8 September 2020
In the “new normal”, high employee engagement contributes towards raising wellbeing levels. It also improves health and reduces the risk of burnout
Employees that are highly engaged increase profitability by +21%, raise productivity by +20%, and boost client loyalty up to +10% (source: Gallup)
Discover how you can improve employee engagement in just 3 steps.
Restrictions are easing and the government is encouraging people to return to the workplace. It’s time for a “now normal”. We now know that we can’t go back to how things were. Instead, we need to move with this evolving situation to reach the next normal. Even if it’s a transition in itself, this version of normality holds some similarity to our lives pre-Covid.
Being attentive to people and standing beside them is now more important than ever in helping them to reposition themselves. Essentially, they will be a key role in determining the company’s survival. Adopting employee engagement practices increases productivity levels, lowers stress levels and boosts wellbeing across the company.
According to William Kahn, the scholar that first talked about employee engagement (Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work, 1990), employees need to recognise these three psychological conditions before feeling fully involved:
In one of Gallup’s recent studies, teams with the highest engagement levels get better results. They saw a 21% increase in profitability, 20% more productivity, 10% increase in customer loyalty. The benefits go beyond the company accounts too. Highly engaged employees are also proven to be healthier and less at risk of burnout.
According to Gallup, companies must prioritise employee engagement through employee development. Companies that shift the focus to a culture of internal growth often see engagement leaping from 20% to 70%.
But there’s more. This relationship intensifies when external conditions are particularly challenging. In times of crisis, a positive corporate culture can impact the company’s results even more than it would under “normal conditions”. Recently, we’ve seen a closer relationship between employee engagement and profitability, productivity and consumer perceptions.
But that doesn’t mean that engagement grows by itself when a crisis hits. Restrictions have really put companies to the test. It’s because employee engagement only increases when companies adopt positive organisational practices. They need to develop clear strategies to overcome the physical distance and strengthen individual participation within the company.
So, what are the best practices for facilitating listening and acceptance at work? How can we improve employee engagement? Here are 3 steps that we can use as we navigate this period of uncertainty.
Our first suggestion is to see people for all that they are. A Deloitte study revealed that 61% of employees hide parts of their identity at work for fear of discrimination or appearing to be less focused on their work. Covid has made it impossible for people to hide different aspects of their lives.
When remote working became the norm, people found themselves suddenly sharing unseen parts of their lives with their bosses and colleagues. When they were seen on screen, they weren’t just seen as professionals, but also as parents, partners and caregivers. Allowing people to bring their whole selves to work also means creating a “culture of care”, where everyone feels free to open up. It’s something that helps to reduce tension and increase shared understanding. As well as bringing all available talent to the workplace, of course.
Learning takes place in many forms, not just in formal contexts. We can learn throughout the different aspects of our lives. The crisis has also created development opportunities for people and organizations. We can see the crisis as a catalyst for change and decide on the type of transformation that we want to see.
Post-traumatic literature highlights five areas of potential growth:
When people realize that they have emerged stronger from a difficult period, it makes them more aware of their abilities. It also helps them to feel better equipped for the future. When we consider continuous learning, working through past experiences allows them to create a new narrative surrounding change. In an constantly evolving world, reacting to unexpected events means learning to start again.
The pandemic also offers a great opportunity for companies to find answers tailored to their people’s needs. By opening listening channels, they can avoid isolation. What’s more, they can better understand the different challenges that employees are facing, identifying the best ways to support them.
Adopting a personalised approach means promoting a culture of change throughout the organization. That’s why employee engagement requires continuous conversations between employees and the company. It means considering the specific needs of the individual, allowing everyone to create their own journey and sharing learnings with one another, so that they can create something new together. sense of purpose.
During transitions, people grow when they walk together. It happens when companies and employees feel seen and recognized in both their personal and professional capacities. 80 companies used Lifeed as part of their wellbeing strategy, such as Manpower, MSD, Reale Mutua and UniCredit. They focus on transforming life transitions into training grounds for soft skills that boost professional efficacy. It’s also a great tool for engaging people, improving their wellbeing and increasing productivity in the workplace.
53% of Lifeed users feel that they can reveal and use more of themselves at work. 57% feel proud of their company. The results are clear: 90% feel better and have more energy. The same percentage of people feel more involved and motivated in their daily tasks.
Want to learn how Lifeed could benefit your business? Contact us to see our live demo or try it for yourself.
