Trends in Employee Engagement
Engaged employees can be considered the to be biggest asset in an Organization.
Also, if the majority is disengaged, it will be the biggest cost for the
company as well.
With the challenging economic situation, Employee Engagement is
considered at an all-time low, as resignations are high, and the salary
increments and other rewards are very low due to the strict cost management.
According to Gallup, employee engagement is on the decline. In
2022, only 32% of full and part-time employees are engaged, with more than 15%
actively disengaged. And the ratio of engaged to disengaged employees continues
to rise. (Powel, 2023)
As such, it is important to have processes to increase Employee
Engagement to retain the top talents and maximize the business returns.
Employee Engagement
Trends 2023
1. Hybrid Model
The Hybrid Work Model is not new for developed countries, which concerned
is more with people. However, it has mostly come into practice in developing
countries like Sri Lanka after the Covid_19 pandemic.
‘According to one source, 59% of employees are more likely to
choose an employer that offers remote work opportunities over one that doesn’t,
while 55% of employees want to work remotely at least three days a week. From
these statistics, it is plain to see that an overwhelming majority of employers
and employees are embracing the hybrid working model as the way of the future’.
(Wendy, 2023)
Also, this Hybrid Work Model benefits in many ways such as
better work-life balance, freedom, flexibility, money savings for both
employer-employee, etc...
2. Digitalization and Automation
With the developed technology, this is a top employee engagement
trend in currently.
Many manual processes have been converted to automated ones,
freeing the employee from the excessive workload. Also, by introducing online
platforms for basic customer transactions most companies have allowed their
employees to learn new skills and ease their work.
3. Employee Wellbeing
Employees’ wellness and well-being will be a key employee
engagement trend to follow for 2023.
Another spin-off from the pandemic has been the focus on
employee well-being, particularly when it comes to mental health. According to
Gallup, there are only “33% of employees thrive in their overall well-being,”
while 67% “would say that they don’t find their work meaningful, don’t think
their lives are going well, or don’t feel hopeful about their future.” It is
clear see why organizations should focus on employee wellbeing in 2023. The
reality is that when employees feel that companies understand the importance of
wellness and well-being; it shows their employees that they are committed to
supporting them on a personal level. It fosters loyalty, and connection and
improves the overall morale of employees. According to Harvard Business Review,
companies with effective wellness programs have a lower rate of attrition than
those that don’t: 9% versus 15%. Organizations that invest in their employees’
mental, physical, and financial health will retain their talent, and be on a
better trajectory to attract new talent in the years to come. (Wendy, 2023)
4. Employee Career Growth
The modern organization is a learning organization where people
learn, grow, and thrive in their careers. These expectations permeate the
entire organization, from the newest associate all the way to the C-Suite.
Growing one’s career is not just learning skills and fulfilling compliance related
to their current position; learning should be aimed at the whole person
offering them ways to grow personally and professionally.
Make career path planning a part of conversations with employees
and be sure they are active participants in their plans. The younger
generations specifically want to be active architects in their future, and
involving them in the process will be highly motivating and increase
engagement.
Learning and development opportunities should be ongoing, and
accomplishments should be fully recognized and celebrated. Recognition and
reward show appreciation for the hard work and dedication employees give, which
in turn keeps engagement high! (Stoll, 2023)
Conclusion
In a period where People-Centricity is a must to perform well in
business, all the trends are now aligned accordingly. By adjusting the company
culture to these new trends, organizations will be able to retain their top
talents and perform well by taking a competitive advantage in the industry.
Not only adjusting the Company Culture but also it is a must to
have a continuous process to communicate and train the front-line managers, as
their role is critical to getting the real outcome from whatever the processes
introduced.
References
Timely discussion Thilini. As we approach 2023, the landscape of employee engagement is evolving rapidly. Organisations are recognising the importance of holistic approaches to engage their workforce, considering factors such as well-being, diversity and inclusion, and remote work. According to a study by Gallup, "employee well-being programs that integrate physical, mental, and emotional health are expected to become a standard practice in most organizations by 2023" (Gallup, 2021). Additionally, with the increased adoption of remote and hybrid work models, organisations are focusing on innovative ways to maintain a sense of connection and community among employees, with virtual team-building activities and online collaboration tools becoming popular trends (SHRM, 2022). Furthermore, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are gaining momentum, with organisations prioritising efforts to create inclusive workplaces where employees from diverse backgrounds feel valued and supported (Deloitte, 2022). These emerging trends reflect a growing recognition of the multifaceted nature of employee engagement, encompassing well-being, remote work, and diversity and inclusion, as organisations strive to create a positive and inclusive work environment that fosters employee satisfaction and productivity.
ReplyDeleteDear Lasni, thank your for you value-adding comment also agrees with your input that it is important that organisations strive to create a positive and inclusive work environment that fosters employee satisfaction and productivity.
DeleteThank you for sharing this insightful article. It's great to see companies adopting a more holistic approach to engaging their employees, by prioritizing purpose and culture over traditional incentives and perks. With a diverse and values-driven workforce, it's important for companies to adapt and prioritize employee well-being. This article provides some valuable insights into key strategies and trends that companies can leverage to create a more engaged and productive workforce. As someone who is passionate about employee well-being, I look forward to seeing how these trends continue to evolve in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your valuable input to the post and as you correctly said it's great to see companies adopting a more holistic approach to engaging their employees. Also to survive in the competitive market it is mandatory for companies to continue evolving these trends.
DeleteThank you for the valuable article. I think Leaders' behavior is the most affects employee engagement the most. A leader's ability to build relationships with team members, peers and subordinates and made the level of self-awareness among them. Especially their personal sense of accountability and responsibility as well as their health and well-being. Those facts directly lead to an impact on employee engagement. How do you feel that?
ReplyDeleteYes Kasun, agree with your opinion. It says that 'People do not quit jobs, they quit their bosses'. Leadership is more vital for effective engagement in employment. Also not only higher leaders but also line managers play a vital role in employee engagement, in day-to-day activities.
DeleteThis is very interesting topic Thilini. Employee engagement is also workplace planning, involves identifying the skills and resources company/ business teams needs developing team and plan to address them. When you find employee engagement well, you can achieve increase employee retention and improve recruiting and talent management well. This is expensive procedure for the company and sometime difficult regular updates are to given and difficult to match I level. How solve this problems when company add this new employee engagement trends now a days?
ReplyDeleteThank you Wishmila for your comment. Though the new employee engagement tools may be costly, it is worth having them, to convert employees from 'a cost' to 'an asset'.
DeleteThis is an interesting area of employee engagement of employee concern who needs more care on the family and their needs. With the current context the most of originations are practicing the work life balance with the concept of virtual work arrangements of WFH. This will be an engagement in boosting the moral and enhancing the level of employee satisfaction with motivation. This will be contributing to create a highly engaged team in the origination in order to achieve the short term and long-term objectives.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chamara and agree with you that WFH concept has a positive impact on the level of employee satisfaction with motivation. However there could be negative impacts too due to poor communication and with the personal traits/attitudes of employees.
DeleteI completely agree with the blog article that employee engagement is a critical factor in the success of any organization. The four trends discussed in the article, namely, the Hybrid Work Model, Digitalization and Automation, Employee Wellbeing, and Employee Career Growth, are indeed the key areas that organizations must focus on to increase employee engagement. As mentioned in Briscoe et al. (2012), employee engagement can be enhanced through the implementation of human resource practices that align with the organizational culture, and the four trends align perfectly with this idea.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the article highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating employee achievements. As stated in Clegg et al. (2006), recognition and reward are crucial for motivating employees and keeping engagement high. Therefore, organizations must ensure that their recognition and reward programs are aligned with their overall employee engagement strategy.
Lastly, the article emphasizes the importance of training front-line managers to ensure the successful implementation of the employee engagement strategies. As discussed in Edwards and Rees (2011), managers play a crucial role in implementing human resource practices in the organization. Therefore, organizations must invest in training their managers to ensure they have the necessary skills to implement employee engagement strategies effectively.
Thank you for the value-added comment to the post. Agree with the content.
Delete