Today more than ever, organizations rely on the energy, commitment and engagement of their workforce in order to thrive and survive`. The current business environment is changing faster than ever before. Organizations are forced to grow quickly with fewer resources – to do more with less, and build a culture that is nimble and more adaptive, founded on the principles of trust and accountability. Engaged organizations have been measured to have at least double the rate of success compared to less engaged organizations. By investing in employee engagement, organizations realise that employees become more vested in the organization, productivity continues to improve, along with quality. They build an organization where top talent is retained, because they want to be there, thus creating a ‘sticky floor’ for talent.

Engaged employees are enthusiastic about their work, are committed to the organization’s mission and vision, and are willing to go above and beyond their assigned duties in delivering it. An engaged employee has a positive attitude towards the organization and its values – this tends to have a compound effect and rubs off on others.  

Employees who are engaged at work are more likely to be productive consistently, which translates typically into improved customer satisfaction, higher quality of work (less errors and faster delivery), and increased revenue, potentially reduced expense per transaction, more innovation, etc.

Three important factors that directly impact employee engagement:

Trust in the company’s leadership

– Leaders need to be clear and intentional about their commitment to improving engagement and supporting the well-being of their employees. Demonstrating engagement is a permanent focus and not a passing trend, i.e., “the way we do things around here”.

Relationships with the management teams/supervisors

– Providing them a safe environment that enables them to give insights and feedback. Listening to the team on their terms. Most importantly, acting on the feedback and recommendations from employees.

Pride and sense of belonging

– It is important to act on feedback received from the employees.  The feeling that their voice is being heard and that someone cares for the way they feel, goes a long way in instilling that sense of belonging and empowerment.

Share and celebrate achievements together. However big or small they may be.

Key to future employee engagement has two broad aspects.

Human- centered workplace culture

– With the new, younger and more diverse workforce, workplace culture is taking on a new shape, “A human shape”. In order to sustain a “human-first” culture, a top-down approach from senior executives leading by example is an absolute imperative. One trait is particularly important, 

empathy

Digital strategy

– Technology is an enabler of a workforce composed of and driven by “digital nomads“.

 Flexible working hours, working from anywhere around the world and freelancing is the new normal. New innovations are equipping the team with digital means by automating tedious processes, enabling digital collaboration, increasing employee productivity and hence, engagement. 

The above factors will go a long way to minimize unwanted turnover and boost morale. People are, and will remain central to any business. Looking ahead, companies that go back to basics and embrace the tried and tested principles of autonomy and recognition will witness greater levels of employee engagement. Combine this with “empathy” and follow through on acting on ideas, and engagement will surely improve.

In the context of a GCC, attracting and retaining talent plays a pivotal role. Organizations that focus on a healthy and conducive environment for employees through good engagement, and scope for growth will succeed in getting the best out of their GCCs thus fulfilling one of the key

advantages of setting up a GCC