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Employee engagement isn’t a new concept – it has been a focus of businesses for decades. However, how we view and measure employee engagement has changed significantly.

This article explores employee engagement, why you should care about it, and the benefits of an engaged workforce.

It’s not just about perks and happy hours!

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement is the degree to which employees are connected to their organization, work, and fellow employees. It is the state of being involved in work that goes beyond the job’s requirements. See Qualtrics for a more in-depth definition of the term.

When people are engaged, they see themselves as part of something bigger and have a sense of belonging and a desire to contribute beyond their day-to-day responsibilities.

Engaged employees are more likely to be productive, meet their goals, stay with their organizations, provide positive customer service and positively influence their co-workers. This is why businesses are using a variety of software and apps to help their engagement with employers. For example, if you’re in the healthcare sector, you could benefit from using home care scheduling software which could help with various tasks.

Therefore, business leaders who create an engaged workplace will positively impact their organization’s bottom line, customer service, and employee retention.

Why you should care about employee engagement

Employee engagement is vital to organizational success and critical to increasing your organization’s bottom line. Organizations with highly engaged employees are likelier to meet their goals and outperform their competitors.

When you have an engaged workforce, you will have motivated employees who feel a sense of accomplishment. They will take pride in their work, be willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, and have the drive to succeed.

Engaged employees are also far more likely to stay with your organization long-term. They are more satisfied with their roles, have higher job satisfaction, receive more positive feedback, and are less likely to leave their organization.

The benefits of engaging employees

A motivated and engaged workforce

When employees are engaged, they are motivated to do their jobs well and go above and beyond expectations. Your employees will be highly productive, which is good for the organization and your bottom line.

Increased productivity

An engaged workforce is likely to produce more and does so more efficiently. This means you can meet your business goals and output, saving time and resources.

Improved performance

Engaged employees are more likely to meet their goals and perform to a high standard. This means that your organization will likely outperform its competitors, and organizations with an engaged workforce will be able to provide excellent customer service.

Reduced employee turnover

Employee turnover is expensive, both in terms of the financial investment and the productivity lost when employees leave. Engaged employees are far less likely to leave their roles and as a result, you can save significant amounts of money.

Positive brand reputation

When your employees are engaged, they will share their positive experiences with others. This can help build a positive brand reputation that can be great for business. This is why online reputation management companies focus on raising employee engagement.

Increased customer satisfaction

When your employees are happy, they are more likely to provide excellent customer service. This can positively impact your organization’s bottom line and give you an advantage over your competitors.

Improved employee retention

Retention is a crucial goal for many organizations. When your employees are engaged, they are likely to stay with your organization for longer. This is good for the organization and can save you significant amounts of money in hiring and training costs.

Ways to increase employee engagement

You can encourage and maintain employee engagement in your organization in several ways. Here are a few key areas to focus on:

Engaging leadership

The best way to engage your employees is to hire great leaders. Engaging leaders, who understand the value of engagement and are willing to invest in it are likely to lead organizations with engaged employees.

Clear vision and mission

Employees who understand the vision and mission of their organization are likely to be more engaged. Work with your senior leaders to create and disseminate a clear vision and mission so that all employees understand how they fit into the bigger picture.

Create a positive culture

Engaged employees are more likely to thrive in positive and healthy cultures. When engagement is a priority, you can work with your senior leaders to create a culture that empowers employees, encourages open communication, and supports the continuous improvement of all employees.

Show appreciation

Appreciation is one of the best ways to encourage and maintain employee engagement actively. It is essential to acknowledge your employees’ contributions and show gratitude for their work.

Give your employees autonomy

People thrive when they have autonomy over their day-to-day lives. When you give your employees autonomy, you empower them and increase their engagement.