Employee engagement is a very abstract concept. It is the “emotional connect” that an employee feels towards the organisation. What makes one feel connected to an organisation and motivates to deliver her/his best varies from person to person. It also changes with respect to what is happening in and around the world.
Here is a list of trending employee engagement practices of the decade!
- PEOPLE-FIRST CULTURE
Employee engagement, that seemed like an interesting concept at the beginning of the last decade is now an obvious business goal. There is an urgent need to elevate company culture or risk losing top talent. Companies like Hilton, Salesforce, American Express are setting the stage for companies to implement strategies to reinvent company culture.
A people-first culture can bloom only when every individual feel cared for and respected by the people organization starting from top-level to the very bottom. It is a path that every organization must venture on.
- MORE PROMINENCE TO WORK-LIFE HARMONY
Most job functions don’t require employees to physically be at work every day. And the new age employees are taking full advantage of it. This is, in fact, a very cost-friendly yet extremely effective employee engagement trend. It is a path that companies ought to take.
75% of workers said they experience greater productivity at home. They said encounter fewer distractions (74%), less stress from commuting (71%) and fewer office politics (65%). 62% of millennials are willing to switch to gig economy within the next 2 years. (Deloitte)
3.CLOUD-TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE TO REIGN
Cloud tools will continue to make noise in the human resource management landscape.
A 2018 study from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 75 percent of surveyed companies now have at least one HR process in the cloud. Owing to the efficiency and user friendliness, cloud products have already made their place. More and more companies will move in this space in masses. Investing in the right tools will become crucial for companies.
- INFLUX OF AI AND ML
In the past few years, we have seen efficient and sophisticated HR tools making their way to people management. The trend will only further by massive inundation of ML and AI in the workplace. AI is boosting robust communication and personalized actions in the workplace. HR departments are able to make more informed, analytics-driven and logical decisions. The data is also helping managers in understanding the drivers of employee productivity.
- REDEFINING “HUMAN” IN HR
92 percent of employees believe showing empathy is an important way to advance employee retention. (Businessolver)
The World is advancing digitally at an unbelievable pace. But people still inherently seek compassion, appreciation and recognition. Elevating the “Human” part in HR will become very important in the digital age.
- DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE
Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns that are above the national median for their industry. (EY)
When people from different parts, ethnicities, traditions and social structure come together, they bring new and unique ideas to the table. They offer a fresh perspective to matters and more ways of problem-solving. The combined result is a much-needed global outlook to matters in hand.
- GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND WOMEN SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
In the past few decades, the role and position of women in society has changed radically. Women literacy rates have shot up, they are gaining more degrees than men and form a huge part of the workforce.
Despite these incredible advances, women still have to face a lot of challenges. From sexual harassment, pay parity, lack of security to gender biases and pregnancy discrimination. The list just goes on. The need of the hour is to see more and more constructive steps being taken in order to mitigate these challenges. Creating a safer and more balanced work environment will become a prime agenda for companies in the coming decade.
- EMPLOYEES AS BRAND AMBASSADORS
An employee gets 561% more engagement on a message shared on social media compared to when the same message shared by the company. An employee has 10 times more followers on social media than their employer.
Organisations who have jumped on the employee branding wagon not only transform their employees into brand ambassadors but also increases productivity. Also, we are looking at a steady rise in the impact of employee review. According to 2017 study, 41% of job seekers rate employee reviews higher than any other source.
- AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER GROWTH
47% of higher educated workers said a limited career path could get them to leave for a better opportunity (Randstad)
The Gen Xers and Gen Zers in the workforce would never consider a place where growth is stagnant. To retain them, organizations must foster an environment where they can learn, grow and advance. Companies should invest more in learning and development programs and proper mentoring programs.
- WORKPLACE WELLNESS
60% of companies offer wellness programs to employees. Whereas only 14% of companies have identified the culture of health. (Optum) “A healthy mind resides in a healthy body”. Naturally, a healthy individual outperforms others.
Health has a direct correlation with the productivity and performance level of employees. Hence, the bottom line of the company. Offering a sound corporate wellness program is financial as well as moral responsibility of an organization.
- PRIORITISING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
Poor mental health is one of the biggest issues in the workplace today. It causes a loss of over 70 million working days every year.
The top five stress symptoms are fatigue; sleeplessness, aches and pains, anxiety and weight gain. Desk-bound employees are one of the prime sufferers of mental illnesses. They are so engrossed in the rat-race of the corporate world that they often neglect their mental health. The result is a bunch of stressed employees in the workforce.
Employers and managers can play a special role in supporting mental health in the workplace. The aim should be to address the issue, create awareness, identify the factors triggering stress and taking the necessary steps to create a healthier work environment.
- INTERESTING AND CHALLENGING WORK
Top reasons for leaving a job: insufficient pay (44%), limited career paths (43%), lack of challenging work (30%), work-life balance (28%), and lack of recognition (27%). (Randstad)
This phenomenon is more prevalent in the case of GenX and GenZ employees. They are characterized as critical thinkers and challenger-seekers. Problem-solving is in their inherent nature. Employers and managers can play a special role here. Good performance management system, welcoming suggestions and setting goals are some ways to do so. Doing so will attract the right talent as well as retain employees for the long run.
- MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z FRIENDLY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Millennials and Gen Xers put special emphasis on the job package. They prefer unique, personalized and thoughtful employee benefits and perks. They love diverse and flexible choices. Most companies now adopt a point-based reward system for gifting and rewarding employees to give them more freedom over their perks.
Other millennial-friendly benefits offered by companies are: Free snacks, Napping rooms, Free breakfast, paid holiday, Paid fitness memberships, vacation time etc.
