Improving Employee Engagement

Improving Employee Engagement

Sakshi Warulkar

 

1. Alcala (2017) in his research study, focused on middle managers in a hospital setting. The dominant factors for engagement were found to be positive manager-employee relationships and effective communication. The study highlighted the significance of a pluralistic approach, wherein managers who prioritize good relationships, communication, and employee wellbeing contribute to higher employee engagement levels.

 

2. Arleth (2019) highlights the influential role of frontline supervisors in federal agency performance. The study indicated that supervisors who demonstrate care, respect, feedback, and recognition positively impact employee perceptions of support, fostering engagement and enhancing organizational performance. The findings emphasize the vital role of supervisors in cultivating a supportive and authentic relationship with employees to drive engagement and overall organizational success.

 

3. Burke (2018) writes, building a great workplace involves prioritizing employee well-being, a strategy often overlooked. His studies show that highly engaged employees contribute to lower turnover, higher shareholder returns, and improved customer retention. Successful workplaces prioritize two-way communication, trust, and a set of core values. Treating employees well requires intentional strategy, on par with financial success and product quality.

 

4. Goswami & Goswami (2021) highlights the factors influencing employee engagement in the hospitality industry, including material resources, career growth opportunities, rewards, communication, relationships, work-life balance, and recognition. The discussion recommends that hospitality organizations focus on attracting, retaining, and developing talent, creating an engaged culture, and meeting employee expectations to enhance both engagement and experience for better overall organizational outcomes. Ultimately, the combination of employee engagement and positive employee experience contributes to a more successful and effective workplace.

 

 

5. Hassing (2016) in his study, reveals that Generation Y prefers specific communication channels for different types of feedback and updates. Generation Y favors face-to-face conversations on a monthly basis for personal performance updates, team performance feedback during group meetings, and department updates via email on a monthly basis. His findings emphasize that communication preferences may differ across generations, and Generation Y, in particular, prefers more frequent feedback compared to previous generations.

 

6. Miller (2017) in his study emphasizes that a fair and transparent pay process has a more significant impact on employee engagement than simply providing additional pay. His study reveals that employee satisfaction is primarily driven by the perception of fair pay and understanding the organization’s pay philosophy and process. The study emphasizes the importance of open and honest conversations about the pay process, as employees are increasingly comfortable discussing pay, and organizations need to communicate their compensation strategy proactively to retain trust and engagement.

 

7. Mutyala (2019) emphasizes that the most valuable assets in knowledge based industries are the skilled and experienced employees who contribute to the talent pool. While earlier decades prioritized recruiting the best minds, today’s emphasis in this industry is on reducing turnover rates as a key HR objective. When a talented employee departs, they take not only knowledge but also crucial bonds and networks formed within the organization, particularly impactful for knowledge workers. Adopting a participatory communication approach in designing job profiles, team selection, and reward criteria proves effective in enhancing engagement and retention efforts.

 

 

8. Reed (2019) in his research emphasizes the critical role of employee engagement for IT leaders’ success, aligning with current business strategies. He advises a competitive compensation and benefits strategy, incorporating both tangible and intangible elements. Socialization efforts and creating a work environment that supports career development and recognizes top performers are also crucial elements.

 

9. Romero (2010) writes that employee engagement is crucial for the success of healthcare provider organizations, relying on an engaged and motivated workforce to deliver excellence. Romero outlines ten essential elements for improving employee engagement, including building relationships based on trust, candor and care; ensuring employees understand their value and contributions; clear and frequent communication; a fair and transparent performance appraisal process; providing positive feedback; aligning skills with job descriptions; setting clear goals; reinforcing organizational values through actions; promoting purpose and passion; and maintaining fair and competitive compensation. These elements, applied collectively, contribute to fostering employee engagement at various organizational levels.

 

10. Wells & Bravender (2016) in their research paper they write how Ochsner Health System prioritized employee engagement. The initiative involved pre-hire job shadowing, leadership meet-and-greet events, and monthly department report-outs. Ochsner implemented various career development training courses, team huddles, fellowships, and self-assessment tools. Recognition efforts involved hand-written thank-you notes, system-wide awards, and employee appreciation events. The transition to a metrics-based performance management system tied to engagement scores accelerated success, emphasizing department-level action planning and employee input.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Effective employee engagement relies on building positive relationships, transparent communication, recognizing individual contributions, aligning organizational values with actions, and fostering a supportive work environment. Leadership plays a central role, emphasizing the importance of both systemic perspectives from top leaders and individualized approaches from frontline managers. Additionally, factors like fair compensation, career development opportunities, and regular feedback contribute significantly to engagement. Organizations that adopt a holistic approach, considering the unique needs of their workforce, tend to experience higher levels of employee engagement, ultimately leading to improved organizational outcomes and success.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

References

Alcala, A. (2017). Managerial strategies for improving employee engagement: A single case study (Order No. 10635107). Available from ProQuest Central. (1983480943).

Arleth, J. E. (2019). Improving federal employee engagement through first-level supervisors (Order No. 13811865). Available from ProQuest Central. (2217734308).

Burke, P. (2018). Simple steps to improving employees’ engagement with their workplace. Investment Week, , 21. Available from ProQuest Central.  (1993977347)

Goswami, S., & Goswami, B. K. (2021). Exploring the shift from employee engagement to employee experience in improving organizational performance: A study of hospitality sector. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 12(11), 3142-3151. Available from ProQuest Central.  (2623918339)

Hassing, J. F. (2016). Generation Y: Improving employee engagement and retention through better communication (Order No. 10118576). Available from ProQuest Central. (1804412848).

Miller, S. (2017). Pay fairness perception beats higher pay for improving employee engagement: Employees want to know how their compensation is set. HRNews, Available from ProQuest Central. (2022294720)

Mutyala, P. (2019). Participatory communication for improving employee engagement in knowledge based industries. Journal of Strategic Human Resource Management, 8(2), 37-40. Available from ProQuest Central. (2229664670)

Reed, G. L. (2019). Leadership strategies for improving employee engagement in the information technology industry (Order No. 13898890). Available from ProQuest Central. (2243875408

Romero, J. L. (2010). Improving employee engagement. Health Care Registration, 19(12), 3-4. Available from ProQuest Central. (745604065)

Wells, S. T., & Bravender, R. (2016). Improving employee engagement in the revenue cycle. Healthcare Financial Management, 70(10), 36-38. Available from ProQuest Central. (1832942844)