Senior leader buy-in is fundamental to employee engagement
Executive leadership support is essential for successful employee engagement programs. Organizations that secure senior buy-in and position engagement around financial benefits—such as doubled net profit, increased revenue, and higher productivity—can transform engagement from a peripheral initiative into a core cultural practice that drives measurable business results.
Interview: Jez Langhorn, VP People, McDonald’s
Jez Langhorn, VP People at McDonald’s UK, discusses how the fast-food giant prioritizes employee engagement through training, development, and clear career progression. Named a Great Place to Work, McDonald’s has implemented a learning ladder offering nationally recognized qualifications and empowers staff to become brand ambassadors.
Beyond ‘omnichannel’ – customer experience in the retail sector
Modern retail success depends on putting customers first, not channels. Today’s empowered shoppers expect seamless experiences across all touchpoints and will pay more for superior service, yet most retailers fail to consistently deliver. True customer experience strategy requires convergence across digital and physical channels, intelligent use of customer data, and engaged staff who can personalize each interaction.
Managing in a low-engagement environment is exhausting – what can you do?
Low engagement drains organizational energy, forcing managers to work harder to maintain performance and momentum. True engagement requires aligning employee satisfaction with meaningful contribution, addressing individual needs rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.
Interview: Emma Pinker, General Manager, London Vision Clinic, on employee engagement
Emma Pinker, General Manager of London Vision Clinic, discusses how the laser eye surgery clinic achieved Great Place to Work recognition through employee engagement initiatives like annual team-building days, staff socials, and professional development opportunities that foster workplace culture and employee satisfaction.
“What does employee engagement mean to you?” [VIDEO]
Employee engagement emerged as a key focus for businesses seeking to drive productivity and performance. This video features insights from business leaders, including Olympic athlete Steve Backley, discussing what engagement means across different organizations and its impact on customer service and organizational success.
The suspicious motives of the employee engagement movement
Employee engagement rhetoric conflicts with employment law restrictions and zero-hours contracts that undermine worker security and rights. Critics question whether companies promoting engagement genuinely support employee wellbeing or seek to extract unpaid discretionary effort from vulnerable workers.
News: Firms turn to tech for employee health engagement
Employers increasingly adopt technology like gamification, mobile apps, and social media to boost employee health engagement and behavior change. While gamification leads in current use at 62 percent, mobile technology shows the strongest growth potential, though measurement of ROI remains a significant challenge.
News: Renewed optimism in the workplace?
UK workers report increased pride in their organizations, with 58.6 percent expressing workplace pride in early 2013, up from 41.7 percent in summer 2012. The rise reflects greater managerial support and employee autonomy, with the largest gains among women, younger workers, and sales and marketing teams.
Interview: Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD
Peter Cheese, CIPD CEO, discusses how HR stands at an inflection point where the profession can deliver greater business impact. He outlines the need for HR to adapt to workplace volatility, prioritize employee engagement and culture, and embrace flexible working models to reflect a more diverse workforce.
News: employers who fail to engage will fail the UK
New research from Adecco Group warns that UK employers failing to engage, motivate and retain employees risk damaging economic prosperity. The study highlights how younger workers have higher expectations around promotions, flexible working and career development, requiring employers to adapt their culture and processes to appeal to diverse workforce needs across generations.
News: engagement key to combat salary and morale doldrums
HR professionals must prioritize employee engagement and strong leadership to combat low morale and stagnant wage growth in 2013. Hay Group research shows many organizations plan to overhaul their talent retention and reward strategies, as salary increases are expected to lag behind inflation.
Talent Spot: Tim Hadfield, co-founder of Inaccord Engagement Partnership and HRzone blogger
Tim Hadfield, co-founder of engagement specialists Inaccord Engagement Partnership, helps organizations recognize and address employee engagement challenges they often overlook. Drawing on decades of experience in customer and employee engagement, Hadfield works with companies to identify what managers struggle to see from within their own organizations.
Best practice: Staying mum at Merrill Lynch
Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s ‘Returning Talent’ programme helps stay-at-home parents and carers re-enter professional careers after three or more years away. The three-day initiative offers practical training in CVs, interviews, and industry updates, while building confidence through mentorship from bank executives. Half of last year’s participants found employment.
Ask the Expert: can you refuse to interview an unsatisfactory former worker?
Employers can generally refuse to interview a former employee with poor performance or attendance records, or one dismissed for misconduct, provided they don’t discriminate. However, caution is needed if the poor record relates to protected characteristics like disability or pregnancy, which could expose you to discrimination claims.
Executive deafness to employee voices creating lack of engagement
UK employee engagement has hit a record low, with only 35% actively engaged, largely due to executives failing to listen to staff concerns. Public sector workers are particularly affected, with just 21% trusting senior leaders and 62% feeling excluded from important decisions. The CIPD survey highlights that responsiveness to employee voices is critical for engagement and organizational performance.
News: UK jobs market remains in rude health
The UK jobs market is growing steadily with job opportunities up a third since 2010, defying recession warnings. New positions improved 3% monthly and 12% year-over-year, with social care, education, and health sectors leading growth across most regions.
Why focus on engaging teams?
Research reveals six key behaviors that significantly boost team engagement: vision, recognition, trust, growth opportunities, support, and open communication. Focusing on these factors simultaneously helps teams achieve higher performance, cohesion, and stability based on evidence from a large-scale study of 15 million employees across 300+ companies.
Blog: Employee engagement needs commitment from both sides
Employee engagement requires commitment from both employers and workers. While individual employees must choose to engage, companies must also create environments where employees want to bring their best. Strategic recognition and honest communication can help re-engage valued employees and improve customer relationships.
Job confidence tumbles?
UK job confidence dropped 5% in early 2013, with only 73% of workers feeling secure in their positions. Concerns about redundancy and living standards rose significantly, though most workers lacked insurance protection against job loss.
