If you asked us what has the power to transform long-term business success, without a doubt we would choose employee engagement. When employees feel engaged at work, they are willing to do more and go above and beyond to make things happen. When employees look forward to going to work each day the difference in their lives and the success of your organisation can be immense.  

How far an employee will go for a business depends how engaged they feel at work. To bring this to life, let’s take a look at the two extremes of the engagement spectrum. 

Colin’s missing employee engagement story 

Meet Colin. He gets up in the morning, makes his way to work, and goes through the motions. The only thing he looks forward to at the end of the month is his payslip, and he believes even that doesn’t reflect his eight long, gruelling years of service and contributions. Over the years, Colin has been overlooked and ground down at work, to the extent that he now feels completely demoralised. His manager takes little interest in him and his career, and he gets no thanks or recognition for his work. He gains no satisfaction or sense of achievement from it anyway. Colin’s daily aim is to get through the bare minimum and leave as soon as the clock strikes 5pm. His peers feel much the same.  

Where Colin works, development opportunities are rare. He’s been in the same role for several years and has started to think about looking for a new role elsewhere. He doubts he’ll be missed if he leaves and thinks a fresh start would be good for him and his mental wellbeing.   

Sophie’s high employee engagement story 

Now meet Sophie. Sophie loves her job and her employer – so much that she can’t imagine a career anywhere but here. She’s confident she’ll still be working for the same business in five years’ time because there’s so much going on and so many opportunities for her and her colleagues to make a difference.  

Sophie feels a real emotional connection to her work because her manager explains exactly how she has an impact on the future success of the business. Because of this, she feels a genuine sense of belonging to her team and she’s willing to go the extra mile in her role. So much that she’s won a recognition award for a project she managed. Sophie talks to her family and friends enthusiastically about her employer and often shares their job vacancies on her social media feeds because it’s such a rewarding place to work.  

During her eight years with the business, Sophie has worked her way up to a team leader position thanks to positive encouragement from her manager and support from her colleagues and the training and development team. With their backing she feels like she can go even further in her career. She enjoys socialising with her team and volunteering alongside them to make a difference in their local community.      

These are two hypothetical scenarios, yet not uncommon employee mindsets in UK workplaces. There is still much more employers can be doing to improve culture and employee experience to have a positive effect on people engagement. Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce report 2023 found that UK employees are some of the most disengaged in Europe, ranking 33 out of 38 countries. Just 10% of employees said they were engaged with their work and workplace.  

Creating a positive culture with strong engagement 

The ultimate aim for every employer should be to create a positive culture where every individual can thrive and achieve their personal and professional goals. When employees feel supported and have opportunities to develop, this leads to stronger levels of engagement. Giving your people the tools and resources they need to grow and be productive really can lead to business success. Here’s why…  

When employees feel strongly engaged with their employer, they are: 

Happy  

When an employee is happy, content and motivated in their work and outlook, they are less likely to be absent through sickness. Happiness produces positive endorphins that reduce stress and make us feel good about ourselves. Anger on the other hand, has the opposite effect. The Gallup report referenced above found there to be a four point increase in employees feeling angry at work. We’re pretty sure Colin is feeling angry too.   

Happiness leads to… 

Improved health and wellbeing  

Highly engaged employees tend to work for companies and leaders that value and care for their health and wellbeing. The Gallup report found that almost 4 in 10 UK employees experience some form of daily stress at work. This means that a significant proportion of colleagues aren’t mentally, emotionally or physically prepared for work. When this happens people are less likely to feel able to bring their whole self to work or do their best when they are there.   

When employees feel strongly engaged with their employer, they are: 

More productive 

Happy, healthy, motivated colleagues tend to be more productive than their less engaged colleagues. Productivity is more than a measure of the volume of work completed, it’s about having the freedom to be creative, collaborate and share ideas. This means companies with higher engagement tend to be more innovative than their competitors.  

More committed 

Engaged employees will look to their current employer for career development opportunities instead of seeking roles externally. A stable, secure workforce allows for continuity, experience, development and business growth, not to mention financial savings on recruitment and attraction.  

This all combines to create to a feeling of… 

Pride at work 

Having a sense of pride at work means colleagues look forward to going to work each day. They come to work with the intention of doing their very best and feel a responsibility to deliver, believing that they can make a difference to the future of the business. When employees feel pride and satisfaction at work they are also more likely to recommend their company to others as a great place to work. 

When all of aspects of the employee experience come together, it makes for a high-performing, more profitable and successful business. 

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Blog: Signs of unengaged and unmotivated employees  

Blog: The value of building a people-first workplace 

Your people are your most valuable asset. It’s true! Where would your business be without its employees putting in the time and effort to service your customers each day? No business would survive without the skills, knowledge and endeavour of its people. They are the lifeblood of an organisation. That’s why putting employee experience, health and wellbeing first makes complete business sense, and creating a people-first workplace is essential. 

In this blog, we’ll examine seven areas where prioritising people in the workplace can generate tangible business benefits, and how measuring your workplace culture helps you understand the difference between the culture you want and the one you have.      

Prioritising your people makes business sense 

People haven’t always been treated with respect at work. During the industrial revolution employees were mere cogs in the wheels of machines. Employers were free to make irrational demands on people’s time and placed no importance on health, wellbeing or working conditions. It wasn’t until the 1980s that HR departments became the norm and prioritising people became a business priority. It’s shocking to hear about the way some people were treated at work. 

Thankfully, today’s workplaces are much more people friendly. Lots of organisations appreciate the value of their employees, promote positive attitudes and behaviours, and actively put employee needs before profit. The return on investment from investing in people can extend way beyond creating a more engaged and motivated workplace. Let’s look at this and some of the other big business benefits of creating a people-first workplace culture.     

Motivation and engagement 

When employees know their organisation values them and puts their personal needs before business success, they tend to feel happier and more motivated in their work. Job satisfaction is higher when people are supported, encouraged and valued by their employer.  

Employee engagement surveys generally uncover a link between pride at work and recommendation. This means that when employees feel happy and connected to their work, they will tell friends and family all about it, creating a positive brand image and boosting your reputation as a great place to work.    

Innovation and creativity 

People-first organisations invest in learning and development to boost the skills and capabilities of their employees. A survey by LinkedIn Learning found that learning amplifies people’s connection and sense of purpose at work. When employees have opportunities to learn, they are more invested in the success of their organisation.  

A growth and learning culture brings several business benefits including job satisfaction, enhanced innovation and higher levels of creativity. This can lead to a plentiful supply of fresh ideas, collaboration, and innovative thinking. If there’s one way to stay ahead of the competition, it’s through innovation.  

Focus on wellbeing  

Promoting caring, sensible attitudes towards mental, physical, financial and emotional wellbeing creates a sense of comfort and belonging at work. In our post-pandemic workplace, job seekers are increasingly looking for employers that prioritise wellbeing, flexibility, inclusivity, and offer a good work-life balance.       

As well as feeling cared for, people want to work in an environment where they feel included and part of a team. Knowing you can come to work and feel comfortable and welcome in your team environment increases overall wellbeing. It also means employees are less likely to experience stress and burnout and be absent from work due to sickness. The CIPD reports that just over half of organisations now have a stand-alone wellbeing strategy. Is your business one of those taking action to enhance wellbeing at work? 

Employee recruitment and retention 

According to Great Place to Work, 85% of employees at the UK’s best workplaces want to stay at their organisation for a long time. This compares to the UK average of 61%. LinkedIn Learning also found that companies that invest in learning have a 57% retention rate compared to 27% retention where there is a moderate learning culture.  

Clearly companies that prioritise a positive people-first, learning culture will save money on recruitment and attract better calibre, and a wider pool, of applicants. 

Customer experience and retention 

As well as attracting and retaining talent, a people-first culture may also enhance relationships with customers. This can happen through implementing those innovative new ideas, or simply because employees are happier in their role, which leads to more positive, engaging and memorable customer interactions.  

Increased productivity  

Putting people first contributes to higher productivity in a number of ways: 

• Learning and development can create more challenging and rewarding work opportunities  
• Promoting wellbeing and teamwork leads to collaboration and efficiencies 
• Attracting skilled people leads to better ways of working 
• Happiness and satisfaction at work is linked to higher performance 
• Improved customer interactions attract new business relationships.  

Financial performance 

For all the reasons we’ve covered, when you invest in creating a positive workplace culture and a great employee experience, your business can become more profitable. Increased productivity, strengthened customer relationships, more innovation and creativity – investing in people can lead to a more profitable business.   

A 2022 study by PWC examined eleven employee experience drivers and concluded that focusing activity around wellbeing, training, and development opportunities would lead to the biggest business benefit, equating to almost 5% of turnover. Investing in all eleven drivers could yield more than 12% of total revenue. Two strong reasons why it makes complete sense to put people first – but not the only reasons. Financial reward should never be the sole driver for investing in people.   

If you’d like to learn how to create an employee experience with people at its heart, take a look at our guide – The Heart of HR: Strategies for Building a Positive Employee Experience.  

How to measure workplace culture 

While organisational culture is something we all experience, it can be a challenge to define and measure it. Wouldn’t it be valuable to understand the difference between the culture you want and the one you actually have? And how to bridge the gap between the two? Using industry-leading tools and our expert consultancy, we help you understand the specifics of your culture so you can make informed decisions on where to focus investment and measure its impact. Ask us about measuring culture. 

In today’s fast-paced work environment, where tasks and requests seem to come from every direction, the need for a strategic approach to managing priorities has never been more crucial; this is where OKRs come into play, offering a powerful tool for empowering leadership and employees alike. OKRs are there to not just manage workload, but to confidently say no to distractions and unnecessary tasks. 

The role of empowering leadership in setting clear objectives

Empowering leadership involves setting the stage for success through clear objectives. These objectives serve as the North Star for any organisation, providing guidance for decision-making and resource allocation. Empowered leaders effectively communicate these objectives, creating a shared vision that helps everyone understand their role in achieving overarching goals. This approach empowers teams to stay focused and avoid the pitfalls of aimless task management, fostering a culture of purpose and direction.

Distractions in the workplace 

Workplace distractions can show up in many forms – from constant email notifications to impromptu meetings. These distractions not only take attention away from the task at hand, but also pose a significant threat to overall productivity. Research indicates that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain focus after being interrupted. In a world where time is of the essence, these interruptions can lead to a big loss in productivity. 

Adapting to change and prioritising goals

Flexibility is a cornerstone of effective leadership. While OKRs provide a structured framework, it’s important to recognise the need for adaptability. Leaders should be open to reassessing and refining objectives as circumstances evolve. This adaptive approach ensures that the organisation remains resilient in the face of change while staying committed to its core goals. Empowered leaders use OKRs as a dynamic tool, allowing them to pivot strategically without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Saying no with confidence 

The ability to say no is a key skill for leaders and their employees. Without a structured approach it can be challenging to say no to additional tasks or commitments; this is where OKRs really show their strength. With well-defined objectives, individuals can evaluate requests based on their alignment with key goals. Saying no then becomes a strategic decision, one that ensures efforts remain concentrated on what truly matters to the business. 

OKRs as a decision-making framework 

OKRs provide a gauge to check whether tasks and requests align with the business’s main objectives. Leaders can evaluate whether a new project/task aligns with the objectives already set-out and confirmed, and employees can confidently assess if a task contributes to their individual or team’s key results. This alignment ensures that every effort contributes meaningfully to the larger objectives, avoiding the trap of spreading resources too thin. 

Measuring success with OKRs

When implementing OKRs, it’s essential to establish clear metrics for success. The ability to measure progress and outcomes is crucial in understanding the effectiveness of the objectives set. Leaders can use quantifiable data to assess the impact of saying no to distractions, ensuring that the organisation is on the right path towards its goals. Regularly tracking and analysing key results provide valuable insights into the overall performance and areas that may need adjustment.

To sum up

In a world where distractions are abundant, The power of saying no strategically cannot be overlooked. OKRs provide the much-needed structure to empower leaders and employees to confidently decline tasks that do not align with overarching goals. By leveraging the strength of OKRs, employees can navigate their professional journey with purpose, ensuring that every effort contributes to the collective success of the organisation.

As you dive into the process of incorporating OKRs to enhance focus and productivity, we’re eager to learn from your experiences and insights. How has the strategic use of ‘no’ positively influenced your business? Whether you’re just starting out or already deep into your OKR journey, we’re happy to chat and offer our expertise. Feel free to reach out at any stage.