Top Factors that Affect Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is one of the buzz words in the corporate world these days. It is basically a workplace approach that proposes a mutually beneficial relationship between the employer and employee. Engaged employees are believed to be enthusiastic about their work that they would exert more effort in advancing the reputation and interests of the company they work for.

Firms have been so engrossed in increasing engagement employee levels, and fortunately, there is some progress in their efforts. Just recently, Gallup said the percentage of “engaged” US workers was at 34.1 in March 2016. This is the highest level since the research and consulting firm started to track US workplace engagement in 2011.

For many HR experts, the increase in engagement employee levels simply means that more employees are now working with passion and have a profound connection to their firms. These engaged workers are helping their organizations move forward.

Employers looking to further improve engagement employee levels in their respective offices can be guided by the following factors in engaging their workers’ hearts, hands, and heads:

1. Career opportunities

Employees are always looking for challenging and meaningful work with the goal of further advancing their careers. People want to do new things in their job. The challenge for an organization is to provide their workers with meaningful career paths that will inspire them and give them different opportunities to grow. Failure to do so can cause stress, frustration, and lack of engagement on the part of the employees.

Many companies looking to improve employee engagement in the workplace provide their workers with formal training programs and more importantly, the opportunity to practice their skills and knowledge on the job.

2. Employee recognition

Numerous studies and polls have showed that employee recognition is one of --- if not the top--- the essential factors in driving employee engagement.

One survey conducted by consulting firm HR Solutions stresses that employee recognition is the top driver of employee engagement. The same poll showed that only 59 percent of employees say their bosses let them know when they have accomplished a good job. Studies have also indicated that employees feel that they receive immediate feedback when their performance is below expectations.

An organization should aspire to recognize their employees who are performing creditably in a sincere and timely manner. This can boost morale of the staff, resulting to a higher engagement level among the employees.

3. Corporate culture

Management should strive to maintain good corporate culture in the workplace, as people would be proud to be part of an organization where there is meaningful work, deep employee engagement, and strong leadership.

An example would be West Jet Airlines, one of the most admired organizations in Canada. In 2005, the company was named for having the best corporate culture in Canada. It launched a campaign billed “Because We’re Owners” which showed how an engaged workforce drove the organization to new and better heights.

4. Good relationship with immediate supervisors

For many employees, their immediate supervisor represents the management. If a supervisor isn’t fair and approachable, then there is an increased likelihood that the employee will be unmotivated at work. Worse, the employee may be prompted to leave the company altogether because of his poor working relationship with the supervisor. Thus, companies should train their officers to become more competent in supervising their employees, providing feedback on their performance, and delegating appropriate levels of responsibility.

It would be wise for management to focus on these top four factors affecting engagement employee levels in the workplace as these can have an impact on employee morale, productivity, and turnover rates.