Employee engagement and employee satisfaction have been on the minds of companies’ HR representatives for years and are casually tossed around interchangeably. However these two terms are very different. Employee satisfaction is a measurement of employee’s happiness with their current job. This happiness is measured with satisfaction of vacation time, bonus opportunities and work-life balance. Employee engagement is the measurement of an employee’s commitment to an organization. This measurement takes into account the discretionary effort awarded to tasks by employees and if employees are willing to go above and beyond the parameters of their job description for their company.
Employee satisfaction can be compared to a “shiny object” that looks like it benefits the employees and therefore enhances their work performance, when it really distracts from the main goal of managers: to retain top talent in order to thrive as a business. If your employees are more interested in performing well because of the prize that they get at the end more than how it benefits the company, your organization will not have high retention rates. The chances are that if your employees are engaged they are also satisfied, but it does not go the other way around. When an employee walks into work and does the bare minimum, your company will perform the same way.
Now that we have recognized the difference between these two terms, here are some ways to improve employee engagement in your office. First and foremost, it is imperative that you collect data and distribute surveys to your employees on a regular basis. If your company is growing, you will be adding to your staff regularly and it will be an excellent time to gage your employee engagement levels. These surveys do not have to be lengthy, expensive or even formal. Managers, supervisors and leaders should take the time to sit down with their teams to understand what it takes for each of their members to succeed in the workplace. This will not only create a sense of community within a department but it will also create more value in the work of the individual employee. When workers understand that they are crucial in the day-to-day operations and goals of an organization they are more engaged in their work.
Employees who are more engaged in a company will improve retention rates, profits and overall morale of an office environment. For more insights on employee engagement, download our ebook here! OR visit our employer resource center for videos.
