Here is What Employee Engagement Looks Like

Employee engagement refers to how emotionally committed an employee is to the organization they work for. While many people assume engagement is synonymous with satisfaction or happiness, it’s not. Engaged employees may not be thrilled about how work is going, but they still care about the company, the people they work with, and whatever shared goal the organization is working toward.

But how do you recognize employee engagement when it’s happening? And how much does having engaged employees genuinely matter regarding team bonding, company culture, and organizational success?

Examples of employee engagement in action

Engagement is not just about the work employees do but also how much involvement and ownership an employee has in their job. This might look like team members who take the initiative on projects outside of what's assigned or coming up with new ideas that will benefit the company's operational solutions. They have the creative space and trust to thrive instead of surviving in their work environment.

Engaged employees:

  • Feel valued, appreciated, and heard
  • Feel empowered to make decisions
  • Know they can bring up concerns and ideas to leadership
  • Are secure in their position within the company and with the company’s position in the community
  • Know what’s going on within the organization – they feel “in the loop.”
  • Feel a strong sense of teamwork
  • Are confident they have opportunities to grow

What are the physiological needs tied to employee engagement?

Physiological needs refer to humans’ basic survival requirements, such as food, water, sleep, shelter, and air. In an office environment, these needs expand to include what an employee needs to feel comfortable in their surroundings and be successful at their job.

If you’re concerned about meeting the physiological needs of your employees or just want to make a quick assessment, ask yourself (or, better yet, an employee) these questions:
  • Do they have a comfortable workspace?
  • Do they have access to the tools and other resources they need to complete key tasks?
  • Do they feel fairly compensated? (This includes financial compensation as well as benefits packages.)

Surprise! Having engaged workers can inspire other employees to become more engaged.

That’s right, engagement is the good kind of contagious. That’s exponentially more beneficial to your company, as studies show organizations with engaged workers have 6% higher net profit margins and five times higher shareholder returns over a five-year period.

Researchers link those improvements to the ripple effect that follows increased employee engagement. The more engaged an employee is, the better their customer service. That leads to greater customer satisfaction, increased revenue from higher per-person spending, repeat business and referrals, and, ideally, greater profitability.

A more engaged workforce could be just around the corner. Book a call today for more information on how KeepWOL can help boost morale and increase productivity in your team.