We live in an era that values immediate satisfaction. Drive-through employees are docked for taking too many seconds to provide a hot, cheap meal. We don’t even have to spend time driving to a movie theater or rental store these days – we can stream nearly any entertainment we want from the web or order it directly from our TV. Yet, even in this interconnected era, certain things are better when they’re done slowly and thoroughly. Employee engagement is one of those items.
A long-term, outcome-based approach is useful for improving employee engagement. By examining a case study, this article will outline the benefits of doing multiple waves of employee engagement research.
What is employee engagement?
Employee engagement is often lumped together with employee satisfaction or staff appreciation, but it’s a much more useful measurement to help encourage in your workforce. In fact, since it drives key business indicators like sales performance and profit, employee engagement is a crucial ingredient in business success. Engaged employees are passionate, dedicated, loyal, and feel a positive emotional connection with their employer. They usually exceed expectations and provide unparalleled customer service. In fact, they are often your brand’s best advocates, so they bring in new (and often similarly engaged and enthusiastic) customers. Given the importance of employee engagement, many businesses are conducting engagement research to identify the key drivers in their organization and take action to increase engagement over time.