With all the fear, anxiety, and negativity around in the current situation, it is easy to be overwhelmed at the drop of a hat. The COVID-19 has majorly affected the physical and mental health of employees. Also, it has affected the other holistic wellness dimensions, including social and financial wellbeing.
On the other hand, employers have also been affected due to the fall in the economy. Furthermore, employee health and wellness directly impacts employee engagement at work, productivity, and overall workplace wellness.
Employee Engagement has become of the proven strategies to gauge employee satisfaction and workplace wellness.
Employees today are not just looking for a 9 – 5 job that pays them well. They are also looking for workplaces that engage their workforce, motivate them to be enthusiastic, and are committed to their employee health and wellness. A Harvard Business Review survey revealed that almost 71% of the employers felt that employee engagement was one of the crucial factors influencing organizational productivity and success.
In our previous blog, we had given a brief of the various workplace benefits and perks for better employee engagement.
In this blog, we give a glimpse of why employee engagement is considered a vital factor for organizational success, and how it influences workplace wellness.
Lower Employee Turnover Rates
A Forbes study revealed that engaged employees are more likely to stay motivated and committed to their workplace. Such employees are also satisfied and bound to work harder to achieve their workplace goals, driving business growth. As the employees are committed to their organization, the employee turnover rates are lower. And so, employee retention, which is a crucial element to workplace wellness, can be improved with better employee engagement strategies. With the right engagement tools, the high-turnover organizations reported 25% fewer turnover rates, and lower turnover organizations had 65% lower turnover rates.
Higher Employee Productivity
Engaged employees are more disciplined and show up at the workplace more regularly, thus decreasing the absenteeism rates. Studies show engaged employees are 41% more likely to be present at the workplace than the disengaged employees. The more they are present and committed at work, the more they are going to be productive. Another HBR report showed a 22% higher productivity by engaged employees. Other studies revealed a 21% higher profitability for the organization because of its highly engaged employees.
Better Health and Wellness
Studies have reported a 70% drop in employee safety episodes in workgroups that are highly engaged. This is probably because engaged employees are more mindful of happenings around them. This mindfulness has also motivated many employees to take measures to improve their health and wellness, reflecting in lower healthcare costs. Also, their commitment to their work makes them meet deadlines on time, thus, avoiding any mental stress.
Effective Leadership
It has been proven time and again that employers who connect and inspire their workforce turn out to be better leaders. Interacting well with the employees not only improves engagement, but also boosts their confidence, morale, and trust with their employers. When employees are convinced that employers care for them, their loyalty and productivity quotient increases. Hold discussions, conduct polls, or pulse surveys to know your employee’s concerns, and take adequate measures to work on them.
Simply put, successful employee engagement is when your workforce is eager to come to work and do their jobs well, contributing to the success of the organization. Studies show a 37% increase in sales owing to highly engaged employees.
While flexible working hours and organizing team lunches are effective employee engagement strategies, long-term commitment can be evoked by offering other better employee benefits and perks, like corporate wellness programs.