Beyond Satisfaction: How to Measure and Improve Employee Engagement

Are your employees merely satisfied, or are they truly engaged and committed to their work? As an employer, it is vital to understand the difference between employee engagement and employee satisfaction — and why both matter.

Why is employee satisfaction important?

Employee satisfaction is great — it means your employees are generally happy with their job and compensation. But this is not enough. Satisfied employees may show up and do their job, but they are not necessarily going above and beyond or actively looking for ways to improve.

What you want are engaged employees, ones who are emotionally invested in their work, passionate about the company's mission, and motivated to excel. These employees are the ones who will innovate, collaborate, and drive your company forward.

How can you measure employee satisfaction?

Now, you might be wondering how can you measure employee engagement. Pulse surveys are highly recommended; they are quick and frequent surveys that measure the overall sentiment and engagement of your employees. They are typically conducted regularly, often monthly or quarterly, to capture real-time feedback and identify areas for improvement.

There are many questions you could include in your surveys, but these five are what we suggest if you want to obtain valuable insights.

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend your company to a friend or colleague as a great place to work? This is also known as the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a reliable indicator of overall employee satisfaction and engagement.
2. How well do you understand your company's mission and values? This question reveals how effectively your company communicates its purpose and vision to employees, and how well employees align with and internalize those values.
3. Do you feel like your work is meaningful and makes a difference? This question helps assess employees' sense of purpose and fulfillment, which is crucial for engagement and motivation.
4. How many opportunities do you have for professional growth and development? Formulating this question reveals how much employees feel supported and invested in your company, and whether they have opportunities to learn, develop new skills, and advance their careers.
5. How well do your manager and co-workers support you and work with you as a team? Here you are assessing the quality of relationships and communication within the company, and whether employees feel valued, respected, and connected to their colleagues and managers.

This brief introduction on how to measure and improve employee engagement can help gauge your employees' level of engagement and commitment to their work and your company. By analyzing the results and identifying areas where improvements can be made, you can take action to increase engagement and create a more positive workplace culture.

So, don't settle for satisfied employees when you could have engaged ones. Prioritize both engagement and satisfaction, and you will be well on your way to creating a workplace culture that inspires your employees to be their best.

Curious to know more?

To learn more about how Empact strategically designs employee engagement apps that adapt perfectly to your requirements, feel free to contact us. We will happily assist you in creating a business case and provide a solution that fits your organization.