Are your employees in love with their work? Workplace unhappiness and dissatisfaction aren’t always obvious— and morale isn’t the only indicator. Employee engagement is directly tied to performance, and as their enthusiasm decreases, so does their productivity. Keeping your employees engaged with their work isn’t just a matter of improving work culture, but organizational productivity — so, what can you do? Learn more about how engagement ties to employees’ work and what managers can do to keep their workforce invested in their jobs.
Why Does Engagement Matter?
Employees are more likely to perform well if they’re enthusiastic about their work — that’s not just conjecture. According to recent research, engaged employees “drive stronger business outcomes across every industry” as research indicating businesses with an engaged workforce experienced the following:
- 10% higher customer loyalty
- 14% higher productivity (production records and evaluations)
- 18% higher sales
- 23% higher profitability
- 70% higher well-being
- 22% higher organizational participation
- 78% less absenteeism
- 21% less turnover for high-turnover organizations
- 51% less turnover for low-turnover organizations
- 28% less theft
- 63% fewer safety incidents and accidents
- 32% fewer quality defects
While the benefits of employee engagement are undeniable, that same research unfortunately indicates only 21% of employees around the world — and 31% in the United States — consider themselves engaged with their work. Clearly, a disconnect exists between employers and their workers. As organizations fail to engage employees, they bleed talent and spend on recruiting new talent to take their place. Managers who ensure their employees are happy and excited about their work, on the other hand, keep that talent in house and foster a workforce that believes in the organization’s mission.
How Do You Engage Employees?
While there are no quick fixes to an uninterested or unengaged workplace, managers can take several steps to steer the organization in the right direction. Eventually, employers can develop employees who believe in the work they’re doing and are excited to collaborate with like-minded individuals to achieve those goals. Some ways employers can improve employee engagement include the following:
- Listen to employees. If employees have concerns, give them an open forum to speak honestly and candidly. But don’t just stop there — actively work to address those concerns wherever possible. Simply nodding and giving empty platitudes like, “We’ll look into it,” won’t work.
- Lean into employees’ strengths. Not all workers have the same strengths and weaknesses; where some exceed, others may need more time to develop. Don’t just spend time pointing out where employees are falling short and don’t compare them to others. Give your workers projects that are in their wheelhouse while also providing additional guidance and training to build up other skills.
- Establish recognition programs. Make your employees feel valued by publicly recognizing and rewarding their accomplishments in meaningful ways. This can include standing before a department or your organization to shout out one employee or a group, scheduling weekly meetings to share good news, or instituting a bonus program.
- Lead by example. Why should your employees buy into their work if you don’t? Make yourself a model of how employees should approach their work. Come in with a positive attitude and openly express your enthusiasm for your work as well as your love and admiration for others’ accomplishments.
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