ARIHANT COLLEGE, INDORE

MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT

On
“A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND
SATISFACTION”

Submitted to

“Devi Ahilya University Indore”

For partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree

of Master of Business Administration

Batch 2023-2025

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Professor Ayushi Neema Chitnain Kaur Jethra

MBA III Semester

Roll no:- 231780110

 Declaration

I Chitnain Kaur Jethra a student of Arihant College,

Indore hereby declare that the work done by me to
the Major Research Project titled “A STUDY ON
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND SATISFACTION” is
authenticate as per my knowledge and work
outcome of my own research. This report in any
form has not been submitted to any other institute
or university for any degree or similar award.

Date: Chitnain
Kaur Jethra
Place: Indore M.B.A (FT)
III SEM
HR And
Marketing
 Acknowledgement

I sincerely and religiously devote this folio to all the gem of persons who have
openly or silently left an ineradicable mark on this research so that they may be
brought into consideration and given their share of credit, which they genuinely
and outstandingly deserve.
I am essentially indebted to my guide Professor Ayushi Neema for this sweating
learning experience. She overlooked my faults and follies, constantly inspired
and mentored via her proficient direction. It was a privilege to work under her
sincere guidance.
I express my thanks to Director, ___________, Coordinators & faculty members
for his/her considerate support whenever and wherever needed. I express my
indebtedness to the management of Arihant College for inspiring me to grab and
utilize this opportunity.
With profound sense of gratitude, I would like to truthfully thank a recognizable
number of individuals who I have not mentioned here, but who have visibly or
invisibly facilitated in transforming this research into a success saga. Above all, I
would like to conscientiously thank the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and
Omniscient God for his priceless blessings!

Date: Chitnain Kaur Jethra

Place: INDORE M.B.A (FT) III SEM

HR and Marketing
 Certificate from Director & Faculty
Guide

This is to certify that Chitnain Kaur Jerthra of MBA (Full Time) III
semester in Arihant College, Indore (M.P.) has carried out a Major
Research Project titled “ A Study on Employee
Engagement And Satisfaction” .

The work done by her is genuine and authentic.

The work carried out by the student was found satisfactory.

We wish her all the success in career.

Director: Faculty Guide:

____________ Professor Ayushi Neema
Arihant College, Indore Arihant College, Indore
 Certificate from Internal & External
Examiner

This is to certify that Chitnain Kaur Jethra of MBA (Full Time) III
semester in Arihant College, Indore (M.P.) has carried out a Major
Research Project titled “A Study on Employee
Engagement And Satisfaction” .

The work done by her is genuine and authentic.

The work carried out by the student was found satisfactory. We wish
her all the success in career.

Internal Examiner: External Examiner:

Date:
Place : INDORE
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page No.

Introduction 1

Benefits of employee 2
engagement

Types if employee engagement 3-4

Technology engagement 5

15 Key factors influencing 6-12

employee engagement in 2023

Top tools to measure employee 12-15

engagement and increase
business performance

Impact of employee engagement 16-18

on productivity

10 benefits of effective 19-22

communication in the workplace

Driving employee engagement 22-25

through training and
development

The power of employee 25-28

feedback and engagement
surveys

How to tackle the top 5 29-31

employee engagement
challenges

11 Inspiring examples of 31-41

companies with great employee
engagement practices

Suggestions 41

References books 42
INTRODUCTION

Employee engagement is the emotional and professional connection

employees feel toward their organization, colleagues and work. High
engagement leads to increased job satisfaction, performance, employee
retention and is a reflection of a positive overall employee experience. The
meaningfulness of an employee's work is a key factor in engagement, as
are their relationships with colleagues and managers, and the support,
recognition and development opportunities their organization offers. Truly
engaged employees reflect a company's respect for its workforce, which
makes it more attractive to prospective hires and can lead to increased
profitability and return on investments. Organizations with high levels of
employee engagement are more profitable and have higher customer
satisfaction ratings than ones with low engagement levels, according
to Gallup and other researchers. This research also shows that successful
engagement efforts lead to less absenteeism and turnover. In a competitive
hiring market, engaged staff members who feel they have good work-life
balance and high levels of employee satisfaction are also less likely to look
elsewhere for employment. On the flip side, disengaged employees can
create a negative atmosphere that can damage a company's reputation,
profitability and bottom line. It is critical for organizations to keep employee
engagement at a high, positive level.

The recent shift to remote work has made fostering employee engagement
even more important. Remote workers can feel isolated and disconnected
from colleagues. They also often struggle to maintain a constructive work
structure. According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of
remote workers tripled between 2019 and 2021. This increase forced
organizations to find creative ways to keep remote workers feeling like
they're part of a productive, supportive community.
 Benefits of employee engagement

Employee engagement programs provide a range of benefits:

● Better business outcomes. Organizations with highly engaged

workforces are more profitable, resulting in higher stock prices,
shareholder returns and customer satisfaction ratings than
organizations with low levels.
● Less turnover. High employee engagement results in less
absenteeism, burnout and turnover. In a competitive hiring market,
engaged staff members who feel they have good work-life balance and
high levels of employee satisfaction are less likely to leave.
● Increased productivity. Engaged employees are more motivated
and invested in their work, leading to better performance and increased
day-to-day discretionary effort at work.
● Good for employee health. Highly engaged employees often have
healthier levels of work-life balance, well-being and physical health.
● Better work culture. Engaged employees often have a positive
effect on other co-workers, leading to strong, positive work
environments.
● Attractive to top talent. Demonstrable high employee engagement
and positive company cultures are attractive to top talent.
● Faster on boarding. A culture of engagement can make on
boarding easier, leading to new employees becoming productive faster.

Types of employee engagement

Many activities and initiatives foster employee engagement, such
as the following:

● On boarding. Interactive and compelling human resources on

boarding processes explain a company's culture and encourage early
camaraderie among new hires.

● Goal setting and rewards. Goal setting offers weekly, monthly or

annual goals to boost employee enthusiasm. These programs include
employee recognition and rewards for hard work.

● Teamwork. According to experts, having friends at work makes for

more engaged employees. Some organizations focus on team-building
activities to cultivate a workplace conducive to friendships. Teams
encourage individuals to take an active, collaborative role in decision-
making, making them feel as if their voice and ideas matter.

● Career development initiatives. Professionaldevelopment

opportunities, company-paid education options and continuous
learning are perks that show a company is concerned with employees'
development and professional growth.
● Life-work balance. Flexible hours, on-site childcare and other work-
life benefits show employees their company understands the life
stresses and wants to help.

● Clear communication. Regular and clear communications is an

important part of engagement. This involves regular one-on-one check-
ins that facilitates employee feedback, transparency and active
listening. Short and regular employee surveys known as pulse surveys
are also useful communication tools.
● Purpose-driven work. Employees doing work that feels important
and purposeful are often more engaged. Not every job serves an
overwhelmingly meaningful purpose, but when a company clearly
articulates its mission and recognizes hard work, employees feel more
appreciated and important.

Technology for engagement

Technology is vital for both fostering and measuring employee

engagement. There are several employee engagement tools:
● Employee engagement software solicits employee
feedback, sets goals, rewards good performance and collects
engagement analytics. Employee engagement
software includes survey tools, recognition features,
feedback, talent reviews and goals.

● Performance management software aligns work with

organizational goals to increase employee
productivity. Performance management software is used with
workforce analytics to identify groups in need of a greater
emphasis on engagement, and set and track more personal
employee goals. Employee engagement can also be
monitored with social media analytics and sentiment
analytics tools.

● Communication and collaboration platforms such as

Asana, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, help employees connect
 15 Key Factors Influencing
Employee Engagement in 2023

It’s not enough for company leaders to simply tell management to

coach their teams and share thoughts about employee
engagement. They need to ensure that management fully
understands the factors that affect employee engagement and
motivation.

1. Job Satisfaction Level

Job satisfaction is one of the most important factors affecting employee

engagement. If employees don’t feel satisfied in their job, it’s very difficult
for them to feel engaged when at work. This factor includes their daily
duties, along with the following:

● The company itself

● The company leadership

● Their coworkers

● The workplace

Other factors influence job satisfaction, such as the employee’s remuneration level,
company benefits, and opportunities for advancement. An employee can be
working in a stressful occupation, but as long as they feel they are being
remunerated fairly with good benefits and have good opportunities for
career advancement may still describe themselves as being satisfied in
their job. Another person doing the same type of work who doesn’t feel they
are being remunerated along industry standards and is working for a
company with poor prospects for advancement may express dissatisfaction
with their job.
 2. Sense of Meaning and Purpose

Employees who find their work meaningful will be more interested and
engaged when they are on the job. It’s impossible for every business to
concoct meaningful work for its employees.

It is possible for employers to improve employee satisfaction and

engagement by taking concrete steps to add meaning to their jobs by
taking these steps:

● Show the employee how their job makes a positive impact on the
company’s customers.
● Offer more career development opportunities, including career counseling
and mentorship opportunities on the job.
● Improve training opportunities for employees

Employees who find their work meaningful will be more likely to become
engaged in their work. They will be more likely to commit to an employer .

3. Company Culture

Company culture impacts engagement in several ways, such as the

following:

● A work culture that is welcoming, energetic, and positive will be more

likely to have employees who are engaged in their work than employees
who become negative and stressed out.
● Employees who fit the company culture are more likely to be engaged in
their work.
● When the company recognizes and rewards excellent performance by
employees, it can stimulate higher employee productivity and engagement.
 The company can improve these areas by performing a detailed analysis
and taking steps to address any issues. It may need to change the
company culture entirely. Other companies may need to make adjustments
to the way it manages talent or invests in new digital tools. A company
intranet can assist new employees with on boarding successfully and
helping all workers to fit into the company culture.

4. Work Environment

The work environment also makes the list of factors of employee

engagement. Now that many employees work remotely, the work
environment is much more than just a physical workspace. It also includes
these factors that affect employee engagement:

● Atmosphere, climate, and culture

● Behavior and attitudes of company leaders

● Digital work environment

● Employees’ behavior and attitudes

All of these factors work in combination to influence employee

engagement. They can impact employees in either a positive or a
negative fashion.
Employees go to work and tend to soak up the atmosphere like a sponge.
They may not even be aware of how the atmosphere, company culture,
attitudes of the company leaders, and other factors are affecting their
attitudes towards their own work. It can be very difficult to stay motivated
and engaged when other employees aren’t doing the same.

5. Career Advancement Opportunities

Top employees are interested in joining companies that can present them
with a career path when they sign on. They want to know that if they put in
an effort for a number of years, that it will pay off in career advancement. If
modern workers become bored or frustrated with their current jobs,
 they won’t hesitate to move on to another position. To keep employees
engaged in their current jobs and interested in staying with the
company, employers must make career advancement a priority. It’s
never too early to discuss job promotion potentials with job candidates; this
should be part of the interview process.
Once a new employee is hired, they should be provided with career
counseling advice and given opportunities for training through the company
as often as appropriate. Allow employees to shadow workers in other
departments to get a feel for other positions they may be interested in and
to learn about other jobs in the company.

6. Company Management and Leadership

A company’s executives and managers have a major influence on
employee satisfaction. When employees feel they can respect their
leaders, they are more likely to listen to their instructions and follow them.
When company management is poor, though, it can have a negative effect
on the following:

● Employee engagement

● Performance and productivity

● Retention

● Workplace culture

It takes time and effort to change poor company management. The

rewards make the investment worth the effort. Employees will become
more engaged in their work, they will interact much more effectively, and
the entire organization will be more effective.
The most effective way to improve poor management is by introducing
leadership development programs and continuing to optimize these
programs with time.

7. A Digital Employee Experience

 Modern companies are becoming more digitalized with time. The digital
workplace is playing a more important role in the overall employee
experience.

Employers can find multiple ways to improve the digital employee

experience, including:

● Updating the company’s infrastructure and IT tools

● Adopting a company intranet to manage and improve the employee

experience
● Improve digital on boarding and training functions for new employees, so
they feel welcome and start contributing their skills and knowledge to the
company quickly
Companies can improve the digital experience in their organizations
by assessing employee satisfaction.
Next, they can determine where the problem areas lie and find ways to fix
them. The best place to start is with the simplest ones, i.e. tackle the low-
hanging fruit and the least expensive solutions first before moving on to the
more expensive and complicated issues.

8. Flexible Schedules

Flexibility is one of the critical factors that influence employee

engagement. Employees may be part of the “sandwich generation,” which
means they are caring for children and elderly parents at the same time.
This doesn’t mean they don’t want to be engaged employees, but it does
mean they have multiple commitments pulling on their available time.
A flexible schedule, which could mean working from home some days or
starting work at an earlier or later time, means they can drop their children
off at school or pick them up when necessary. It also means they can take
their parents to medical appointments or visit them at long-term care
facilities or in their homes. These accommodations make for better, less
stressed employees and improves employee productivity.
9. Equitable Pay Structure

Salaries within a company can be a sensitive issue for employees to

discuss. They are important ones for employees to understand, especially
when they are looking at career development opportunities.

It’s important that the company be clear about its pay structure works and
what it looks for when determining when an employee deserves a
promotion. One way a company can be transparent about pay
structure is to share the pay range for open positions when advertising
them internally. That way, employees know exactly how much the position
pays before they apply.

10. Encourage Employees to Learn Continuously

One of the key factors of employee engagement is for the employer
to create a
company culture that encourages employees to keep acquiring new
knowledge. The company can boost information sharing among
employees by deploying a virtual knowledge base available to all workers.
This virtual knowledge base can include documents, research papers,
sample contracts, and internet access for employees to conduct their own
searches when necessary.
Once the team members understand that the company is interested in
helping its employees improve themselves as well as its bottom line, the
employees are more likely to work harder on the company’s behalf.

11. Cultural Diversity

Ideally, the workplace reflects the community that it serves. When a
company hires employees from multiple backgrounds, it is stronger for
it. Employees from several backgrounds, cultures, religions, and
beliefs bring different points of view into the workplace. They help to
create a workplace culture that is more tolerant and understanding than
one where all employees come from a similar background.
A culturally diverse workforce makes for better marketers, since they
are able to understand the wants and needs of a larger pool of
potential customers. The same idea applies to the customer service
team. If it is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds, they
are better able to appreciate the customer’s point of view when they
contact the company with questions or concerns.

Top Tools to Measure

Employee Engagement and
Increase Business Performance

1. Engagedly
Engagedly helps supervisors evaluate performance and analyze employee feedback. It
allows you to create different categories for your team members feedback so you can
sort and organize varying feedback. Other features include anonymous feedback
options, status flags for feedback and the ability to customize who can view certain
comments.

2. 15Five
This survey platform helps you create and analyze engagement surveys. Team
members take about 15 minutes to answer a survey created by their supervisors, who
take around five minutes to review them. This program offers the ability to modify
survey questions, assign different reviewers and forward survey results to other
members of an organization.
3. Reflektive
Reflektive is an employee engagement program that allows supervisors to conduct
monthly, quarterly or annual performance reviews for their team members. It also has a
goal feature in which you can list company and team goals so everyone has a clear
understanding of the tasks on which the group is working. People can also provide
comments to other team members and participate in polls through Reflektive's
interface.

4. Week done
Week done is an advanced employee feedback platform that allows people to write
weekly goals, plans and progress. You can also customize specific questions or
prompts that your team answers. This program integrates with various project
management applications, which may help you track someone's progress more
effectively.

5. Tiny pulse
Tiny pulse is a software program that allows you to send engagement surveys to any
professional in a company. It works best for medium-sized organizations and functions
on web browsers or through an app. You can choose from a selection of pre-
determined surveys or create your own and see the results on your management
dashboard from a desktop or mobile device.

6. Impraise
Impraise is a feedback and peer praising platform that allows professionals and
supervisors to comment on someone's work. It contains a key strengths dashboard
that allows supervisors to list core skills for a position and track a team member's
efficiency. Team members can also offer supervisors comments, which can encourage
teamwork and allow supervisors to improve their management style.

7. Lattice
Lattice is a web-based management platform that allows you to engage with other
members of a company. It has pulse surveys you can create, a tool to offer your peers
praise and a one-on-one meetings tool that helps supervisors give useful feedback to
their team. This program charges a monthly subscription per user, which may make it
an effective choice for smaller companies.

8. Culture Amp
Culture Amp specializes in employee engagement surveys, feedback and analytics.
Features include automation options for surveys and real-time insights about the
answers they elicit. They have three different pricing plans depending on the size of
your organization.
9. 6Q
6Q helps increase employee engagement by allowing for feedback and creating
surveys. You can give feedback either anonymously or directly to an individual, and
there's a public praise feature. This program also includes concierge onboarding and
detailed web-based reports about surveys.

10. Glint
Glint focuses on using intuitive design to help companies manage their teams'
progress, improve team effectiveness and increase employee engagement. This
program uses real-time data and analytics to help you solve common employee
engagement challenges. It uses a web-based platform and also includes an app you
can use on your mobile device.

11. Qualtrix
Qualtrix offers an employee engagement program called EmployeeXM that helps track
and measure feedback from team members. It features pulse surveys, progress reports
and analytics to help you monitor employees' experiences. This program focuses on
creating actionable insights by sorting survey questions into key areas on which you
can work.

12. Energage
Energage contains both employee surveys and an AI analysis program to help you gain
insight into team members and how they view their workplace. You can choose from
multiple questions in different engagement categories to place on a survey or create a
pulse question. This program also helps you create recruitment materials based on the
survey insights you gather.

13. Appreiz
Appreiz uses social recognition tools to allow people at a company to give peer-to-
peer insights about the skill, competency and values of other team members. It also
includes surveys, pulse questions and mentoring options. Appreiz integrates with
multiple organization communication programs, which allows peers to give feedback
quickly.
14.
RoundPegg
RoundPegg polls team members on several categories of questions, including trust,
job and company expectations, that help analyze the level of employee engagement in
a company. It then provides you with recommendations about how to address areas
that require improvement. There's also a feedback tool that you can use to measure
overall company satisfaction.

15. Tremendous
Tremendous is a software program that helps you manage rewards you can use to
increase employee engagement. You can order and send a variety of rewards, such as
gift cards, prepaid credit cards or cash, to your team members. There are also options
to send rewards in bulk or automate the reward process in advance.
 Impact of Employee Engagement
on Productivity

Employee engagement has a significant impact on productivity within

organizations. When employees are engaged, they feel a strong sense of
commitment, motivation, and connection to their work. This leads to several
positive outcomes that directly contribute to increased productivity and
overall performance. Engaged employees tend to be more focused,
proactive, and dedicated to their tasks. They have a higher level of job
satisfaction and are driven to go above and beyond in their roles. Here are
some key ways in which employee engagement positively influences
productivity:

1. Increased Effort and Performance : Engaged employees are

willing to put in extra effort and go the extra mile to achieve their goals.
They take ownership of their work and strive for excellence, leading to
improved performance and higher productivity levels.

2. Improved Time Management: Engaged employees are more likely

to prioritize their tasks effectively and manage their time efficiently. They
are focused on delivering results and are less prone to distractions, leading
to better time utilization and productivity gains.

3. Enhanced Problem-Solving and Innovation: Engaged

employees are actively involved in their work and take a proactive
approach to problem-solving. They are more likely to think creatively,
suggest innovative ideas, and contribute to process improvements,
fostering a culture of continuous innovation and higher productivity.

4. Reduced Absenteeism and Turnover: Engaged employees have

a higher level of commitment to their organization, which results in lower
absenteeism rates and reduced turnover. When employees are engaged,
they are more likely to be present and committed to their work, ensuring
consistent productivity and continuity.

5.Positive Work Environment: Employee engagement contributes to

a positive work environment where employees feel valued, supported, and
motivated. A positive work culture promotes collaboration, teamwork, and
effective communication, creating a conducive atmosphere for productivity
to thrive.

Organizations that prioritize employee engagement understand the direct

correlation between engagement and productivity. They invest in initiatives
to foster engagement, such as providing growth opportunities, recognizing
employee contributions, promoting work-life balance, and ensuring effective
leadership. By creating an environment that nurtures engagement,
organizations can unlock the full potential of their employees and achieve
higher levels of productivity and success.

How Does Employee Engagement Increase

Productivity?
Engaged employees are more likely to exhibit behaviors and attitudes that
directly contribute to increased productivity. When employees are engaged,
they go beyond the minimum requirements of their roles and are motivated
to perform at their best. Here are some ways in which employee
engagement increases productivity:

Being Present and Focused at Work:Engaged employees are present

both physically and mentally in their work. They are less likely to be
distracted or disengaged during work hours, leading to increased focus and
concentration on their tasks. By being fully present, they can dedicate their
energy and attention to their work, resulting in higher productivity.

Going the Extra Mile:

Engaged employees have a sense of ownership and commitment to their

work. They willingly put in extra effort, time, and energy to achieve their
goals and deliver high-quality results. Whether it’s taking on additional
responsibilities, working on projects outside their scope, or going above
and beyond to meet deadlines, engaged employees are motivated to go
the extra mile, leading to increased productivity.

Taking Pride in Their Work:

Engaged employees take pride in their work and strive for excellence. They
have a personal investment in the outcomes of their efforts and are driven
to produce high-quality outputs. This sense of pride and personal
accountability motivates them to consistently perform at their best, resulting
in increased productivity levels.

Being Innovative and Creative:

Engaged employees are more likely to think innovatively and creatively.

They actively seek ways to improve processes, suggest new ideas, and
find solutions to challenges. Their engagement fosters a culture of
innovation within the organization, which leads to increased efficiency,
problem-solving, and productivity gains.

Being Committed to Their Company’s Success:

Engaged employees have a strong sense of commitment and loyalty to

their organization. They align their personal goals with the company’s
objectives and are invested in its success. This commitment drives them to
work towards achieving the organization’s goals, contributing to increased
productivity and overall success.

Overall, employee engagement creates a positive work environment where

employees are motivated, focused, and committed to their work and the
organization’s success. Through their increased presence, effort, pride,
innovation, and commitment, engaged employees directly contribute to
higher productivity levels, leading to improved performance and outcomes
for the organization as a whole.
 10 Benefits of Effective
Communication in the
Workplace

There are several benefits that effective workplace communication

provides an organization. These benefits include:

1. Mitigated conflict
Effective workplace communication can help reduce conflict or tension at
work. Most conflicts arise due to ineffective communication tactics which
lead to individuals misunderstanding what's being communicated.
Misunderstandings can result in employees or other members of an
organization feeling not understood, disrespected, disregarded or simply
not performing in an expected manner.
For example, if one team member is told to make 25 calls a day and
another member of the same team in the same position is told to make 50
calls a day, the employee with the most calls may feel taken advantage of.
However, if the team leader holds a meeting to clarify how many calls are
supposed to be made by each employee, all employees receive the same
information and there is less of a chance for conflict or tension to arise.

2. Increased employee engagement

Effective communication does more than just ensure information is
accurately received. It also works to connect others and keep open lines
of communication between employees and other members of the
organization. This ultimately works to create better engagement between
employees, which can lead to increased employee satisfaction and
healthier company culture.
Ways that communication improves employee engagement include that it:
 ● Helps management better understand the goals and needs of
employees and what motivates them

● Ensures employees' skills and talents are recognized and utilized

when possible

● Improves the connection between employees for a more

enjoyable work environment

● Creates better relationships between employees and management

as well as between management and C-level employees of the
organization

3. Improved productivity
Employees who feel connected to their work and have a clear
understanding of what's expected of them are more likely to be productive
and perform efficiently. When employees don't understand their role or
expectations in a position or have limited resources to perform their
duties, they often feel confused or as if they aren't able to perform their job
to the best of their ability. Ensuring information is readily available and
communicated in an effective manner allows employees to accurately
perform their duties and can increase productivity throughout the
organization.

4. Improved client relations

Good communication in the workplace isn't just relevant to employees of
the organization. Effective communication also directly affects client
relations. Organizations that communicate well with their customers or
clients are more likely to build solid relationships and retain clients versus
companies that don't prioritize client communication. Customers look for
companies that value their relationship and keep them up-to-date on
changes and are more loyal when they feel connected to these companies.

5. Healthy workplace culture

Effective communication plays an important part in maintaining a healthy
workplace culture. Many workplaces employ people of all different
cultures, races and beliefs, and conflict will naturally arise when so many
differences are present. A culture of open communication fosters a healthy
and accepting environment where all employees feel equal and
understood.

6. Improved direction for employees

Open communication in the workplace ensures employees understand
their part in the company and have a clear direction in terms of what's
expected of them. This empowers employees to take the appropriate
steps needed to complete their duties and contribute to the organization
as a whole.

7. Boosted employee job satisfaction

Employees who are part of an organization that practices good
communication in the workplace are more likely to experience increased
job satisfaction. A transparent and trustworthy environment supports
employee satisfaction by creating a harmonious workplace that is
enjoyable to work in and keeps employees engaged in their positions.

8. Increased innovation
Workplaces that encourage employees to communicate their opinions and
ideas tend to foster more innovation than those that don't. Employees who
feel empowered to speak up and think in different ways often contribute
meaningful ideas and strategies that help not only the employees but the
organization as a whole.

9. Strengthened team building

In order to work effectively together, team members must know they can
trust the other members of their team. Communication is a major
component of trust and ensures everyone is of the same understanding in
terms of the expectations and duties of the team. Clear guidelines that are
communicated effectively help team members know how to behave as
part of the team and ultimately bring team members closer to each other
for a more synchronized work effort.

10. Improved public impression

Companies that have a good reputation in terms of communicating both
internally and with clients often have a strong and positive public
impression. This helps attract talent to the company and can even
increase interest from investors and banks.
 Driving Employee Engagement
through Training and Development
In one study, 80 percent of surveyed employees said that learning and
development opportunities would help them feel more engaged at work.
This is further supported by data which shows that a more engaged
workforce is a better customer service engaged workforce by nearly 90
percent.

Therefore it is important that organisations can focus on providing training

and development opportunities for their staff which will be boosting
employee engagement - which makes a huge contribution toward growth
and the attainment of company goals and objectives.

What are these perceived and actual benefits? Here are just a few:

Retain employees

It goes without saying that the better an employee feels in their role and in
their position, the less likely they are to jump to another company or worse,
your direct competitor. Employee engagement helps to build loyalty
towards an organisation as there is an investment in the individual which
can help further their careers.

One survey indicated that 94% of employees said that “they would stay at a
company longer if it invested in their career development.”Not only does a
training and development resource help to retain good employees, it helps
to build and expand knowledge and refine skills which in turn can help a
business’s employee value proposition.

Drive motivation
By investing in training and development, your organisation is sending a
clear signal that you value your employees as individuals as well as caring
about them and their personal development. When employees understand
and feel valued, they have the opportunity to not only develop their abilities
and skills through work and training but it can provide a motivation boost as
they’ll likely be more engaged with their jobs and willing to work harder to
not only to support their own careers but your organisation’s too.What also
matters is the types of training you offer that can influence their motivation
as well. For example, you could provide training that helps individuals
understand how their roles fit into your business’ purpose, mission and
goals. Gaining a true understanding of how their jobs contribute to your
business, your employees will have a real sense of purpose at work that
will drive their day-to-day efforts.

Develop future leaders

We’ve touched on how training and development can help engage

employees and equally, help to carve out the future generations of leaders.
Having training that is specific in this area is going to greatly help and
develop the future leaders of your organisation moving forwards.

What is important to remember is that organisations need to forecast their

anticipated staffing and skills needs and aim to fulfil these through training
and development. What is lacking? What is going to help develop your
future workforce and leadership? What changes can be anticipated and
managed in the structure of your organisation? These are important
questions to ask before implementing any specific training in this area.

Empower employees

The more engaged the workforce, the more empowered they feel. There is
a greater sense of having the confidence to succeed and to grow into not
only the role, but the future of the organisation as well.Staff who feel
empowered within the workplace will be more effective at influencing other
employees and gaining their trust. Developing a greater sense of
autonomy, value, and confidence within their work is a by-product of this
development. Employee autonomy is a benefit in all of this as well, as any
employee who feels that they can make their own decisions on the work
they do as well as part of a team is a strong character to have in any
organisation.

Develop workplace relationships

Workplace relationships and communications can be enhanced through

training and development opportunities. These improved relationships can
help contribute to the wellbeing of staff as well as develop engagement.

Providing opportunities to help employees to explore new topics and refine

their skills and expand their knowledge can help your team members bond
with each other. Research has shown that peer collaboration is actually a
preferred method of learning and sharing ideas or solutions to problems
helps to round out the learning experience for everyone involved. Learning
from each other’s strengths not only leads to a more well-rounded
workforce, but those bonds can also improve retention and engagement.

Boost performance

Another very natural benefit of giving your employees access to learning

tools is better performance.By refining their skills and expanding their
knowledge, your employees will be better equipped to do their jobs and
may even find new ways to enhance their efficiency too. This, coupled with
our earlier points about learning having a positive impact on employees’
motivation and confidence, means that their performance will be better in
their jobs too.

Conclusion
Highly engaged teams deliver better service and organisations who can
deliver employee engagement through training and development will not
only benefit through better customer retention/repeat business, but it will
also help to secure the fortune of the organisation moving forward over the
years.

From better staff retention to improved performance and even developing

future leaders, driving employee engagement is a key element of any
organisation’s training needs for the future of the organisation.
 The Power of Employee Feedback
and Engagement Surveys:
Importance, Best

Employee feedback and engagement surveys are crucial tools for

organizations to understand the pulse of their workforce and identify
areas that require improvement. By gathering valuable insights from
employees, organizations can make informed decisions to enhance
employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. This article will
discuss the importance of employee feedback and engagement surveys,
best practices for analyzing and acting on the results, and how
organizations can use these insights to drive positive change.

1. The Importance of Employee Feedback and

Engagement Surveys

● Continuous improvement: Gathering employee feedback enables

organizations to identify areas of improvement in their work
culture, policies, and processes. This helps them create a more
engaging work environment that supports employee growth and
satisfaction.

● Employee engagement: Engagement surveys help organizations

understand the level of employee commitment and satisfaction,
allowing them to address any issues affecting engagement and
implement targeted strategies to enhance it.

● Retention: By understanding employee concerns and addressing

them proactively, organizations can increase employee retention,
saving costs associated with turnover and recruitment.
 ● Decision-making: Employee feedback and engagement surveys
provide organizations with data-driven insights, which can be used
to make informed decisions on employee development, well-
being, and overall company strategy.

2. Best Practices for Conducting Employee Feedback

and Engagement Surveys

● Anonymity: Ensure that the feedback and engagement survey

process is anonymous, so employees feel comfortable sharing their
honest opinions without fear of repercussions.

● Frequency: Conduct surveys at regular intervals, such as quarterly

or biannually, to track progress and changes in employee sentiment
over time.

● Clarity: Use clear and concise language in survey questions,

making them easy to understand and answer.

● Relevance: Customize survey questions to be relevant to your

organization's specific goals, challenges, and work culture.

● Brevity: Keep surveys concise and focused, as overly lengthy

surveys can lead to survey fatigue and lower response rates.

3. Analyzing and Acting on Survey Results

● Data analysis: Use data analysis tools and techniques to identify

trends, patterns, and correlations in the survey data, highlighting
areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

● Segmentation: Break down survey results by factors such as

department, seniority, or job function to gain a more in-depth
understanding of specific employee groups' concerns and needs.
 ● Prioritization: Focus on the most critical areas identified in the
survey results and prioritize actionable steps to address them.

● Action planning: Develop a detailed action plan outlining the steps

your organization will take to address the issues highlighted in the
survey results. Ensure that these actions are aligned with your
company's overall strategy and goals.

● Communication: Share the survey findings and action plan with

employees, emphasizing your organization's commitment to
addressing their concerns and fostering a positive work
environment.

4. Tracking Progress and Continuous Improvement

● Progress tracking: Regularly review the progress of your action

plan and adjust it as needed based on new insights or changing
circumstances.

● Follow-up surveys: Conduct follow-up surveys to measure the

impact of the implemented actions and track changes in employee
sentiment over time.

● Feedback loop: Encourage a culture of continuous feedback by

providing employees with multiple channels to share their thoughts
and concerns outside of formal survey processes. This can include
one-on-one check-ins, anonymous suggestion boxes, or team
meetings.
 How to tackle the top 5
employee engagement
challenges
In today's competitive business environment, how well you engage your
employees can mean the difference between a healthy, productive
workforce or turnover rates that suffocate your organization's growth.
When your employees are engaged with the work they do, they tend to
bring their best selves to every project and stick around with your
organization for a long time. They also tend to spread the word about how
your organization goes above and beyond to engage its
employees, boosting your employer brand and attracting higher quality
candidates over time.Employee engagement is often used to
measure satisfaction, which reveals how happy your employees are in
their roles and how committed they are to your organization's success. And
these days, engagement is no longer just "nice to have" at work—it's
something that younger generations are demanding from their employers.
To help you improve your employee engagement and get ahead of your
competition, we've listed some of the common challenges that hinder
employee engagement and tips to overcome them:

● Challenge 1: Communication gaps among

employees

When your employees don't know what's happening within their

organization, their engagement levels drop. Similarly, when they don't get
to interact with their peers properly or when they don't receive
recognition for their work, they'll be demotivated. At a time when many
organizations are moving towards permanent remote work, closing
these communication gaps can be a real struggle.

● Challenge 2: Inefficient use of people

analytics

People analytics can be excellent for organizations looking to improve

employee engagement. By compiling and analyzing employee data, a
people analytics tool can help you identify the root cause of employee
engagement problems. However, HR data silos and lack of expertise in
people analytics are deterring organizations from using them.
.

● Challenge 3: Lack of support from

leadership
Top-level leaders in your organization should be committed to improving
employee engagement. Especially as more employees from younger
generations enter their organization, this can mean adjusting their
management style or throwing their support behind new engagement
initiatives. Sometimes this can cause friction if there is no two-way
communication between different management levels or if there is
reluctance to adopt new strategies.

● Challenge 4: A prevailing negative work

environment
Toxicity in the workplace is terrible for employee engagement. It breeds
anxiety, irritation, low productivity, low morale, gossip, and
backstabbing. Some factors that can lead to a negative work environment
are poor communication, high turnover, micromanagement, burnout, and
stress. Even highly engaged employees will lose their zest for work if these
issues are allowed to persist, and eventually, they will leave your
organization if improvements are not made.

● Challenge 5: Difficulty with measuring

employee engagement
Gauging employee engagement has always been a challenge because it
can seem more like a feeling than a metric. However, without a way to
measure it, you won't know how your initiatives are performing and which
areas need improvement. You should be able to understand where your
organization stands in terms of employee engagement to develop more
focused strategies.

11 Inspiring examples of
companies with great
 employee engagement
practices

We've searched high and low to bring you some of the very best examples
of companies getting employee engagement right. Here are our top picks
and why we included them in this list.

Hyatt chose a different approach when it came to hospitality industry

standards. In an industry rife with obsessing over perfection, Hyatt chose
the unconventional route by mainly prioritizing emotional connections and
empathy with clients over perfection.

In a Fortune interview, Hyatt's CEO, Mark Hoplamazian said that "the key
to Hyatt's success is making sure we are connected with what our guests
and colleagues are experiencing, and then designing their experience so
that it's fulfilling for them." Instead of using a script when talking to
guests, Hyatt's employees are free to be their true selves during guest
interactions. The impact of this is that it creates a genuine and authentic
customer experience and encourages employees to be authentic, sincere,
and transparent and to empathize with guests.

The company not only leverages empathy to create an excellent customer

experience for its guests, but they also use it to create an excellent
employee experience too. For example, its housekeeping flextime
program allows housekeepers to leave if they complete their tasks on time
or clean additional rooms to make more money. Also, its family assistance
leave offers a minimum of eight weeks of paid leave to primary caregivers.

As the only restaurant listed on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For
in 2018, The Cheesecake Factory knows what it's doing. In fact, they've
been on this list every year since 2014. The company's dedication to
employee engagement doesn't stop in front of its restaurants. CEO David
Overton says that training and recognition are high on the priority list within
The Cheesecake Factory because employees who feel appreciated tend to
give better service, which improves customer satisfaction and further
increases The Cheesecake Factory's reputation.

Therefore, it' not surprising that David has a 93% approval rating among
employees. In addition, the Cheesecake Factory recognizes its frontline
associates' outstanding performance through its employee recognition
program, Wow Stories Initiative —which circulates stories of excellent
service throughout the company, boosting morale and spreading best
practices.

DreamWorks Animation
While DreamWorks Animation employees are provided with certain perks
like free refreshments, paid opportunities to decorate their workspaces.
Company parties after big projects are completed, one of the things they
appreciate the most is that at such events, employees are encouraged to
show off any personal projects or artwork that may be related to what's
been worked on for the company.
This really helps boost the creativity of others in a way that makes both
employees and those attending these types of gatherings feel more than
just a part of their jobs.

Placing importance on the ideas, opinions, and creativity of those who work
for you lets everyone feel like they are genuinely at stake in your company
and, in doing so, creates a sense of true teamwork and cooperation.

Southwest Airlines is a company that has mastered employee engagement.

They have had extremely high scores in their NPS for the past 10 years.
They have built a team full of enthusiastic people who are passionate about
their vision and brand and want to contribute in any way they possibly can.

They've created a positive work environment for everyone who works for
them. One of the ways that they demonstrate that is by allowing certain
workers to decide over aspects of their job, from designing their uniforms in
each department to giving them autonomy over their work-life and
career. And customers have noticed this because their employees are
genuinely happy and excited about where they spend most of their time
each day –at their jobs!

The company provides a platform for people to stay inspired and continue
doing things differently. The viral video of one flight attendant rapping the
safety information shows the kind of attitude the company has towards
keeping things fun and unique, and it shows employees that they are
appreciated.

Southwest Airlines former CEO Herb Kelleher rightly pointed out

competitors cannot replicate or copy the level of employee engagement
that Southwest Airlines upholds -the company's foundation rests solely on
mutual respect and a sense of understanding.

"They can buy all the material things. The things they can't buy are
dedication, devotion, loyalty – the feeling that employees are participating
in a crusade!"

Yousician is a Finnish interactive and educational music service designed

to help people learn and play musical instruments. In July 2014, Yousician
took its entire team to Saarenmaa, Estonia, for some team bonding and to
spend time discussing how to improve its product.

Suddenly, the company's leadership dawned that they could work

anywhere as long as they had their computers. Therefore, when the
company discovered their office in Helsinki would undergo a one-month
renovation, they decided to get creative.

With offices in Finland being expensive enough for them to book a month's
space, CEO Christophe Thür rented an entire villa in Greece and flew
the whole team, alongside their families, to work for a month.

They all lived and worked together, had evening jam sessions, pool parties,
and turned what might have been touted to be a nightmare into a
memorable experience for their employees and their families.
Heard of Gong? Whether you live in the U.S or Israel or not, you've
probably heard of this company sales leaders are currently raving about.
Renowned for enabling revenue teams to reach their full potential by
unveiling customer reality, the company is also known for offering
an excellent employee engagement experience.

93% of employees at Gong say it is a great place to work compared to 59%

of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. It's no surprise that Gong
has been named a Great Place to Work in the competitive San Francisco
Bay Area market repeatedly for over two years and is also the winner of
the 2022 Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award for U.S. small and medium
companies.

Up to 95% of Intuit's employees believe this financial services giant is a

great place to work. This is compared to 59% of employees on average
across U.S. companies. These numbers didn't happen overnight - through
the years, as a result of their continued hard work and commitment, Intuit
has earned that positive reputation!

For example, Intuit regularly sets diversity and inclusion goals. They
hold multiple courses and training sessions for staff to support these,
including the Leading Inclusively e-learning course. Also, Intuit understands
that pay equity is essential for keeping their company running effectively
and critical for employee engagement – a principle it takes seriously.

How?

Primarily by regularly analyzing pay equity to ensure that everyone,

regardless of gender or race, is all being paid what they properly deserve.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, GitHub is a code-hosting

platform that allows developers around the world to work on projects
together. The company has become renowned for hosting millions of tasks
and helping people fix bugs or contribute new code to existing ones.

GitHub believes in empowering its people to create opportunities and take

advantage of them. To ensure that its employees have access to the
support and resources they need, GitHub offers unconscious-bias
training, awareness on privilege, and ally ship programs.

Also, the company's leadership sets and tracks goals regarding inclusion
efforts such as hiring, retention, and promotional plans with
underrepresented communities, specifically racial and ethnic minorities in
technical and management roles and women in management roles.
Want to get paid to go on vacation? This Denver-based tech company is
making it happen. Full Contact pays its employees $7500 if they're
going off the grid while on vacation. The catch? This perk is unlocked
only if employees can prove that they're completely off the grid during their
time off by not checking work emails, texts, or calls; and absolutely no work
of any kind. If it appears that an employee has not been completely
disconnected from their duties while on vacation, then the employee would
be asked to pay back the $7500 in total.

This paid vacation costs the company over $1 million/yearly, according to

Bart Lorang, founder and chief executive of FullContact. But according to
him, it's worth it.

The idea behind these paid vacations is to ensure workers feel less
pressure to take care of everything themselves and build trust by
acknowledging that they still can trust their colleagues while they go away
on leave.

The company encourages its employees to share photos from their travel
adventures.
Patagonia, a clothing company based in California, believes in various
ways to build a positive work culture and drive employee engagement. For
example, the company offers an in-house child care solution for parents
who need it and surf time for employees who want to take advantage of
good wave conditions when they are thriving.

Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, believes that the key to an engaged

workforce is "to hire the people whom you trust, people who are passionate
about their jobs, and let them do their jobs, and they will get things done."
In addition, autonomy gives employees more responsibility for critical areas
of their job, creating a better environment to work in.
Starbucks needs no introduction. As the world's largest coffeehouse chain,
Starbucks is an excellent example of a brand that understands the value its
employees bring to the business in more ways than one. For example,
each barista is trained to make exceptional beverages and create a
welcoming environment for their customers. As a result, the company has
done an excellent job of establishing a warm and inviting atmosphere at
many of its locations worldwide. This same positive energy is reflected in
the company's culture.

Suggestions
6 Employee Engagement Models for a thriving
workplace

1. The Zinger model

Created by psychologist and educator David Zinger, this model focuses on
leveraging connections between people to achieve better results. It focuses
on strategy and organization, recognizing employees’ finite energy as a key
factor in whether they attain the goal of genuine happiness. It also
considers professional development as equally important to serving
customers.

The acronym CARE is central to the Zinger employee engagement model.

It stands for:

● Connection
● Authentic relationships
● Recognition and acknowledgment of how employee effort gets results
● Engage (as a continuous action)
‍

2. The Gallup model

Devised by the renowned polling and statistics company, the Gallup
model measures employee engagement based on the answers to 12 core
questions and statements. They include:

● I know what’s expected of me at work, and I have the opportunity to

do what I do best
● I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work well
● In the last seven days, I’ve received recognition for my work
 ● Someone at work seems to care about me as a person, and my
opinions count
● Someone at work encourages my development

3. The AON-Hewitt model

The AON-Hewitt model focuses on business outcomes as a core result and
driver of ensuring good employee engagement. It understands that
engaged employees directly affect customer satisfaction and profit.

This employee engagement model unites six core elements that work
together. They are:

● The basics — like benefits, job security, safety, and work-life balance
● Company practices — like communication, diversity, inclusion, and
infrastructure
● The work — including collaboration, empowerment, and autonomy
● Leadership — including middle management and senior managers
● Performance — including a career progression framework, further
career opportunities, rewards, and recognition
● Brand — for example, corporate responsibility and company
reputation
These elements culminate in the qualities of Say, Stay, and Strive, where
staff will say positive things about their organization, will want
to stay because they feel a sense of loyalty to their workplace, and
will strive to perform well.
4. The Kahn model
Created and named after organizational psychologist William Kahn, this
employee engagement model prioritizes the importance of staff, seeing
their strengths reflected in their work roles.

Overall, the Kahn model aims for each employee to feel safe enough to
“bring their full self to work” and harness individual strengths to achieve
great results.

In his seminal paper on the concept, the 1990 study Psychological

Conditions of Personal Engagement and Disengagement at Work, Kahn
wrote: “The more people draw on themselves to perform their roles (…) the
more stirring at their performances and the more content they are”.

The Kahn model, outlined in the study, identifies three employee

engagement outcomes for a successful system: physical, cognitive, and
emotional. Kahn said that to be fully and effectively engaged, an employee
must:

● Find meaning in their work

● Feel safe bringing their full self to work without any risk of negative
pushback
● Feel mentally and physically able to bring their full self to their
workplace

5. The Maslow model

This model focuses on Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs theory and
how it can apply to employee experience in the workplace. Maslow’s
hierarchy lists human necessities in a pyramid, stating that each must be
satisfied on one level before individuals can move to the next.

They are as follows, from basic level to highest:

 1. Food, water, shelter, air, clothing, sleep
2. Safety and security
3. Love and belonging
4. Self-esteem
5. Self-actualization (defined as fully realizing one’s potential)
‍
The Stress Management Society summarizes how Maslow’s model can be
applied to employee engagement, with the top four levels of the pyramid
being the most compelling.

Employees must be satisfied at the very least at the first level to feel
engaged — including making enough money to provide the basics and
having enough time to sleep. However, managers can make major
employee engagement gains at the next levels.

6. The JD-R model

JD-R stands for Job Demands-Resources, and defines workplace stress
and strain as an imbalance of these two core elements:

● Job demands are defined as any job elements, whether physical or

psychological, that cost employees something. This includes work
pressure, social stress, effort, or the use of skills.
● Job resources are defined as any elements that offer employees
something, such as development opportunities, autonomy, or clarity
over their roles.
If too demanding, the job can physically and mentally exhaust employees,
leading to reduced performance, excess strain, low engagement, and
health problems.

With abundant resources, employees are more likely to achieve their

potential, perform well, avoid burnout, and feel supported.
REFERENCES BOOKS

1. The Truth About Employee Engagement- Patrick Lencioni

2. Employee Engagement for Dummies- Bob Kelleher

3. The Great Company- Louis Carter

Websites-

● http://www.google.com

● www.studymode.com

● www.quizlet.com