Why Employee Engagement Should be Your Top Business Priority
If you feel like your employees aren’t engaged, you’re not alone. UK employee engagement dipped to 20% during 2020, after progressing steadily since 2009, and we still rank a lowly 9th out of the world’s 12 largest economies in the engagement stakes.
If the UK could engage its workforce, it stands to gain an estimated £25.8 billion in GDP from increased productivity.
In our latest blog, we explore how to identify engagement issues and reveal why prioritising employee engagement will be the best business decision you make this year.
Six benefits of employee engagement
From our experience working with a diverse mix of organisations, we know that every type of workplace can be an enjoyable one, and every job can make employees feel fulfilled and valued.
So, why is employee engagement so important?
Attract and retain top talent
Every business is made up of people, and people are what sets you apart from the competition. Your competitors might already offer the same products or services – or could copy them - but they don’t have your team to deliver or sell them.
Prioritising people and how much they enjoy their work will enhance your employer brand and help you attract and retain the right people for your business.
“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” - Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell’s Soup.
2. Improve productivity
When your employees are engaged in your business, its culture, and its goals, they work harder than disengaged employees without the need for any additional financial incentive.
They buy into your pathway to success and feel a vested interest in making it happen.
3. Heighten innovation
According to Gallup’s ‘State of the Global Workforce report, “engaged employees feel a sense of passion for their work and spend their days driving innovation and moving the company forward.”
Innovation is the lifeblood of every dynamic business, so it makes sense to drive engagement to drive innovation and keep your company at the top of its game.
4. Boost attendance and performance
Achieving an engaged workforce can reduce absenteeism by 41% and slash employee churn by 59%.
With fewer accidents and sick days, your employees are in much better shape to feel and perform at their best.
5. Achieve greater customer satisfaction and higher sales
It turns out engagement is infectious, as satisfied employees lead to happy customers.
When your colleagues show up to work with a spring in their step, they project a can-do approach to processes, standards, and systems, as well as being more in tune with your customers’ needs.
Unsurprisingly, all of this adds up to happier customers who buy into your brand, spend, and recommend.
“If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your customers, and your customers will take care of your shareholders.” Richard Branson.
6. Improve your bottom line
By engaging with your teams effectively, they become more present and productive, which can result in a 21% boost in profitability for your business.
What are the signs of low employee engagement?
You may be wondering how to identify the signs of low employee engagement in your organisation.
Here are the red flags that indicate it’s time to do things differently.
High absence rates
High employee turnover
Poor turnout at social events
Customer service problems
Management teams inundated by “people problems”
Health and safety issues
Unhealthy clandestine chats between employees
What causes low employee engagement?
A lack of engagement among your teams isn’t a result of one thing.
In reality, several factors can contribute to a disengaged team, including:
Information – often, we see employees feeling ill-informed and resentful that they’re left out of important business matters they think affect them, which can result in disengagement
Communication – do leaders check in with their teams and give individuals enough attention? And do employees feel comfortable approaching their managers to communicate any issues they’re experiencing? Do you encourage openness and active listening?
Training – low levels of training can make employees feel unprepared for the workload and undervalued as people
Culture – as we all know, businesses that prioritise profit over people will soon have neither
Satisfaction – without feeling satisfied and fulfilled in their work, your employees will lack the motivation and passion to perform
Leadership – without direction and guidance, individuals end up channeling their energy in the wrong direction, resulting in negative feedback, and then feel undervalued and worthless. Good leadership energises team members, leaving them feeling valued, important, and worthy.
Purpose – your colleagues need to see the bigger picture and connect their work to the end goal to understand how they bring value to your organisation. Without that purpose, they can feel like their job is insignificant or pointless.
Making positive changes towards an engaged workforce
Now you’ve discovered the advantages of an engaged workforce, you may be more aware of some of the signs of low engagement. The great news is, it’s never too late to turn things around and start reaping the benefits.
If poor engagement is holding your business back and you’re ready to make a change but unsure where to start, we can help.
Get in touch with the Enthuse team to discuss how we can support you on your path to an engaged and productive workforce. Call us on 07812 343310 or email hello@enthuse-comms.co.uk. You can also download our free e-book on culture change.