Why Employee Engagement Matters in 2023

Just when we thought we were making progress on employee engagement, the US took a step back in 2022, according to a new gallup report. The study found that while the number of engaged workers held steady at 32% last year, the number of active workers disengaged employees increased to 18%.

While we have thankfully overcome some of the challenges related to the pandemic of the early 2020s, now is not the time to take our eyes off the road or take our foot off the gas when it comes to the personal and professional well-being of employees. Addressing the structural, operational, and cultural issues that create disengagement in your organization is the first step in laying the foundation for a new and better employee experience. it’s good for talent and the bottom line.

When you take active steps to listen to employees and address issues, you get positive business results. Read on for the top four benefits of employee engagement in 2023.

Higher retention (and less silent abandonment)

When employees disengage, they often stop caring about their work and become emotionally disconnected. Some will start looking for work and jump ship as soon as a better opportunity presents itself, while others may choose to “quietly quit” and continue to collect a paycheck while doing the bare minimum.

As Adam Weber15Five Senior Vice President of Community, said: “The ideology behind quietly quitting has become popular because workplaces have de-prioritized what is important to so many employees when it comes to how, where and why they work. … Workers are no longer willing to feel taken advantage of.”

Highly engaged teams experience a 40% reduction in billing average. Investing in employee engagement and focusing efforts on the things that matter to employees will not only increase the chances that they will stay with your organization, but it will also motivate them to do their best work.

Higher productivity and higher profits

Employees can only perform at a high level when they are set up for success, with the right tools, processes and safeguards to achieve optimal productivity. Creating an engaging, motivating and supportive employee experience increases productivity and, in turn, profits.

jacob morganauthor of The Employee Experience Advantageexamined financial data from hundreds of companies and found that those that invest in employee experience had more than 4x profit and 2x revenue.

“Looking at the data, it’s clear that there is significant payback for organizations that focus on the long-term employee experience, not just here-and-now engagement. Adobe, for example, has an executive vice president of customer and employee experience and is investing heavily in real-time employee feedback programs, bolstering diversity and inclusion efforts, giving employees access to consumer-grade technologies, and building workspaces according to multiple floor plans. to adapt to different styles and preferences.”

Less burnout and better employee health

Burnout isn’t just a hype or catch-all phrase to describe tired workers; is a bona fide syndrome recognized by the World Health Organization. The WHO says burnout is the result of “chronic stress in the workplace that has not been successfully managed,” with symptoms including “feelings of exhaustion or energy depletion, increased mental distance from work, negative feelings towards career and reduced productivity.

The WHO is not the only organization concerned about burnout; The CDC reports that one in three workers report high levels of stress at work, which causes physical and mental health problems that can include depression, lack of sleep, excessive alcohol use, and memory problems.

Many factors in the workplace that cause employee disengagement are also to blame for burnout. Employees who say that very often or always experience burnout they are 63% more likely to be absent due to illness, 13% less confident in their performance, and half as likely to discuss goals with their managers.

By addressing engagement factors like ability, role clarity, and manager relationship, organizations can reduce stressors that lead to burnout and help employees live healthier lives.

Absenteeism reduction

Everyone gets sick or has personal obligations that occasionally require some time off work. But when an employee demonstrates a habitual pattern of being late or canceling without a legitimate reason, it’s called absenteeism.

Studies have shown that as the level of employee engagement increases, absenteeism decreases. A study found that by implementing engagement strategies, a hospital surgical unit was able to reduce nurse absenteeism by 27.5%. This is critical in the field of healthcare, where patient outcomes depend on a fully-staffed care team.

For HR leaders, implementing engagement strategies related to work-life balance (eg, increased flexibility, remote work options, increased PTO) can help employees better manage their schedules and reduce unnecessary absences.

As Forbes Human Resources Council Member Jessica Delorenzo shared: “Usually there is a deeper issue contributing to excess free time. Take a human-centered approach to treat these employees as individuals. Show care and concern for extenuating circumstances that may be affecting attendance. Provide company-sponsored resources where appropriate. Treating employees this way strengthens the relationship the company has with its workforce.”

Transform engagement with 15Five

Employee satisfaction and engagement are holistic and involve an individual’s perception, feelings, and beliefs about the business, the people they work with, leadership, and the job itself. Drivers of employee engagement are highly personal, depend on company culture, and vary for each individual.

Find out what’s working in your organization (and what’s not) and discover practical strategies to improve employee engagement through psychometrically valid surveys and 15Five’s holistic suite of performance tools.

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