Improving employee engagement starts with truly listening to your people and acting on what matters most to them.
Build open, two-way communication, celebrate achievements, and make wellbeing a real priority. When employees feel heard, valued, and connected to your goals, they’re more motivated to do their best work. The result? A happier, more productive workplace where everyone feels part of something bigger.
According to Gallup only 15 percent of employees are engaged in the workplace.
Don’t worry! This blog is full of employee engagement ideas that you can put into practice.
Just in case you were wondering, here’s what we’ll cover:
- What is employee engagement?
- Why is employee engagement important?
- 10 steps to improve employee engagement
Key Takeaways
- Gallup found engaged business units are 18% more productive.
- Implementing a company intranet will massively improve employee engagement in the workplace.
- Highly engaged workplaces saw 41% lower absenteeism
- Improving employee engagement does have to be difficult to achieve.
Credit: Music by Pixabay
What Is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is the level of enthusiasm and dedication a worker feels toward their role and the goals of the organisation. Generally, engaged employees are emotionally or personally connected to the work they do and don't just show up their pay.
Engagement impacts nearly every aspect of your company, including profitability, revenue, customer experience, employee turnover, and more.
Why Is Employee Engagement Important?
Research shows that 92% of business executives believe that engaged employees perform better, boosting the success of their teams and the outcomes of their business.
Sounds great, right?
That's because it's vital to any business, regardless of size or financial standing.
In fact, your employees are vital to the success of your business.
Whilst many companies may view their products as their biggest asset, they're failing to notice that their people are what make their cogs turn.
Companies that value their employees will reap the rewards of a dedicated, passionate and skilled workforce.
Here are 3 key business areas that are impacted by employee engagement:
1. Higher Employee Retention and Employee Experience
Who doesn't want high employee retention?
Well engaged employees don’t have a reason to look elsewhere for work.
I know, it almost sounds too good to be true! (But it’s not!)
A company’s employee retention improves when:
- Employees know they will be recognised and appreciated for their contributions.
- Employees see opportunities for professional growth and career development.
- They understand when business change happens and why.
All of these factors help improve employee engagement and establish trust between the workforce and their employer.
Recommended Reading 📖: Employee Retention Strategies
2. Increased Employee Productivity
Want to know something interesting?
If your employees are engaged at work, it's proven that employee productivity levels will rise.
Productive employees focus on the right things at the right times.
There’s very little wasted effort, and the work they do creates the results you want.
Research shows engaged employees are 17% more productive than their peers.
If that’s not a reason to start improving employee engagement, I don’t know what is!
3. Lower Absenteeism
Highly engaged workforces see 41% lower absenteeism! This is largely down to improved mental and physical health that workers feel that result in fewer sick days as well as overall employee satisfaction.
In Oak's Future of Working Report, Mario Weick, Professor of Quantitative Psychology at Durham University, said: "Work engagement is important. It is a positive, fulfilling, work related state of mind that is associated with positive mental health outcomes and work satisfaction.
"Engaged employees are less likely to suffer from burnout, and they benefit from better relationships inside and outside work when compared to employees who are not engaged."
Common Problems That Impact Employee Engagement
| Problem Area | What You’re Likely Facing | How It Impacts Engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Communication Breakdowns | Teams working in silos, important updates getting missed, messages lost in too many channels | Creates confusion, reduces trust, and makes employees feel disconnected from leadership. |
| Lack of Recognition | Great work goes unnoticed, feedback is inconsistent or one-way | Lowers motivation and morale — people start to feel their efforts don’t matter. |
| Wellbeing Neglected | High stress levels, no mental health support, unclear work-life boundaries | Leads to burnout, absenteeism, and disengagement from work. |
| Limited Feedback Channels | Employees don’t feel heard or are afraid to speak up | Reduces trust in management and stifles innovation or improvement. |
| Weak Company Culture | No clear vision or shared values, inconsistent tone from leadership | Makes it harder for employees to feel proud of or connected to the organisation. |
| Poor Onboarding Experience | New hires are left guessing about processes or culture | Creates frustration early on and reduces long-term retention. |
| Lack of Flexibility | Rigid schedules, limited hybrid options, no trust in remote working | Increases stress, turnover, and lowers overall job satisfaction. |
| Inefficient Tools and Processes | Outdated systems, duplicated work, difficulty finding information | Frustrates employees and wastes time that could be spent on meaningful work. |
| No Focus on Growth | Few opportunities for development or learning | Makes employees feel stuck and less invested in their roles. |
| No Way to Measure Engagement | Relying on guesswork instead of data or surveys | Makes it hard to understand what’s working — and what’s not — in your engagement strategy. |
10 Powerful Steps To Improve Employee Engagement
1. Improve Efficiency in the Workplace
Outdated or disparate workplace processes and systems will slow your teams down and ultimately frustrate them.
The big question is how can we improve the employee experience?
By making sure an efficient content management process is in place, an employee’s workload is made much more manageable and easier to handle.
Oak provides centralised content management and integrates with your third party document storage so you have a single source of truth. No more wasted time looking for information they need.
Recommended Reading 📖: Why Your Company Needs a Document Management Platform
2. Improve Communication
When considering how to make positive changes, communication is one of the most important factors to bear in mind.
After all, communication is integral to our everyday lives, especially in the workplace!
Maybe you’re seeing increased miscommunication between your employees.
Especially if you’re a large organisation or enterprise.
This is probably due to staff unable to communicate with one another or they rely on outdated ways to exchange information.
Of course, with fewer staff relying on desktop-based devices than ever before, facilitating communication through an engagement strategy that includes office based and deskless employees is vital!
Improving your workforce communication methods should be one of the first things to look at.
Take a look at our 11 internal communication tools to facilitate better communication.
3. Give Recognition
Recognition for hard work and effort is important for 37% of employees.
Not only will their motivation increase, but others will feel inspired to work for the very same recognition, ultimately boosting workplace morale.
Oak’s employee recognition software allows you to post messages of congratulations on anyone's timeline, creating a positive culture.
4. Encourage Interaction
Building relationships in the workplace and outside of a professional environment can be an effective way of improving communication and the employee experience throughout your business.
By creating events or communities within your workplace, like minded people can solidify bonds with others from different departments and create relationships that may not have otherwise existed.
Oak’s hubs bring like-minded people together, allowing your teams to share and collaborate on common interests. Through these pages, employees can communicate in a social and project setting.
5. Invest in Your Employees, Invest in Your Company
Did you know that, if you don’t invest in the very things in which your employees feel they are lacking, you could end up losing the engagement of your employees?
By putting aside a budget to cater to your employees wants and needs, you are, in essence, investing directly into the company itself.
If you're unsure of what your employees need to feel satisfied, boost their engagement and productivity levels, Pulse Surveys are a great way to take and measure feedback that can be actioned upon.
6. Focus on Employee Wellbeing
Employee wellbeing and engagement go hand in hand.
It’s far easier for individuals to engage with their work when the organisation makes an effort to enhance their overall wellbeing.
The links between burnout and disengagement are clear with Oak's Mental Health in the Workplace Report finding that 19% of us who have suffered health issues because of work did so because of burnout.
By having suitable, clear, easy to access wellbeing policies you will help employees alleviate stress and keep engaged in their work.
7. Encourage Feedback, increase employee satisfaction
More often than not, employees crave feedback. It boosts their level of workplace engagement.
More than 33% of workers still want more regular feedback, according to a survey by Joblist of over 1000 full-time employees.
Regular check-ins and 1:1s are important, but it's also important to give employees who may not feel comfortable with sharing issues with managers, safe spaces to feedback.
Pulse Surveys are used to gather anonymous, targeted feedback with actionable insights that businesses can use to better their approaches and increase employee satisfaction.
8. Emphasise Your Company Culture
Did you know that employees will be more engaged if they have a common goal and a shared culture. Having a shared culture not only promotes consistency in the business, but also allows organisations to benefit from an open and friendly workplace.
Oak allows you to harness the culture your organisation wants and ingrain it in the workforce. Not only will your branded solution display your brand in an innovative, user-friendly way, with curated content you can focus on messaging that aligns with your vision and values and give employee satisfaction a real boost!
9. Provide a Good Onboarding Experience
Onboarding is sets the tone for your employees from day one. Research shows that a positive onboarding experience can improve employee retention by up to 82%.
This is why building an inclusive onboarding experience is so important to creating a great company culture and supports your engagement strategy.
From learning materials to cultural and information signposts, your intranet can be the springboard for a great onboarding experience.
10. Give Working Flexibility
87% of employees expect their organizations to support them in balancing work responsibilities with personal commitments.
Why not provide your employees with the ability to adjust their work hours to accommodate their personal needs? This shows that you value your team members on a personal level.
With the tips in this blog you will be able to allow employees more freedom without the risk of lost productivity . If you are too rigid in your approach when you don't have to be, you may undo all your hard work as a manager.
| Area to Focus On | What to Look Out For | Impact on Employee Engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | Outdated channels, unclear messaging, lack of feedback loops | Improves collaboration, trust, and transparency across teams. |
| Recognition | Lack of acknowledgment for effort or achievements | Boosts morale, motivation, and a sense of belonging. |
| Employee Wellbeing | High stress levels, burnout, lack of mental health support | Reduces absenteeism and creates a healthier, more committed workforce. |
| Feedback Culture | Infrequent check-ins, no safe way to share feedback | Builds trust, promotes open dialogue, and drives continuous improvement. |
| Company Culture | Unclear values, inconsistent communication from leadership | Strengthens connection to organisational goals and identity. |
| Onboarding | Unstructured or inconsistent new starter experience | Increases early engagement and helps new hires feel supported from day one. |
| Work Flexibility | Rigid schedules, lack of autonomy | Encourages loyalty, reduces turnover, and supports work-life balance. |
| Efficiency & Tools | Siloed systems, hard-to-find information | Streamlines workflows and reduces frustration, helping teams work smarter. |
| Learning & Growth | Limited opportunities for skill development | Inspires ambition, creativity, and long-term commitment. |
| Engagement Measurement | No regular tracking or unclear metrics | Enables data-driven improvements to communication and engagement strategies. |
Learn more about employee engagement in our Ultimate Guide.
How to Measure Employee Engagement
So, you’ve launched initiatives to improve engagement but how do you know if they’re actually working?
Measuring employee engagement isn’t just about sending out an annual survey. It’s about understanding how your people feel, tracking how that changes over time, and turning those insights into meaningful action.
1. Use Pulse Surveys Regularly
Short, focused Pulse Surveys allow you to take the temperature of your teams more frequently.
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Keep them quick (5–10 questions).
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Repeat them quarterly or even monthly.
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Focus on specific themes — communication, recognition, wellbeing, or leadership visibility.
2. Track Key Engagement Metrics
Numbers tell a story, here are a few that matter most:
| Metric | What It Tells You | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) | How likely employees are to recommend your organisation as a great place to work | A simple, powerful indicator of advocacy and pride |
| Turnover Rate | How many people leave voluntarily | High turnover often signals disengagement or cultural issues |
| Absenteeism Rate | Frequency of unplanned absences | Engaged teams tend to have lower absenteeism |
| Participation Rates | Attendance at internal events, training, or comms campaigns | Shows how connected employees feel to company life |
| Wellbeing Scores | Self-reported stress, energy, or work-life balance levels | Tracks how supported employees feel in their roles |
3. Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Feedback
Engagement data is only half the picture. Use open comments, listening sessions, and town halls to dig deeper into why people feel a certain way.
Your company intranet is a great space to gather insights — from polls on the homepage to feedback forms on wellbeing or culture hubs.
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Ask: What helps you do your best work?
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Ask: What could make communication clearer or more meaningful?
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Capture stories and examples, they bring your metrics to life.
4. Turn Insights Into Action
Data is only valuable if it drives change.
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Share results openly with employees through your news feed or internal comms hub.
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Create an engagement action plan with clear owners and timelines.
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Re-measure after three to six months to track improvement.
5. Keep It Continuous
Employee engagement isn’t a once-a-year exercise — it’s an ongoing conversation.
By using tools like Pulse Surveys and Analytics & Insights together, you can build a rhythm of listening, acting, and communicating that strengthens engagement over time.
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