their job for a better offer, only 25% of engaged employees would do so.

After you’ve gone through hiring a great employee, the last thing you want to do is start over because they’ve moved on to greener pastures. 

Engagement is the most effective way to prevent this from happening.

• It has increased productivity and profitability.

Yup. Companies with higher levels of employee engagement see a 21% increase in productivity and a 22% increase in profitability. 

If you’re still not convinced of the value of employee engagement programmes, read on.

Myths Related to Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is an ever-evolving process, so it has its fair share of myths and misunderstandings. By busting each employee engagement myth, you will gain a more transparent and more precise understanding of how to build an engaged workforce! 

Employee engagement myth 1. Employees who are sincere = Employees who are engaged.

We frequently associate engaged employees with sincere employees. Employees who are consistent, punctual, and hardworking are not always involved. They are just as capable of disengaging at work as any other employee. 

While discipline and sincerity are indicators of top performers, they are not guaranteed characteristics of highly engaged employees. 

The very definition of an engaged workforce is going above and beyond expectations. An engaged employee seeks more effective, efficient, and effective ways to contribute to the organization.

Employee engagement myth 2. It necessitates a large budget.

Employee engagement is widely perceived to be an expensive endeavour. But it’s not.

Employee engagement begins with company practices such as employee recognition, robust internal communication, a transparent and fair culture, and effective leadership. These factors can be addressed with the sincere efforts of people at all levels of the organization. 

Employee engagement myth 3. Perks and benefits are central to employee engagement.

Having appealing employee perks and benefits is a great selling point for any company. It gives the company a caring image and makes the job profile attractive. Perks and benefits increase employee motivation. You cannot, however, perk your way to employee engagement.

The state of being emotionally invested in a company is referred to as engagement. When all of the factors come into play, they can become a reality. An employer is responsible for providing meaningful and well-thought-out benefits. However, it should not be the sole focus of your engagement efforts.

Employee engagement myth 4. High salary equals high engagement.

The belief that a high salary equals high engagement oversimplifies what motivates employees. While compensation is important, other factors like meaningful work and a positive work environment also influence engagement. Additionally, beyond a certain point, salary increases have diminishing returns on engagement. Organizations must focus on a holistic approach to engagement, addressing various aspects of the work environment beyond just compensation.

Employee engagement myth 5. Employee engagement is a quick fix.

The myth that “employee engagement is a quick fix” overlooks the complexities involved. Sustainable engagement requires a cultural shift, continuous effort, understanding individual needs, addressing root causes, and implementing sustainable changes. While quick fixes might provide temporary boosts, lasting improvements demand a long-term, holistic approach.

Benefits of Employee Engagement

Companies are now implementing comprehensive engagement strategies to ensure that their employees are indeed engaged. But why is it significant? Why should you engage your employees?

#EmployeeEngagement pic.twitter.com/87k2gentF6

— Employee Engagement (@EmplyEngagement) May 17, 2022

The following are some evidence-based points that demonstrate why employee engagement is critical for an organization’s success.

Benefit 1. Lowers absenteeism

A couple of absences are acceptable due to illness or unforeseen events. However, repeated absences can indicate dissatisfaction and disengagement. Employee productivity and performance suffer as a result of increased absences. It, in turn, has an impact on the company’s bottom line. 

It is critical to provide your employees with an excellent work-life balance to reduce absenteeism. Employee absenteeism can be reduced by implementing good vacation policies and wellness programmes.

Benefit 2. Improved work quality

Employees who are engaged always give their all when they do something. These workers are far more motivated than others. They devote the same amount of time and effort to each task and are much more efficient at work because they enjoy it.

They are constantly coming up with new ideas, learning from mentors, and working in groups. 

Employees work to improve their skills by taking courses, attending seminars, etc.

Benefit 3. Employees think outside the box

When these zealous employees are engaged, they are at their best. They are constantly coming up with new, dynamic ideas that can help the company’s image. Because they are so invested in their work, they are continually looking for new ways to make it more enjoyable.

78 percent of employees who work for companies that encourage them to be innovative and creative are more loyal to their employer. It allows them to make their own decisions and be creative with their work.

Benefit 4. Increases productivity

Employee engagement = increased productivity.

According to a Gallup study, connected teams are 21% more productive. Like all other businesses, making employees effective should be your ultimate goal. As a result, engaging employees can be the first step toward developing a productive workforce.

Employees who are engaged enjoy what they do and find their work meaningful. An engaged workforce will work harder, faster, and more enthusiastically.

Satisfied employees are 40% more productive than those who are dissatisfied. Furthermore, engaged employees are 44 percent more effective than happy employees.

Benefit 5. Achieving team goals

Speaking of hitting targets, employee engagement is critical to your team’s success and accomplishments. It’s natural for a manager to focus on the objectives of their team. 

However, shifting your focus to employee engagement directly and positively impacts your goals. What’s the good news? 

You’ll need team members who believe in the vision to get you there. And they will if they are invested in their work and committed to your strategy.

Best Practices to Improve Employee Engagement

As a result, business leaders have shifted their focus from increasing productivity to improving employee engagement. However, to get the best results from something, you must follow its best practices in the long run. 

• Practice spot recognition

Do not put off recognizing your employees.

Employees appreciate it when their efforts are recognized and acknowledged. Keeping your employees on hold until a specific day of appreciation, on the other hand, might be the best idea.

The effect of recognition is most significant when it is given immediately following the successful completion of work. Furthermore, with nearly half of today’s workforce made up of millennials who expect instant gratification, the need for on-the-spot recognition has grown even more. 

As a result, you must always verbally thank your employees for their excellent work.

• The ability to make decisions.

There can be no growth where there is no space.

The amount of freedom that employees have at work directly correlates to the growth of an organization. As an employer, I don’t mean you have to let your employees do whatever they want. 

Allowing your employees to create their plans for getting the work done is preferable to imposing orders from on high. When you do this as a manager, you are also putting the employees in a position of responsibility. It will also assist employees in exploring their capabilities and growing as professionals.

• Good internal communication is essential.

The level of engagement maintained by working in an organization determines its success. And the same culture of engagement is proportional to the organization’s internal communication quality.

Internal communication is critical for fostering mutual understanding and cooperation among employees. It depicts the employee satisfaction graph, which is dependent on an employee’s ability to express themselves. 

As a result, you must always maintain an open line of communication between employees.

• Strive for a healthy workplace.

All of your employee engagement best practices will be futile unless you create a healthy work environment in your organization.

The workplace design is critical for the effective implementation of employee engagement best practices. It is the fundamental requirement for an engaged workforce. 

Try this fun Friday activity to improve #employeeengagement in your company. Three Truths and a Lie is an ideal game for your employees. Here are the rules: #FridayActivities #FridayMood #FridayFun #FridayVibes #FridayFeelings #UprightHC pic.twitter.com/gLT4Xv0SSf

— UprightHC Solutions Private Limited (@UprightHC) July 16, 2021

A positive work environment accomplishes 80% of the work and ensures an engaged workforce. It also assists employers in measuring employee engagement levels in the workplace.

The better the work environment within the organization, the more engaged your employees will be.

• Increase engagement through social media.

If you truly appreciate someone, don’t keep your words of appreciation between you and the receiver. 

We, like humans, enjoy it the most when we get applauded in front of a large crowd. It gives us a sense of accomplishment and pride for doing the right thing. Similarly, recognizing your employees for good work and acknowledging their efforts is standard procedure. Employee recognition is at the heart of all best practices for employee engagement.

You must use social media to maximize the impact of your employee engagement programme. Social media is a powerful tool for reaching many relevant audiences. 

Taking your employee recognition to everyone via social media will make the employees happy and add to their overall employee experience.

Read more: 10 Ways Employee Engagement can Benefit Your Company

Ways to Measure Employee Engagement

Measuring employee engagement can be difficult because it is not always easy to quantify. Engagement can be an emotion, a mental state, or a subconscious sense of connection.

Fortunately, there are some excellent techniques and tools available to assist us in measuring employee engagement from virtually any location.

• Utilize pulse surveys.

When measuring employee engagement, employee pulse surveys are great for getting quick, consistent, and actionable insights. 

Pulse surveys are short, focused surveys oriented around a specific question. They get their name from a ‘pulse’ check, which provides an overview of employee wellbeing fast. 

Pulse surveys generate more responses due to their short length and have even driven employee engagement.

The key is to ask simple but meaningful questions about employee engagement. As a general rule, we recommend focusing on three types of questions:

• Satisfaction questions: Is your team motivating you to do your best work?
• Opportunity questions: Is there enough room for advancement in your current team?
• Alignment questions: Do you believe your leadership team takes your input into account when making significant decisions?

You can seamlessly incorporate pulse surveys into your weekly employee newsletter using Zonka Feedback’s employee pulse survey tool. Drag the survey tile onto your email template, select your survey type, and add a question.

• Set up virtual one-on-one meetings.

One-on-one meetings allow for more detailed and meaningful employee feedback while also allowing you to pick up on nonverbal cues. It’s also one of the most basic and straightforward employee engagement best practices. 

Making employees feel seen and heard in a virtual setting is critical to creating a safe feedback environment. It will also result in more meaningful responses.

Make sure you get rid of any distractions before the meeting to give your full attention. Once you’re on your way, show that you’re paying attention and comprehending what’s being said by summarising key points raised.

• Examine employee retention rates.

Employees who are engaged are more likely to stay with their company for a more extended period. They’re also less likely to be swayed by competing job offers.

Understanding how to measure employee satisfaction through retention is critical, but it is not as simple as other metrics.

It would help if you compared your employee turnover this year or quarter to the previous one. Once you’ve gathered the data, consider this: What did I do differently if my turnover rate is higher than in the past? Did our onboarding procedures change?

Create a quick employee pulse survey dedicated to learning about employee retention to gain even more insights. Concentrate your questions on how employees see their future within the company.

Pose yes/no questions, such as:

1. Do you see yourself continuing to work at [company] in two years?
2. Are you pleased to be a part of [Company X]?

• Use an exit poll.

An exit survey collects engagement feedback from employees already leaving your company. Those who are less likely to feel as if they jeopardize their job by speaking negatively about their experience. As a result, exit surveys are a goldmine of genuine insights.

Send a personalized message to a departing employee using your pulse survey, and frame it with short, simple questions. By turning commenting “on” in your email template, you can combine quantitative yes/no pulse survey questions with qualitative questions.

We recommend asking the following quantitative questions:

1. Were you adequately prepared for your job?
2. Did you receive constructive feedback on your performance?

Request qualitative feedback by asking:

1. What was the deciding factor in your decision to accept a new position?
2. Describe your favourite and most minor favourite aspects of your role.

Boost Employee Engagement With UprightHC

Maintaining high levels of engagement is critical to the success of your company.

UprightHC is top-rated in recruitment consulting. We know how to attract top talent because we’re good at putting ourselves in candidates’ shoes and finding the perfect candidate pairing for both parties. 

We are capable of providing unmatched services because of our dedicated team. Here’s what our employee has to say about us:#UprightHC #Employee #EmployeeFeedback #Organization #HRServices #RecruitmentCompany #RecruitmentServices #EmployeeEngagement pic.twitter.com/AaZI42FkVH

— UprightHC Solutions Private Limited (@UprightHC) September 17, 2021

We’re also the executive search firms that can implement engagement and reward programs. We have a vast network with a huge database of candidates. The highlights of our employee engagement services are: 

• Systematic training for employees
• Regular feedback sessions for employees
• Team building activities
• Focus on internal promotion

Get Timely Insights about your Employees with UprightHC and boost your employee engagement with our customized strategies. Get in touch with our experts.