Who or what has the most positive impact on employee engagement levels according to the recent Simply Talent report by software company Oracle? Your colleagues. 42% of respondents working for large organisations across Europe felt it was their peers who had the most positive effect on their engagement.

The research polled 1500 employees and the results demonstrated the considerable value of the support and appreciation employees get from their colleagues. Respondents also highlighted the significance of the sense of engagement that comes with it; 56% stated it made them more productive and 37% said the “peer factor” made them far less inclined to look outside the company for a new job.

The research wasn’t as positive when it came to the role of managers. Only 21% believed their line managers had the most beneficial impact on their engagement, and the report provided clear guidance on where employees feel managers are falling short of the mark. They want a far more individualised approach with proactive regular conversations; nearly 60 % of employees want employers to engage with them more but don’t believe their employers are delivering. And in common with many other surveys the majority of respondents felt they needed more recognition for their achievements.

Clearly there’s capacity for employers and managers to up their game

Employees are right to demand more from their employers when it comes to recognition and engagement. But that doesn’t mean it’s the employer’s responsibility alone. To create a truly effective relationship it must work both ways; employees must reciprocate and respond by sharing responsibility for their own engagement. How do they do that?

HR’s employee engagement challenge

This brings us on to another key stakeholder – HR. Who, according to the report, has some serious work to do when it comes to being seen as positively influencing engagement. Only 3% of employees viewed HR as having the greatest impact on how engaged they were. It looks like HR must up its game too. But how?

A good starting point is the knowledge that employees already feel engaged by their peers. According to Andy Campbell, HCM strategy director at Oracle, HR must take the lead and nurture this peer dynamic by developing the right strategies and providing employees and managers with access to the right sharing and collaboration platforms.

While every function and employee must own engagement it’s time HR showed the way forward by leading the business towards increasingly progressive approaches to employees. What does progressive look like?

The HR peer to peer shopping list

Peer to peer employee recognition platforms that allow colleagues to visibly and regularly acknowledge each other’s contributions.

Peer to peer communications software that enables employees to communicate effectively with one other by rapidly sharing key information, responding to questions and providing feedback.

Peer to peer learning software that provides a platform for social collaboration and helps employees learn key skills from company experts.

Aspirations around employee engagement need to translate into action. Businesses know the substantial rewards that await them if they get employee engagement right. Yet many companies seem unable to gather the momentum to make the much needed step change. As the report highlights, those HR practitioners who embrace the solutions that today’s technology brings look set to become the heroes of the boardroom.