Monthly Focus on Employee Engagement and Employee Communications
At The Big Picture People, we’re passionate about employee engagement and communication in the workplace, and keep an eager eye on news, current thinking and future developments that affect the way we all work.
We’ve condensed the most provocative, insightful and interesting news and blogs that we’ve read from the past month into this article. You can find out:
- What it is that makes the UK workforce so unhappy. According to the World Happiness Report, the UK is becoming happier. Simultaneously, research from Sodexo shows that only 12% of workers are completely happy in their job. Could you be doing more to make your employees happier?
- How to improve engagement, according to research published in the European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology. The ability to shape their own role, greater collaboration in the workplace and participation in mindfulness activities are all strategies to improve employee engagement, new research has found.
- Why most employers believe they need to use benefits more effectively to improve employee retention. With digital processes widely available, is it time to personalise benefits and give employees greater control and choice?
- How refocussing your attention away from compensation and towards motivation could boost your organisation’s effectiveness in employee engagement. What steps should your organisation be taking to remove money from the engagement equation?
- The way in which presenteeism is equally as damaging as absenteeism. People who come into work when they are ill can be just as damaging as those who take time off. But presenteeism is not only caused by illness. Presenteeism is also much more likely to happen when workloads are piled high or if job security is threatened, and can be cut down with improved management practices.
We hope they help to inform and inspire, and perhaps provide discussion ideas for your next team huddle. If there’s anything we’ve missed or a topic you’d like us to tackle for you, please get in touch.
The UK is becoming happier, but its workforce isn’t
In the recent World Happiness Report, the UK climbed into the top twenty nations in the happiness league. However, research from Sodexo Engage found that only 12% of employees are happy in their work. Much of this unhappiness stems from financial issues. While employers are uniquely positioned to tackle these, providing a sense of purpose and recognising performance are the real drivers of employee engagement. (Read more)
New research sheds light on the best ways to stay engaged at work
Employees who can shape their own role, work collaboratively with their colleagues, and participate in mindfulness activities are more likely to stay engaged at work, new research led by Curtin University has found. (Read more)
More than nine in 10 leaders believe they need to use benefits better to retain staff
The majority (94%) of employers believe that their organisation needs to better use benefits as a strategic lever to improve employee retention, according to research by Capita Employee Benefits. Is it time to offer a personalised experience in benefits, which gives employees a greater sense of control and choice and the opportunity to take a more proactive approach? (Read more)
Why you must disconnect compensation from employee engagement
When considering compensation and employee engagement, employers often place too much emphasis on salary and benefits and not enough on the less tangible factors of employee engagement. However, with low levels of unemployment and a shortage in skilled labour, organisations that focus on providing a positive workplace culture are more likely to attract and retain the best employees. (Read more)
Absenteeism vs. presenteeism – which is worse?
When someone is absent from work, the remaining staff may take on the extra load. But when they come in to work sick, everyone is at risk of catching a cold – which is worse? Presenteeism is also much more likely to happen when workloads are piled high or if job security is threatened, and can be cut down with improved management practices. (Read more)
We hope you find these stories informative, and please feel free to share this article with your colleagues and wider network. Once again, if there’s anything we’ve missed or a topic you’d like us to include in future digests, please get in touch.
