Report: Employee engagement a top priority, but it’s not so easy

Employees today expect more from the sawmill than just sawbucks.

People expect a bit more razzle-dazzle (and fewer sawblade incidents) from their workplace experience.

Executives and internal communicators know that employees increasingly demand an engaged, pleasant work environment, but how exactly to create that is the big question.

A new report from Deloitte has tried to address this issue by identifying specific elements that formulate a great employee experience. Deloitte also highlights common improvement impediments, such as role confusion, lack of accountability and a dearth of investment in employee satisfaction.

The issue of employee engagement, or lack thereof, has major implications for employers. One study found that disinterested, unmotivated staff members cost the U.S. economy upward of $500 billion per year. 

This Deloitte report found that "nearly 80 percent of executives rated employee experience very important (42 percent), but only 22 percent reported that their companies were excellent at building a differentiated employee experience."

Deloitte recommends reversing negative workplace trends by cultivating “meaningful work, the purpose of the organization, employee talent development and growth, rewards and wellness, the work environment, fairness and inclusion, and authenticity among management and leadership.”

[RELATED: Learn new strategies to beat data overload and boost reach, results and ROI.]

Given all the apps for productivity, engagement, wellness or feedback, as well as a plethora of free online communication resources, there have never been more tools at employers’ disposal to enhance the workplace experience. It’s just a matter of allocating money and other resources and prioritizing employee engagement.

An executive quoted in the Deloitte report says: “We used to prioritize our stakeholders and shareholders first, customers second, and employees third. We now realize we had it backward. If we put employees first, they in turn take care of our customers, and they in turn take care of our shareholders.”

To learn more about Deloitte’s recommendations for enriching the employee experience, read the entire report here.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed http://ift.tt/2rkJW12