Increase employee engagement with 6 principles

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement means that employees identify with their work and are committed to the goals and values of the company. Engaged employees are more motivated, productive and satisfied. They work not only to earn money, but also because they feel connected to the company and its goals.

Employee engagement also depends on how well a company is able to take into account the needs and interests of its employees. A company that understands the needs of its employees and offers them work with room for personal responsibility, a sense of purpose, opportunities for advancement and fair pay can enjoy loyal and motivated team members. 

What does it mean to have "engaged employees"? 

You are less likely to recognise an engaged employee by the fact that she goes about her work at all hours of the day with bright eyes and a broad smile. That might also be more worrying than uplifting. Whether your team is engaged in their work is probably something you can sense to some degree, but here's a quick checklist:

This does not mean that dedicated employees cannot have a bad day, a difficult week or even a longer period of disengagement. After all, people are not robots without private problems and fluctuations in performance. 

And committed employees do not fall from the sky. It is the responsibility of the company to create the right conditions.

What increases employee engagement?

So let's get to the prize question: if employee engagement is so important, how can it be achieved? What exactly motivates and engages people is an age-old question. Because what we really want to know is: how do people work? 

In the following, we take a look at the current state of studies and the economic findings on employee engagement and motivation. Because even though people tick differently and can therefore be motivated by different things, there are some factors that generally ensure high employee engagement.

Three examples: How to increase employee engagement like Patagonia, Atlassian and Bosch

In short: by implementing the factors mentioned in your company. Of course, this is easier said than done. For inspiration, here are success stories from different industries: 

Commitment through Purpose: Patagonia is committed to environmental protection and attracts committed employees.

Patagonia actually sells outdoor clothing and equipment. And even though this enjoys a good reputation, the company is celebrated in particular for its commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Because here, Patagonia does much more than the bare minimum. Initiatives include: 

• Use of organic cotton and recycled materials in the products
• Donation of 1% of turnover to environmental organisations
• Paid time off for employees to volunteer in environmental organisations
• Advocating for changes in public policy that promote environmental protection and social justice

In 2019, Patagonia was awarded the UN Global Climate Action Award for its efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment. Fortune magazine has listed Patagonia among the "100 Best Companies to Work For" for several years in a row.

As a result, Patagonia has very loyal employees who identify with the company's values and sense of purpose. Their commitment is not only driven by their work. Their commitment to environmental issues - and thus to their personal values and interests - is also reinforced.

Engagement through interest promotion: ShipIt Days at Atlassian

Atlassian, a software company, organises a "ShipIt Day" every quarter. All employees can work for 24 hours on projects that are close to their hearts and often have nothing to do with their actual jobs. 

Participation is optional, but encouraged and supported by all levels of management. The goal: employees can get involved creatively, develop new ideas and work on a project with colleagues from different departments. At the end of the 24 hours, the teams present their projects to the rest of the company and the most innovative and successful projects are awarded prizes.

Atlassian presents some of the projects on its website: 

• Staff member Jonathon plugged in kegs of his home-brewed beer in the kitchen.
• Luke and Jeffy replaced all the hot, power-hungry light bulbs in the phone box rooms.
• Mark, Sam and Jamey shot numerous videos for the blog in one go

Commitment through better framework conditions: Bosch job sharing

Employers such as Bosch, Mercedes and BASF allow employees to divide a job between two people - and this also applies to management positions! These are still disproportionately occupied by men in Germany. Through job sharing, the workload can be divided without the team suffering. Because of the two people in the management duo, one is always available. 

And yet a managerial position can be easily reconciled with private life. So it's a win-win. 

The German Association of Professional and Managerial Staff (DFK) reports that part-time managers are more creative and, on balance, more motivated: "Motivation also increases due to the possibility of reconciling work with family and leisure time.

Conclusion

Engaged employees have an overall positive attitude towards the company and their work. They get involved, communicate with each other, take the initiative and work for the interests of the company. But millennials in particular - soon to be the largest part of the working population - feel disillusioned with employers and quit much faster than previous generations (or else they do "quiet quitting" and only do the bare minimum). 

But this is exactly what needs to be avoided in times of skills shortages and economic turmoil. The key to success: employee engagement. What motivates employees can be summarised by six engagement factors. Implementing these in the company requires leadership commitment and creative ideas. Large companies like Patagonia, Atlassian and Bosch can provide inspiration. Ultimately, your initiatives need to fit you, your company and your employees.