Expert By Matt Boyce, Podium What is Employee Engagement? Why You Need a Team that Cares W


hen your full-time employees are spending at least 40 hours per


week in the workplace, it’s fair to say that work plays a significant role in their lives. Naturally, their work environment has a big impact on their success, well-being, and whether or not they’re actually engaged at all. But what is employee engagement exactly? And how much does it really matter?


The basic definition of employee engage- ment is the level of commitment that a team member feels in regards to your business and their work. It goes beyond employee satisfaction, which mainly covers how happy team members are, and looks at the emotional connection that employees feel when they think about your brand and goals.


Looking at the level of engagement gives you insight into how likely your team mem- bers are to stay and put their best effort into their work.


The Benefits of Employee Engagement The benefits of employee engagement


aren’t just felt by business owners – they’re proven by data. High levels of engagement can lead to a 41% decrease in absenteeism, as well as increases in sales, profits, and productivity.


On the flip side, a disengaged employee will cost you 34% of their yearly salary. Even losing the engagement of a few team members can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars lost.


How to Measure Employee Engagement


Many business owners may believe their employees are engaged when team mem- bers are actually passive or even have neg- ative feelings toward your company. What many business owners will do is send out a quarterly employee engagement survey. Here are a few questions you may include:


Automotive Recycling


High levels of engagement can lead to a 41% decrease in absenteeism, as well as increases in sales, profits, and productivity.


• How likely are you to recommend our workplace to your peers?


• Do you believe you experience profes- sional growth with us?


• Do you have a positive relationship with your supervisor?


• How strong is communication within your team?


When using a numerical scale (ex. 1-10), you should always aim for scores of at least seven, though the most actively engaged organizations will have average ratings of 9-10.


Four Causes of Disengagement If you look at your survey results and realize disengagement is present, it’s important to consider why people are disengaged with their jobs in the first place. Before you set up your employee engage- ment strategy, think about how these four common problems may be affecting your business.


1. Lack of growth opportunities – If your employees don’t feel that they are benefiting from your organization beyond their salary, this can discourage them from putting in 100% of their effort. Even if you’re unable to provide immediate oppor- tunities for career advancement, your team members should be at least feel like they’re learning and receiving the support they need to grow. 2. Boredom – Boredom is known to be a top indicator of disengagement. This is because it can quickly decrease morale and lead to complete apathy about your organization. Employees want to feel not only useful but also challenged. Your employees will be most engaged when they


get opportunities to work on new, inter- esting projects, especially if they’re able to take the lead.


3. Lack of recognition – Engaged employees don’t always need recognition to do the right thing, but in order to get people engaged and keep them there, you’ll need to show them that they matter. Three quarters of employees are satisfied with a simple ‘thank you’ for their efforts, so if you’re not giving at least that much, your survey results may show low engagement. 4. Poor communication – If you don’t message your employees about important updates or encourage collaboration across a team, your employees may feel out of the loop or unsure what their goals are at all. This disconnect from your company culture and their own work can lead to rapid decreases in commitment. Employee engagement often depends on positive work relationships, which help build trust.


Increase Employee Engagement As a leader in your business, one of your goals should always be to better your level of employee engagement – or maintain it if you get positive feedback on employee surveys. The people you hire directly influ- ence your efficiency and profit, so keeping them motivated ultimately improves your bottom line.


Matt Boyce, Head of SMB Marketing, is a marketing and business professional at Podium, the premiere messaging platform


that connects local businesses with their customers.


May-June 2021 // 19


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