Better employee engagement post-Covid

True employee engagement doesn’t come from merely receiving material benefits but from feeling genuinely valued by the organization for which they work. It would be an easy mistake to imagine that the Covid pandemic and the uncertainty that accompanied it would diminish employee engagement levels, however, a recent study has found that employee engagement may have actually risen during Covid. According to management consultancy company Gallup*, employee engagement and wellbeing in the United States dipped at the beginning of the Covid pandemic but made an incredible comeback – rising strongly by mid-July. Gallup cites employers’ responses to the crisis as the main reason for this record employee engagement high.

Crises make the need for great leadership is even more crucial than in normal times. And good employee engagement is a result of great leadership. My advice for business leaders that want to improve or maintain the engagement levels of their staff is to consider the following…

Communicate with your organization 

Clear and constant internal communication is critical for employees to feel informed, involved, and valued because it helps them to feel like they are integral to your team. Utilizing emails, internal newsletters, interdepartmental events, and town hall meetings are fantastic ways to share your vision and core principles with the members of your team. Encourage queries and feedback from employees so they feel like their voices are being heard and that they can make a difference.  It’s undeniable that good communication is the backbone of a highly functioning and fulfilled workforce.

Invest in employee wellness

Engaged staff members are not only happier and more energetic generally, but also more creative and productive. By investing in their wellness, an organization demonstrates its commitment to their general wellbeing. And this goes beyond maintaining optimal hygiene and cleanliness at work facilities. For example, our corporate wellness program at UAS –UAS BeWell – organizes a variety of health and wellbeing information sessions and events that offer employees support and encouragement to achieve a great work-life balance and enrich their lives generally. A workforce that can see their leaders actively protecting their health are happier and therefore far more engaged.

Inspire through inclusion

We’ve examined great leadership through good communication and investment in employees, it is also important for great leaders to act as a source of inspiration to their employees. This can be achieved through recognition of their efforts and by praising exceptional performance. Actively demonstrating your organization’s vision for the future, mission, and core principles will also inspire their enthusiasm and enhance employee engagement going forward.

*This Gallup study covered 112,312 businesses with 2.7 million employees.

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