Want to Increase Employee Engagement Post-Covid?

Much has changed in the workplace since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees working from home are juggling child care issues as well as other responsibilities, and employers have made considerable efforts to keep their employees from burning out on Zoom meetings while still fostering a feeling of connection and appreciation.

So, have employees felt appreciated during this time? According to a new study, not so much.

Achievers Workforce Institute, the research and science arm of employee engagement company Achievers, ran a survey in June of more than 1,000 employees to see how companies are addressing their people and culture in light of the pandemic. The results of the 2020 Culture Report show a majority of organizations having trouble maintaining what Achievers calls “culture continuity,” which it defines as “the degree to which a company aligns all its business processes to its unique core company values during a critical event.”

Culture alignment took a bit of a beating as the pandemic took hold, according to the survey. Senior leaders reported that strategic planning, professional development, and budget decisions have become less aligned to company values during Covid-19. However, improvements have been seen in hiring, communications, and especially in work flexibility.

The majority of respondents to the survey reported feeling either well-supported or very well-supported since the beginning of the outbreak, although approximately one in eight people (14 percent) said they feel not very, or not at all, supported. C-suite executives reported feeling the most supported, while managers feel the least supported. Respondents who feel supported are significantly more engaged in their work than those who feel less so.

When it comes to recognition, the picture is bleaker. The survey shows 40 percent of respondents don’t feel appreciated for the work they’ve done, with one in three employees reporting not having received recognition for their work within the past three months. The survey quotes research from Brandon Hall Group, which states that organizations that frequently recognize their employees are 41 percent more likely to see increased employee retention and 34 percent likelier to see increased employee engagement. Results from the 2020 Culture Report mirror these conclusions.

In addition to frequent recognition, the study found a desire for more employee feedback opportunities. More than half of respondents (58 percent) said they wish their company conducted engagement surveys more often than it does. Those who are surveyed more than four times a year said they feel very engaged, as opposed to those who are surveyed every other year or less. Most respondents (77 percent) also said they feel they can be more honest in a survey than in a face-to-face meeting with a manager.

Surveys alone may not guarantee increased employee engagement, but the attitude they represent may help. “By investing in two-way conversation and committing to meaningful micro-actions based on feedback, employers can increase engagement across their organization,” the study says.

From: BenefitsPro