One thing stands out when we talk to people about employee engagement: not everyone really knows what it is. Even among those that do, there are sometimes assumptions and mistruths due to a lack of information.
We’re passionate about using technology to create fantastic employee engagement solutions and we think that you should be too. That’s why we’re on a myth-busting mission to make sure you know all the facts and none of the fiction.
Let’s dive right in.
Myth 1: “I don’t understand employee engagement, it seems complicated.”
It’s not!
Employee engagement is an umbrella term that covers lots of different things. When you break the term down, employee engagement relates to the way in which a business interacts with its workforce. Specifically, with the aim of creating an ideal working environment in which everyone – employer and employee – thrive.
The goal of employee engagement is to motivate, inspire and encourage staff in a way that adds value to their role. Why? Because when someone is engaged with their job, the results are:
Higher productivity
High levels of employee retention (ie fewer people leaving!)
A positive workplace culture
Happier and healthier employees
Improved customer service
We could go on but we have a whole blog about the link between engaged employees and happy customers so you can read more there.
Myth 2: “Employee surveys aren’t important”
Excuse us, while we scream into a paper bag.
Employee surveys should be at the heart of your staff communication strategy. They give you the opportunity to delve into your employees’ experience without disrupting their day or forcing uncomfortable face-to-face conversations.
Pulse surveys offer all the benefits of:
Regular feedback
Increased honesty in comparison to other forms of employee feedback
Increased survey and engagement levels
Data that can be analysed and used to identify trends
The only time employee engagement surveys aren’t useful, is when they’re not acted upon. Feedback provides a wealth of information that can be used to make important changes on a departmental and organisational level. Depending on the tool you’re using, you might get a handy little report to help you do this.
Check out the full blog on why employee engagement is important here.
Myth 3: “Employee engagement solutions are too expensive”
As with anything else, your investment into an employee engagement tool should be assessed in relation to what you get in return. You should also be sure to pick a tool that matches your organisation size and the requirements that you have.
For example, if you’re starting from scratch with your strategy, you might not want to pick a technology that relies on you doing all the hard work. Similarly, if you’re a team of 5 and know all the questions you want to ask, don't choose an option designed for enterprise organisations. Do your research in advance, speak to the companies you’re thinking of working with and choose the right option for you – and that goes for the cost, too.
Once again, the key is to be using the data from your surveys. If not, you’re not getting the most from your money.
Myth 4: “Surveys are a waste of time, employees only care about money”
We all need money – we have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so your employees aren’t going to work for free. They’re also going to expect to be fairly compensated for their hard work, but that’s not the only thing they care about.
"To engage the workforce and remain competitive, it's no longer sufficient to focus solely on benefits. Top employers create an environment where employees feel connected to the organization and have a positive work experience that's part of a rich, fulfilling life." – David Ballard, assistant executive director for applied psychology at the American Psychological Association
To attract – and retain – top talent, you need to focus on areas such as work-life balance, workplace culture and wellbeing. According to ONS data, stress-related illness is the cause of 7% of workplace sickness in the UK. While that number’s already pretty high, when you consider that the statistic is pre-pandemic, there’s a good chance that that number could rise with remote working and lack of communication.
Surveys allow employers to find out their employees truly care about and how the business can create a successful working environment. After all, we all want to like where we work.
Get tips on what to ask in an employee engagement survey.
Myth 5: “We already offer every perk our employees could want!”
While we’d all like to think we’re nailing employee engagement, all the time, the truth is, it’s a work in progress. Likes and dislikes change and so will what you employees deem as important.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates just that. Since January 2020, the qualities your staff are looking for has likely changed, and your business probably has too. Keeping an open line of communication allows to us to stay in touch with those changes and adapt as quickly as possible.
Even if you offer a ton of employee perks already, these need to align with what your employees actually want, and you only know that if you’re asking them. A foosball table in the cafeteria might be fun at lunchtime but may not actually add any value to staff experiences.
Your workforce is unique so ask, don’t guess.
Thinking about investing in employee engagement?
Hopefully, we’ve convinced you that some of the things you may have thought about employee engagement, aren’t quite right. Unless you already thought it was fantastic, in which case, we hope to have reinforced your views!
The world is moving fast so it’s important to choose a solution that allows you to keep up. Don’t forget, do your research before choosing an employee engagement solution and be sure to find the right tool for your needs.
If you’d like to talk to us about your employee engagement surveys, get in touch.