Modern employees in many countries, particularly in the UK and other developed nations, are understandably concerned about the stability of their employment. This is related to a number of factors, including the growing global economy and associated outsourcing of jobs, as well as advances in technology that stand to make certain jobs obsolete.
As a result, employee engagement, or “the level of an employee’s psychological investment in their organization”, is becoming more important to companies seeking to maintain and even boost morale and performance. According to ORC International, employee engagement in the UK increased by 9% from 2014 to 2015 (from 49% up to 58%), putting the UK in the number 12 slot worldwide. In Europe in general, however, employee engagement has dropped two percentage points, perhaps as several countries await the outcome of elections during the year.
So, what can employers do to ensure high levels of employee engagement within organizations despite a host of potential issues like immigration, unemployment, unequal pay and public policy that is slow to address worker concerns? Here are a few trends that are currently driving employee engagement UK that all project managers should pay attention to.
Recruiting Practices
Communication and convenience are hallmarks of the digital experience, and both are expected in recruiting these days. With the right technology, recruiters can streamline the outreach and hiring process, as well as build and maintain relationships with prospective employees. This sets the stage for a positive experience for new employees, preparing them to enter an organization that prizes employee engagement and job satisfaction.
Corporate Culture
Creating an engaging workplace is about more than providing great benefits and developing a unique corporate culture – it includes maintaining a level of awareness pertaining to employee wants, needs and perceptions. Providing tools that allow employees to serve themselves and explore their options, as well as give direct feedback, can help increase engagement.
Continuing Education
In today’s corporate environment, employees understand the need for ongoing betterment, whether they’re trying to solidify their current position, move up the ladder or simply make themselves indispensable by mastering increasing disciplines. By furthering the goals of employees in this regard, businesses can increase their own successes in the process.
Building Relationships
The “say, stay, strive” mentality encompassing employee engagement in the UK is a means of measuring how employees relate to their employers without the need for employee engagement statistics. It focuses on what employees say about their organization (and whether they act as ambassadors), how long they stay with a particular company and whether or not they are motivated to strive on behalf of an employer, going above and beyond what they’re compensated for because they take pride in their work and place of employment.
This measure of employee engagement provides important insights into the overall level of employee engagement within a company based on key questions about drivers of engagement, including the way an organization works, an employee’s specific job expectations, equality, value and well-being.
Agile Leadership
We’re well-entrenched in a digital world that is dictated more and more by millennials. This requires leadership that understands what it takes to engage a young workforce and drive loyalty in a marketplace that often fails to reciprocate. Those in leadership roles should exhibit the agility to create custom solutions for employee engagement, as well as incorporate technology, like project management software, that can enhance the overall employee experience.
