EMPLOYEE engagement is an employee's emotional commitment and dedication towards their job and organisation. Engaged employees are enthusiastic about their work, take pride in their achievements, and feel a sense of ownership towards the company's goals and mission.

They are more likely to go above and beyond their job requirements, contribute innovative ideas, and stay with the organisation longer. High levels of employee engagement have been linked to increased productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and reduced turnover rates.

Engaged employees are more productive, loyal, and motivated to contribute to the company's success. When done well, Employee Engagement Surveys (EES) are a valuable tool for companies to measure and improve the level of engagement and satisfaction of their employees.

This article will discuss why companies should undertake employee engagement surveys, what benefits they can bring, how to conduct them effectively, and some examples of successful implementation.

Benefits of employee engagement surveys

Employee engagement surveys can provide many benefits for companies, such as:

Improving employee satisfaction: By asking employees about their opinions, feelings, and needs, companies can show that they care about their well-being and value their feedback. This can increase employee satisfaction and trust in the company.

Increasing retention rates: Employee engagement surveys can help companies identify and address the factors that affect employee turnover, such as lack of recognition, career development opportunities, or work-life balance. By reducing turnover, companies can save costs and retain talent.

Enhancing company culture: Employee engagement surveys can help companies understand and improve their company culture, which is the values, beliefs, and behaviours that shape the work environment. A positive and inclusive company culture can foster employee collaboration, innovation, and diversity.

Process of conducting the surveys

To conduct effective employee engagement surveys, companies should follow these steps:

Define the objectives and scope of the survey: Companies should decide what they want to measure and why, such as employee satisfaction, motivation, or alignment with the company's vision and values. They should also determine the frequency and format of the survey, such as annual or quarterly, online or paper-based.

Design the questions: Companies should design clear and relevant questions covering key aspects of employee engagement, such as communication, leadership, teamwork, recognition, feedback, learning and development, etc. They should also use open-ended and closed-ended questions to allow employees to express their opinions freely and quantitatively.

Collect and analyse the data: Companies should distribute the survey to all or a representative sample of their employees and ensure a high response rate by communicating the purpose and benefits of the survey and encouraging participation. They should also analyze the data using appropriate methods and tools to identify trends, patterns, strengths, and areas for improvement.

Address the findings: Companies should share the survey results with their employees and stakeholders and acknowledge their feedback. They should also take action on the findings by developing and implementing action plans to address the issues and opportunities identified by the survey. They should also monitor and evaluate the impact of their actions on employee engagement.

Many companies have successfully implemented employee engagement surveys and seen positive results. Google has consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the world due to its high employee engagement levels. Google conducts annual employee engagement surveys called Googlegeist, measuring various aspects of employee engagement, such as happiness, innovation, diversity, etc. The results are shared with all employees and managers who use them to create action plans to improve their teams.

In Zimbabwe, progressive companies have implemented employee engagement surveys and taken action to correct any weaknesses in their people practices.

Employee engagement surveys are a powerful way for companies to understand and improve employee engagement levels. Companies can reap many benefits by conducting employee engagement surveys regularly and effectively, such as improving employee satisfaction, increasing retention rates, and enhancing company culture.

You can learn from the examples of successful companies that have used employee engagement surveys to achieve outstanding results. After conducting employee engagement surveys, these companies have taken some of the actions below.

Provide opportunities for career development and growth: According to a study by Gallup, employees who feel they have opportunities to learn and grow are more engaged and less likely to leave their jobs.

To A15

Encourage work-life balance: Research shows that employees with a good work-life balance are more productive and engaged.

Foster a positive company culture: Studies show that companies with a strong culture of recognition and appreciation have higher levels of employee engagement.

Provide competitive compensation and benefits: Research shows that employees who feel fairly compensated are more engaged and less likely to leave their jobs.

Offer opportunities for social connection: A Harvard Business Review study found that employees with strong social connections at work are more engaged and productive.

Provide regular feedback and recognition: Research shows that those employees who receive regular feedback and recognition are more engaged and motivated.

Encourage autonomy and empowerment: Research shows that employees with autonomy over their work are more engaged and satisfied.

Foster open communication: Research shows that employees who communicate openly with their managers are more engaged and productive.

Provide opportunities for skill development: A study by LinkedIn found that employees who have opportunities to develop new skills are more engaged and less likely to leave their jobs.

Offer a clear purpose: Research shows that employees who feel their work has a clear purpose are more engaged and motivated.

Foster a sense of belonging: Research shows that those employees who feel a sense of belonging at work are more engaged and productive.

Employee engagement is an employee's emotional commitment to their work, their team's goals, and their company's mission. When employees care—when they are engaged—they use discretionary effort. They go the extra mile. They will put in extra time and energy to ensure the organization's success. Engaged employees are more productive, profitable, customer-focused, and likely to stay. They are the foundation of any successful organisation.

Nguwi is an occupational psychologist, data scientist, speaker and managing consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a management and HR consulting firm. https://www.linkedin.com/in/memorynguwi/ Phone +263 24 248 1 946-48/ 2290 0276, cell number +263 772 356 361 or e-mail: mnguwi@ipcconsultants.com or visit ipcconsultants.com.