Seven Important Employee Engagement Objectives To Achieve In 2023

Every company wants to see better engagement from their staff. But what goes into achieving it? Join us as we discuss the concept, its key stakeholders, and list seven core objectives any organization can use to drive employee engagement initiatives in the right direction.

‍

Why HR Professionals are So Critical to Employee Engagement

Everyone within a company has a place. Financial analysts bring number skills and data analysis to the table, marketing professionals develop branding strategies to build customer loyalty, and HR professionals are instrumental in keeping employee engagement high.

HR professionals are an integral part of creating an engaging workplace, as they are responsible for creating the policies, processes, and procedures that put employee engagement strategies into action.

Any manager or CEO can say they want to achieve better engagement among staff, but HR professionals are the ones who know what it takes to make an impact. They conduct employee surveys, analyze data, and create strategies that help managers improve engagement levels in their departments.

‍

The Importance of Having Clear Employee Engagement Objectives

Employee engagement is a priority for workplace leaders for the many prospective benefits it can bring. What some fail to recognize, however, is that 'engagement' alone isn't clear enough of a plan. Just like any other business endeavor, the process of developing employee engagement must begin with clear objectives and set KPIs.

Whether it's plotting out how an organization will measure and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies or setting a timeline for progress, having tangible goals in place helps keep everyone accountable. Once these targets are set, HR professionals can begin to create the right tools and strategies needed for success.

‍

Seven Meaningful Objectives for Employee Engagement

Although it's a common goal amongst many businesses, employee engagement is not a one-size-fits-all product. What its effects look like will differ from organization to organization, while not every team may set out with the same priorities in mind.

That being said, though, there are some basic objectives that make up the foundation of most employee engagement plans. These have the potential to prove valuable regardless of what industry a company is in, and should be present in any organization’s engagement efforts.

1. Improved Communication

Employees need to feel like their voices are heard and that they’re able to communicate effectively, both with their superiors and amongst themselves. It’s vital for companies to ensure that employees have access to the channels of communication that allow them to express their ideas and concerns, while also finding ways for employees from different teams to work together more efficiently. Communication can be a bit tricky to measure, as a lot of it happens informally. The easiest way to gauge whether or not communication has improved within an organization is to track it through feedback, and ideally the help of a workforce management tool.

2. Reduced Absenteeism

Absenteeism is a silent symptom of struggling workplace engagement. Study after study draws a direct connection between the two, highlighting that employees who do not feel happy with their work are more likely to miss work days, take extended sick leaves and fail to reach productivity targets. These tangible effects are often some of the biggest reasons why leaders choose to invest in employee engagement altogether - it's not just a matter of staff members' feelings, but the efficiency of business operations as a whole.

3. Reduced Presenteeism

Presenteeism is the antithesis of engagement. It refers to when employees are physically present at work but mentally absent. This phenomenon is difficult to tackle, as it requires a greater shift in organizational culture than absenteeism. Organizations can work towards ending presenteeism by fostering an environment of psychological safety and inclusivity where employees feel comfortable expressing their emotions and opinions without fear of negative repercussions. Regular check-ins with managers can also help to identify signs of disengagement and address them early on.

4. Improved Employee Retention

Employee retention and engagement go hand in hand. A positive workplace environment is at the foundation of a successful business, and encouraging employees to stay with the company can only be done by creating an enriching atmosphere that motivates them.

Employees that are engaged with their work and feel connected to the company mission will be more likely to stick around, even in times of organizational change. Furthermore, loyal employees become valuable brand ambassadors who help bring the organization's message into the public eye.

5. Increased Creativity and Collaboration

Motivated employees are naturally more creative, open to new ideas, and eager to collaborate with their colleagues in order to reach common goals. They are not only more productive but also think outside the box when it comes to problem-solving– producing better results in a shorter time frame. Not to mention the cross-pollination of ideas that occurs when people from different teams and departments work together.

Again, this aspect of the employee experience can be difficult to gauge as accurately as something like turnover or absenteeism, but there are ways to measure employee engagement and creativity. Surveys and pulse check-ins can provide valuable insight into how employees feel about their work, while metrics like the number of product innovations created or customer feedback responses received in a given time period can also provide concrete evidence as to the effectiveness of collaborative projects.

6. Increased Involvement Levels

Employee engagement and employee involvement go hand-in-hand. The first is essentially a prerequisite of the other, so when you see active involvement among staff, it's usually indicative of an effective engagement plan.

Involvement can look like anything from a passionate conversation in the break room to an impromptu brainstorming session, but it's always linked with employees who feel ownership and purpose for their work.

7. Higher Job Satisfaction

When engagement is successful, the outcome is usually a higher level of job satisfaction among workers. This can be seen in everything from their attitude towards tasks to their commitment to completing projects.

It can also be seen in their interactions with colleagues and management, which often become more productive and constructive. Employee job satisfaction is especially important when it comes to attracting top talent, as satisfied employees tend to be willing advocates for the company they work for.

Progress against engagement goals like the ones we've discussed today can be both quantitative and qualitative. If you're looking to measure your team's vitality with less work, or better yet, make the process of implementing cultural initiatives easier, use Qualee. Our innovative platform brings HR professionals to the forefront of people analytics and helps them create actionable insights that can be used to maximize engagement and job satisfaction. Get started today.