Today, employee engagement is seen as a key element in fostering productivity and a positive work culture. A recent Gallup Institute poll found that 70% of today’s working people don’t feel engaged in their work. Conversely, it was found that highly engaged employees are much more productive, and their absenteeism rate is much lower .

At Survey

Monkey, our mission is to understand what influences employees and the work environment. By analyzing more than 3 million responses provided daily by the Survey Monkey app as well as recent published studies, we have a unique perspective on the driving forces of the modern workplace.

Here are some tips that you can try to put into practice in your company to improve the emotional and psychological engagement of your employees.

Hire good managers

As with many things, the example comes from the top, and employee engagement is no exception. It is essential that managers demonstrate their own commitment. A positive work culture requires strong managers, acting with empathy and as an integral part of their team. Good managers demonstrate constant commitment and know how to motivate their teams to achieve high levels of performance. They create positive work environments in which employees feel personally responsible not only for their own productivity but also for the success of their team. Thanks to this approach, businesses are much more profitable and successful.

Recruit strong and motivated managers. Managers account for at least 70% of differences in employee engagement levels.

Set realistic goals in consultation with employees. When employees feel personally involved in setting their goals, they also feel personally responsible for achieving those goals, both for themselves, but also for their team and their company.

Prioritize transparency. When staff feel their managers are open, forthright and trust them, employee satisfaction increases by 94% . In a study we recently conducted, leadership transparency was rated as extremely important by 48% of all employees. This makes perfect sense as transparency creates a more cooperative and open work environment.

Be visible. Both executives and leaders need to be visible and accessible so that they are perceived by employees as available and easy to approach. They can thus receive the directives and advice they need to carry out their work quickly and efficiently.

Provide the necessary resources

This condition of employee engagement, yet one of the most important, is often overlooked. Employees must have at their dsposal all the tools they need to carry out their mission and feel fully engaged in their work.

You must have the necessary infrastructure. This includes business processes, the tools your employees need to get their jobs done, and the organizational capabilities available to them.

Be up to date with new technologies. Faced with rapid advances in technology, more and more employees, especially millennials, are eager and able to adapt to the latest innovations, but most companies are lagging behind. Most are still stuck in increasingly obsolete industrial-age practices and equipment, which is very frustrating for employees.

Show your appreciation

It seems obvious, but in today’s fast-paced businesses, employee recognition goes (too) often by the wayside. Yet recognition from leaders and peers is the fastest way to build trust, ease strained employee relationships, and inject momentum into your workplace.

Publicly show your appreciation to your employees. Congratulating them for the work they have done or for their contribution has a double positive effect: it motivates them to continue doing good work, and it also encourages other employees to follow the example.

Thank them and show them your support. Our study found that employees who feel supported by their supervisors are 67% more engaged and more likely to stay with the company. A simple thank you card or note for a job you’re happy with has more effect than you think.

Happy employees: your priority

When thinking about how to strengthen your employees’ commitment, think first of all about their satisfaction. After all, happy employees are more engaged and 12% more productive . And they are also more effective in teamwork. So what do you do to make your employees feel good?