Why Employee Engagement is So Important

Jack Welch, the famous former CEO and Chairman of GE, cites three key indicators that he uses to measure a company’s overall performance. Employee Engagement is the first of the three, followed by customer satisfaction and cash flow. To quote Welch, “It goes without saying that no company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.”

Engaged employees are involved, enthusiastic, and committed. Those are the adjectives that the Gallup organization uses to categorize 31.5% of the workforce in the US in their 2015 update.  The numbers have improved only slightly since the 2008 recession, and the levels of unengaged or actively disengaged employees remain appallingly high.

Here are the numbers:

Gallup’s 2014 Survey Results:

Engaged Employees31.5%
Not Engaged51%
Actively Disengaged17.5%

Source: Gallup Organization

31.5% Engagement – It’s a Problem and an Opportunity

Extensive research by Gallup, The Hay Group, Towers Perrin and others consistently demonstrates both the benefits of engaged employees to businesses worldwide and also the difficulties posed when significant numbers are uninspired or disengaged.

The Downside:

  • Lagging productivity
  • Increased turnover
  • More accidents
  • Lower customer satisfaction

It’s obvious that these problem areas can have a direct effect on profitability, product quality, and brand reputation.

The Employee Engagement Opportunity

The good news is that the research also indicates a clear path to improved employee engagement. Meeting reasonable, basic employee needs can increase engagement. The greatest impact on engagement comes from improving relationships between supervisors and their teams.  Formulating an action plan to improve employee engagement isn’t complex, but it does require employee feedback and  “buy in” from managers and supervisors.

How GEA can help

Using the latest employee and organizational performance research, Georgia Employers’ Association can administer a quick and very affordable Employee Engagement survey that can provide your management team with information about your current level of employee engagement. From there, GEA can work with your managers and supervisors to create a program that will enhance engagement and  increase your organization’s overall performance.

GEA has recently improved our survey methodology and reduced the fees to member companies who would like to take this first step towards improving employee engagement in their workplaces.

Click to learn more about how GEA’s Employee Engagement Survey can work for your organization