
There is a whole host of employee engagement research out there that will help to perfect your performance management system. Here are our top six recommendations.
Employee engagement has very much been a management buzzword over the last few years with numerous articles having been written about how to improve employee engagement levels, the drivers of employee engagement and the components of employee engagement.
Many of these articles are anecdotal in nature, but there is a lot of valuable and scientifically driven research out there on employee engagement, along with real-world case studies with facts and figures, that can back up your efforts when it comes to developing a happy, healthy and engaging performance management system.
We have collated six of the top pieces of research and case studies on employee engagement you should read and digest today.
Employee Engagement Definition
Before we dive into the research, it’s first important to clarify the definition of employee engagement. The following is our preferred definition at Clear Review:
Employee engagement is a fundamental management concept that describes the nature of the relationship between an employee and his or her organisation. It also relates to the employee’s commitment to their goals and company objectives, and their role within the organisation. Employee engagement results in the use of discretionary effort as a result of increased meaning and belonging. A truly engaged employee is productive and takes positive action and interest with regards to a company’s values, future and reputation.
The research below demonstrates the many benefits afforded by a highly engaged workplace.
1. Driving Performance and Retention through Employee Engagement — Corporate Leadership Council
This research by the Corporate Leadership Council explores how engaged employees result in improved levels of performance and decreased voluntary turnover. The study explores the business impact of high engagement, what drives employees’ decisions to remain at any given company and how businesses can establish a high-performance relationship with their employees in order to support business needs. The study reveals that employees with lower engagement are four times more likely to leave their jobs when compared to highly engaged employees.
2. Employee Engagement Updated Research Findings — TLF Research
This survey by TLF Research involved all segments of the UK workforce and received responses from over 2,700 individuals. The results linked employee engagement to employee satisfaction, including improved relationships with colleagues and management. According to this research, engaged employees feel they are being treated fairly and that they have greater job security, while they also enjoy a greater work-life balance.
3. 2014 Trends in Global Employee Engagement — AON Hewitt
This report explores global employee engagement. One of its findings is the importance of developing engaging leaders. The impact of leaders on employee engagement is crucial and companies that excel at employee engagement almost always have strong leaders who understand the value of engagement. Leaders, according to the report, have beliefs about purpose and people, and aim to “inspire, focus, stabilise and build trust, and connect with and grow others.”
This is something we wholeheartedly agree with at Clear Review, which is why we have named a lack of interaction with management as the top reason your employees aren’t engaged.
4. Engaged Workplaces Are Safer for Employees — Gallup
This research by Gallup reveals that businesses with engagement scores in the top quartile of Gallup’s employee engagement database experience 70% fewer accidents when compared to bottom-quartile companies. Engaged employees are committed to doing quality work and dedicated to achieving a certain standard of excellence in everything they do.
5. The Meaning of Work: The Challenge of Regaining Employee Engagement and Reducing Cynicism — The Human Management Review
Today’s employees are less and less concerned with extrinsic motivators such as pay and more concerned with careers and workplaces that offer meaning. This report by The Human Management Review discusses the need to address an employee’s emotional requirements of work and how doing so can boost employee engagement.
6. Employees Who Are Engaged in Their Work Have Happier Home Lives — Kansas State University
According to this research by Kansas State University, engaged employees have happier home lives. One of the study’s researchers states:
“[…] individuals who were engaged in positive experiences at work and who shared those experiences with significant others perceived themselves as better able to deal with issues at home, became better companions, and became more effective overall in the home environment.”
This goes to show how employee engagement has far-reaching benefits beyond the workplace. Engaged employees are more content at home, which equates to a greater level of morale in general and will further benefit the company.
To boost levels of engagement, it makes sense to use all the tools at your disposal. Modern performance management software has been shown to improve employee engagement throughout an organisation — we have helped hundreds of companies around the world, and our efforts recently won us Vendor of the Year in the UK & Europe Employee Engagement Awards. We’re eager to show you what this new type of HR technology can do for your business.
Discover the link between engagement, performance and technology: download our new eBook here.
The key to employee engagement
Learn more about employee engagement from our collection of free resources. You'll discover how you can boost performance and productivity through improving employee engagement.