We’ve all heard the phrase “employee engagement.” It’s a common term that’s often linked to a multitude of business benefits, including better productivity, profitability, lower turnover, and higher employee satisfaction rates. Often cited as a cure for many personnel challenges, it’s a slippery term to pin down. What exactly is the definition of employee engagement? How is it used? How can we measure it?
These questions are important because, according to Gallup, employee engagement has remained stagnant in the United States – hovering around 30% – for the past five years. As long as engagement is low, both individuals and businesses suffer – they are less productive and successful than they otherwise might be.
What is employee engagement?
In order to improve employee engagement, we must first define the term. It’s true that there is no hard and fast, universally-accepted statement. Instead, businesses and executives must look at their organization and ask themselves: What is our definition of the term? What would a thriving workplace culture look like to us? For one company, that may mean lower turnover in certain departments. For another, employee engagement may translate to higher customer service. It’s a term and metric that is intrinsically tied to company values and objectives.
There are accepted truths to keep in mind. Members of a workforce who are empowered, balanced and focused on personal wellbeing will be better equipped to do their jobs with focus and clarity, day after day. Thus, just as employee engagement is intrinsically linked to individual company cultures, it is also essential to employee wellbeing.