Employee engagement is the harnessing of organisation members’ selves to their work roles; in engagement, people employ and express themselves and during role performances Kahn, (1990). Employee engagement is not about providing perks like free food or onsite exercise facilities, it is about fostering relationships within the workplace that encourage everyone involved in it to perform at their best. This mutual sense of commitment makes everyone more productive because there is less friction between people who have different ideas about how things should be done. It also increases loyalty among those who feel connected with one another on a personal level. There are several key elements of employee engagement, as discussed below.

Clarity: A sense of clarity can help you better understand the direction your job is taking, and this will allow you to make informed decisions about what’s best for your career. Know what you want out of your work. This includes knowing what kind of work environment best suits you, what type of position would be most beneficial to your personal growth, and whether this position aligns with the values that are important to you. Know what the company wants out of you. What goals they have for their employees and are these goals aligned with your own? The level of support the organisation provides to reach those goals.

Purpose: A purpose is what you are striving to accomplish. It can be a big, long-term goal or a smaller, short-term need. Many employees do not know what they want to accomplish during their time with the company, so they focus on tasks instead of results. Your purpose needs to be clear and specific, so it will help direct your efforts and decide easier for you. Purpose also helps keep you focused when there are distractions around you. When an employee has a clear sense of purpose, he or she will feel more motivated to achieve those goals because he or she understands how doing so contributes towards achieving his or her larger mission statement at work or outside work.

Feedback: Feedback is an essential component of a healthy relationship. It allows employees to know how they are doing, how they can improve their performance, and what their strengths are. By providing feedback, you allow your employee to learn and grow in the job. Giving frequent feedback helps create a culture of accountability that promotes employee growth and development, improving overall engagement and productivity. There are many ways you can give feedback, in person, through email or even through apps like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms.

Recognition: Recognition is a positive reinforcement. It can take a variety of forms, but it’s always about acknowledging the efforts that employees put into their work and their impact on their team and organisation. When you give praise or rewards, you are letting your workers know they did something right. This can be as simple as saying “good job” when someone completes a task to more formal recognition ceremonies where employees are honoured for reaching milestones in their careers with the company or completing certain projects or tasks on time or under budget.

The right people: The right people are the ones who are in roles that allow them to do what they do best. That may sound obvious, but it is not always easy to get right. When you are hiring, think about the job and then focus on finding someone who can do job well, not someone with a perfect resume or experience level. You will also want to make sure your team members have the tools necessary for success. This could mean giving them access to new software or helping them secure training time with their managers so they can learn new skills.

When managing your team throughout their tenure at your organisation, be open-minded about how people perform their jobs and remember: no one is perfect. It is okay if an employee is not as strong in one area as another. There are always other areas of ability worth developing within each person on your team. And when looking at performance reviews, ensure employees know what they need to work on and help them get there.

Employee engagement is a two-way street. While employees are the ones who need to be engaged, employers also need to be engaged in order for this process to work. Employers must meet their employees’ needs and provide them with opportunities that make them feel valued as individuals. They should also take steps to help their workers achieve professional goals and advance their careers, which will enable them to contribute more effectively at work.

While every company is different, it’s clear that employee engagement has many positive benefits for organisations. Keeping employees engaged and motivated can help a business build a strong reputation with customers, reduce turnover, lower costs associated with hiring and on boarding new employees, and improve overall employee well-being. While the best way to foster employee engagement in your organisation will depend on your unique needs and goals, there are key elements that all companies should consider when evaluating their approach to this important topic.