HR’s Role in Employee Engagement
November 20, 2024
Employees who are engaged, who feel invested in and committed to their work and their organization, who enjoy their job and therefore are most likely to stick around are an organization’s greatest asset. And HR plays an important part in monitoring and supporting employee engagement.
In order to measure engagement, employment feedback is necessary. Metrics such as surveys that measure job satisfaction and enthusiasm are useful tools to get a handle on engagement. HR can design surveys with questions that are really pertinent to their organization.
An employee engagement survey that uses a five-point Likert scale, with answer choices and corresponding numerical values: Strongly Disagree (1), Disagree (2), Undecided (3), Agree (4), Strongly Agree (5) is a good place to start. Sample survey questions might include those such as:
- My organization affords me adequate career development opportunities.
- I have confidence in my supervisors or managers.
- I receive adequate support from management.
- I think that my organization is moving in the right direction.
- I feel appreciated.
- My organization is fair and inclusive to all employees.
- I have received adequate training in order to do my job well and safely.
- I am able to work easily with my coworkers.
The impact that HR has on employee engagement starts with hiring. Targeting job seekers who are most apt to find the work interesting and rewarding results in more engaged and productive employees. Once hired, people are better able to stay engaged with ongoing communication, mentoring, fair and meaningful performance reviews, coaching, training, and career development. Social events that reinforce camaraderie and a healthy workplace culture also go a long way to keeping employees positive and engaged.
All of these supports are especially important to maintain a feeling of engagement in remote workers, who can more easily feel disconnected from colleagues and their organization. Organization blogs, emailed newsletters, and online platforms that enable employees to make suggestions etc. are also especially helpful for employees working from home.
When it comes to engagement, communication is the key. HR is in the best position to monitor the emotional temperature of an organization, keep everyone in the loop, and ensure that all employees feel included and welcome to contribute to the greater goals of the organization.