3 Steps to Reverse an Employee Engagement Slump

Employee engagement has fallen to a 10-year low, according to Gallup’s most recent annual reporting. The downtrend, where less than one-third of employees in the US feel engaged at work, is noted to have been fueled by a range of factors. These include the recent acceleration of organizational change, ineffective performance management, and hybrid and remote work transitions—all leading to breakdowns in communication and connection.

Engagement levels vary by industry, but Gen Z workers are among the most disconnected employees. With data from McCrindle showing that Gen Z is expected to make up the largest share of the workforce by 2035, it’s clear that if companies’ current engagement strategies are not working for Gen Z, then they’re not fit for purpose in the future of work.

Why Employee Engagement Is Key to Business Success

As any talent development professional knows, employees are the key ingredient of any thriving company, but this only works when people are tuned in and connected—to their own work, to their team members, and to the company’s mission and purpose. Engagement is about more than simply creating a pleasant office atmosphere. It determines how people show up in their roles and work together, affecting productivity and efficiency, recruitment and retention, innovation, customer experience, and ultimately business performance. As Gallup noted in an earlier meta-analysis, companies with high engagement were found to have 23 percent higher profitability, 18 percent higher sales, and 10 percent higher customer loyalty.

How can companies reignite employee engagement to drive success today and meet the challenges of tomorrow? Here are three key tips to get started:

1. Invest in Employees’ Learning and Career Development

Employees are more likely to invest energy and take initiative in their work when they see a real future at their company. Opportunities to learn and grow have consistently been shown to have a strong positive impact on employee engagement, and specifically retention. According to research from LinkedIn, 94 percent of employees would stay with an employer longer if it invested in their career development. A recent Kahoot! Workplace Culture Report also showed that 44 percent of frontline employees say better career support and training would convince them to stay at their company an extra 10 years.

Despite this clear appetite for learning, nearly half of employees find training at work boring, potentially sinking them further into disengagement. This calls for a comprehensive rethink of how training is delivered. Consider what already holds people’s attention outside of work, such as gaming and sports—for example, friendly competition. Game-based learning can be a powerful way to amplify engagement through interactivity, recognition, and a genuinely enjoyable experience. At the same time, it can provide organizers with deeper insights into employees’ strengths, engagement levels, and learning gaps, which they can use to refine the experience further.

2. Transform Passive Listeners into Connected Contributors

If your meetings are filled with too many awkward silences, or you’re unsure if employees are still listening, the first step is to redesign meetings for active participation. It’s especially key to make these opportunities low-pressure—even with the option of anonymity—and involving the whole group. This can help break the ice and foster social connection, as well as reducing social discomfort in the workplace, an issue for 90 percent of Gen Z knowledge workers.

Add interactive moments throughout each meeting, presentation, or training—from quick polls to brainstorms, quiz questions, to open-ended questions. With technology, leaders can make it easy and accessible for everyone to join in and add their thoughts, while keeping the meeting on track.

3. Ensure Employees Are in the Know on Key Goals and Strategies

Before employees are likely to take initiative and be proactive at work, they first need a clear understanding of their company’s goals, and how they are expected to contribute to them. Confusion around expectations—especially common for new hires or amid corporate restructuring—can leave employees defaulting to risk aversion and hesitance. Clarity, however, empowers employees to take action.

To achieve this, communicate company and team goals often, from overall mission to tactical strategies, and make sure employees understand their role and the roles of their coworkers. However, this communication should not be a one-way street. Leverage the new interactive elements in meetings, training sessions, and other internal communications to gather feedback and gain insights into employees’ understanding. This can be a great time to iron out confusion about workflows, responsibilities, and company procedures, while also realigning everyone with their shared goals and purpose.

The good news is: in most cases, people want to engage more actively at work; they just need the tools and opportunities. By incorporating these strategies, talent development leaders can begin building a culture of engagement, where all employees are empowered to take part in building a thriving organization.