From Disengaged to Inspired: A Guide to Employee Engagement

Engaged employees are productive, loyal, and ready to go the extra mile. As such, every business hopes to cultivate an engaged, dedicated team. However, many employees report feeling unengaged—or even actively disengaged—at work. 

To help your business motivate its workforce, this guide will share how any organization can turn its team from uninspired to highly engaged. We’ll cover:

• Employee Engagement FAQ
• 6 Ideas for Effective Employee Engagement
• How to Measure Employee Engagement

Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to amplify your existing employee engagement initiatives, these insights will help you create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and fully invested in their work.

Employee Engagement FAQ

Before you attempt to engage your employees, ensure that you have foundational knowledge to guide your strategies.

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement refers to employees’ commitment to their work, team, and organization. It measures how motivated employees are to go to work each day and how passionate they are about contributing to the company’s success.

While employee happiness and well-being can impact employee engagement, these are ultimately different metrics. For instance, an employee can feel safe and taken care of in their current position but still not feel particularly invested in their work.

Why is employee engagement important?

Research on the impact of employee engagement is extensive and thoroughly demonstrates that engaged employees provide higher levels of innovation, better customer service, and enhanced job performance. They are also less likely to leave your company, reducing turnover and the associated recruitment and training costs.

Let’s look at a few statistics related to employee engagement:

• Highly engaged businesses achieve 59% less turnover.
• 77% of employees agree a strong work culture allows them to do their best work.
• Highly engaged employees result in a 23% increase in profitability. 
• 85% of employees are not engaged at work.
• Only 22% of companies know what’s driving their employee disengagement. 
• Actively disengaged employees cost their organizations between $483 to $605 billion per year.

As the numbers show, employee engagement dictates how your team performs, which ultimately impacts your business’s overall success. Let’s look at a few specific benefits of employee engagement:

Retention

Employees who are motivated and committed to their work are far more likely to stick around. Engaged employees feel a personal stake in their projects, meaning they are committed to completing them and ensuring your business succeeds. 

Productivity

When employees feel connected to their work, they’re more likely to stay focused, produce high-quality results, and endeavor to find productive solutions. Additionally, engaged employees are often described as willing to go the extra mile, meaning that if you ever do need team members to do more, you can count on your engaged employees. 

Profitability

Work completed by engaged employees tends to be high-quality, helping your business produce better products and services. Also, engaged employees are likely to commit 100% when they’re at work, meaning every hour they are on the clock is dedicated to your company. 

Safety and Wellness

Engaged employees are more attentive to their work, meaning fewer workplace accidents. This results in fewer delays, higher productivity, and a healthy, secure workforce. Plus, many strategies designed to improve employee engagement also positively impact employee wellness by reducing burnout, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, and supporting mental health initiatives. 

Customer Experience

While employee engagement and employee happiness are two different things, engaged employees tend to also be happy, sociable, and patient. As a result, engaged employees in customer-facing positions tend to create better experiences for consumers.

What are the levels of employee engagement?

Employee engagement is a spectrum, and it’s possible for employees to move from one end of it to the other. This means disengaged employees can become motivated and committed team members, and conversely, previously passionate employees can become burnt out and unengaged. 

To understand your team’s current level of engagement, let’s look at the three key stages of engagement: 

• Engaged. Highly engaged employees have a personal investment in their work, strive to do their best, are productive, participate in a range of business activities, and feel invested in your business’s success. 
• Unengaged. Unengaged employees tend to do exactly what their job descriptions require and nothing more. These employees usually don’t attend additional work activities, aren’t particularly committed to their workplace, and only adjust their work quality if they receive complaints. 
• Disengaged. Unlike unengaged employees—who are at least usually benign—disengaged employees commonly sabotage their workplaces. These employees actively dislike their employer, often complain or spread negative sentiments to others, and turn in poor-quality work. 

If you feel your workplace primarily has unengaged employees, rest assured that that is common. As long as you only have a few disengaged employees, most employee engagement programs can do the heavy lifting of turning your workplace into a productive, motivated one. 

However, if you do feel a significant amount of your team is disengaged or new employees often become disengaged, that might be a sign of bigger underlying problems in your work setup. Remember, no employee enters a new job with the intention to become disengaged, and those who do may be suffering from burnout, lack of support, and isolation.

What factors impact employee engagement?

While every employee and workplace is unique, there are a few common factors that impact employee engagement, no matter the industry. Gallup, well known for its extensive polling and research on employee engagement, shares that these are the five main drivers of employee engagement: 

• A sense of purpose: If an employee isn’t sure what the point of their job is, it’s hard for them to get invested in their work. Ensure employees not only understand your company’s goals but also how each individual role contributes to your organization’s overall success. 
• Professional development: While some employees reach a level in their careers where they are satisfied, many wish to continue to develop and move up the ladder. Employees who feel they have a path forward at your business to bigger and better things are more likely to be engaged. 
• A caring manager: There’s a common saying: “People don’t leave bad jobs; they leave bad managers.” Poor managers can make otherwise engaged employees feel stressed, undervalued, and unsupported. In contrast, caring managers can address unengaged employees’ concerns and get them re-committed to your business. 
• Open communication: Employees who feel listened to and like they are part of an ongoing conversation about their place at your company are more likely to feel valued and, thus, engaged. Additionally, open communication provides engaged employees with the ability to share their ideas, which can improve your business’s efficiency, introduce creative solutions, or innovate your processes. 
• Focus on strengths: Employees feel more confident, capable, and engaged when they have positions that align with their skills. While it’s good to occasionally challenge employees, ensuring they have the resources and abilities they need to complete their jobs will not only produce high-quality work but also improve engagement levels. 

In most cases, one or more of these factors play a role in why employees are or are not engaged in their work. To learn exactly what is impacting your employees’ engagement levels, consider surveying them to understand their thoughts on their roles, place at your organization, and feelings of support.

Who should be in charge of employee engagement?

Employee engagement is a collective responsibility that involves multiple stakeholders within an organization. While there may not be a single individual solely in charge of employee engagement, the HR department often plays a central role. HR professionals can develop programs aimed at increasing engagement—such as training, recognition, and feedback mechanisms—and monitor the success of these initiatives through surveys.

Managers also significantly influence employee engagement, as they interact directly with their teams and can motivate, mentor, and provide suggestions for growth opportunities. Therefore, it’s crucial for organizations to foster a shared responsibility for engagement, where everyone contributes to creating a positive and engaging workplace culture.

6 Effective Employee Engagement Ideas

Now that you have a basic understanding of what employee engagement is and why it’s important, you can begin implementing strategies to engage, retain, and empower your workforce.

1. Encourage Corporate Giving.

If you haven’t already, launch a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that emphasizes your commitment to ethical, social, and environmental justice. CSR activities often involve collaboration, whether it’s choosing a charitable cause to support or volunteering as a group. These experiences can strengthen team bonds and foster a sense of community among employees, leading to improved working relationships and a more engaged workforce.

Two of the most impactful employee giving programs are matching gifts and volunteer grants. Both emphasize that you want to support the same causes your employees care about. Thankfully, these are also the easiest programs to implement!

Matching Gift Programs

Through a matching gift program, you agree to match an employee’s donation based on a predetermined ratio. Let’s say they give $50 to an eligible organization. If your company matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio, you’d also give $50, effectively doubling the initial contribution. If you offer a generous 2:1 ratio, you’d contribute $100, totaling $150 for the nonprofit.

Employees often seek more from their jobs than just a paycheck; they look for purpose and meaning in their work. They feel part of something bigger when their employer matches their donations to causes they care about. When employees see that you value their charitable efforts, they’re more likely to take pride in being part of your company.

If this seems like an employee engagement opportunity you can’t pass up, here’s what the process looks like:

1. An individual donates to a nonprofit organization.
2. Using an employer search tool, they research their eligibility.
3. If eligible, they fill out a match request form.
4. Your company reviews the request and confirms the donation with the nonprofit.
5. Once confirmed, your company donates to the nonprofit.

While developing your matching gift program, eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible. Traditionally, submitting a match request involves some hands-on effort, requiring employees to manually fill out forms and upload donation receipts. Instead, try auto-submission.

Auto-submission is a trailblazing feature made available through Double the Donation and its CSR platform partners—including Millie, Selflessly, POINT, and more. These platforms have earned a CLMA designation for their seamless integration of matching gifts and auto-submission functionality, making employee engagement in the programs easier than ever.

When your company leverages one of these corporate giving solutions to facilitate its matching gift program, all employees have to do is provide their corporate email address (or another piece of identifying information) when donating, and the software will take care of the rest.

Volunteer Grant Programs

Our corporate volunteer research indicates that 84% of employers think volunteerism is an effective way to engage employees. Try organizing company volunteer days to encourage groups of employees to volunteer together, or offer volunteer time off (VTO) to let individual employees volunteer during work hours.

To make employees’ impact go further, offer volunteer grants. Through a volunteer grant program, your company will provide financial donations to nonprofits where your employees volunteer. You can either donate on an hourly basis or donate a predetermined amount once a certain threshold is met. For example, you might offer $20 per volunteer hour, or you might offer a $500 grant once an employee volunteers 25 hours.

This type of volunteer program acknowledges and monetizes the personal time employees dedicate to philanthropy. You’ll reinforce a culture of giving and boost morale by valuing employees’ passions.

Overall, aligning corporate giving with employees’ volunteer interest will help your company amplify its social impact and foster a more engaged and committed workforce.

2. Promote Professional Development.

Employees are more likely to feel engaged when they see a clear path forward within your organization. Create opportunities to sharpen their skills, knowledge, and career development through:

• Training: In addition to initial onboarding and orientation, offer ongoing training programs that focus on both job-specific skills and soft skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Use a mix of training methods, including in-person workshops and online courses, to accommodate various learning styles. For instance, our Matching Gift Academy provides a variety of video-based training modules that teach strategies to solve roadblocks and manage the matching gift business process. While ideal for nonprofits, this example shows how you can help employees develop their skills.
• Advancement: Encourage employees to create Individual Development Plans (IDPs) that outline their career goals. Managers should review IDPs with employees during one-on-one meetings and provide guidance on the skills and experience needed for advancement in different roles or departments.
• Mentorship: Implement mentorship or coaching programs where experienced employees can guide and support those looking to advance their careers. These programs can provide valuable insights and networking opportunities for employees.
• Continued education: Offer financial assistance or time off for employees pursuing additional education or certifications related to their roles. Create partnerships with educational institutions or online learning platforms to make learning resources more accessible to employees.

Professional development is an investment in your company’s human capital. Allocate the necessary resources, including budget, time, and personnel, to develop and deliver effective programs.

3. Recognize Employees With Creative eCards.

Chances are, your business already has employee recognition practices in place. For instance, you might offer performance bonuses, public praise, and awards like “Employee of the Month.” While these methods can be effective in engaging employees, they may feel unappreciated if recognition feels routine and uninspired.

Switching things up with an innovative solution like eCards keeps recognition fresh and exciting. Digital thank-you notes can be shared quickly through email, making them a popular choice for instant recognition.

To create thoughtful recognition eCards like the one above, here’s what you should do:

1. Choose an eCard creation platform with employee recognition capabilities. It should also offer a variety of templates, customization options, and scheduling features.
2. Create eCards that match various occasions or purposes for recognition, whether it’s for a birthday, work anniversary, outstanding performance, or another event.
3. Personalize each eCard by adding the recipient’s name and a heartfelt message. Consider tailoring the message to highlight the specific reason for recognition, such as a recent achievement or milestone.
4. Choose the delivery date and method. You can send the eCard immediately or schedule it for later, depending on your preferences.

For more information on how eCards can boost employee engagement, watch this video from our friends at eCardWidget:

Everyone loves receiving a thoughtful greeting card, so make your employee recognition memorable with eCards! Whether managers send them to standout employees or coworkers send them to one another, you’ll create a positive culture in no time.

The Best Times To Send eCards

While eCards are a powerful employee engagement idea, you need to strategize when you’ll send them for maximum impact.

Here are some of the best times to send eCards to employees:

• Work Anniversaries: A celebratory eCard on each employee’s work anniversary is a great way to recognize their commitment to your organization.
• After Achievements: Send eCards immediately after someone completes a significant project, receives positive customer feedback, or reaches a major milestone to communicate that you value their contributions.
• Holidays: Reach out on festive occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s to spread joy and show appreciation.
• Birthdays: Make employees feel special on their birthdays by sending well wishes with an eCard. Your eCard can explain how much you appreciate their contributions and hope they have a wonderful day.

You can even schedule some of these emails to be sent on a specific date, like on holidays, work anniversaries, or other special occasions. For example, eCardWidget offers automated birthday eCards. By turning this feature on, you can automatically send personalized birthday eCards on each employee’s special day.

Simply upload your employees’ birthdays and contact information to the platform. Then, select your birthday eCard and write a message or two wishing recipients a happy birthday. If you add multiple birthday eCard designs or messages, the platform will rotate through them, providing a combination that makes each recipient feel special. Timely recognition like this will work wonders for employee engagement!

4. Launch A Workplace Wellness Program.

Prioritizing workplace wellness directly impacts employee health, morale, and productivity and demonstrates your company’s investment in employees’ well-being. This commitment not only fosters a supportive work environment but also enhances employee retention and performance, contributing to a more resilient and thriving company.

Show your employees you care by creating a wellness program to promote healthy behaviors and support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional health through activities and resources. By creating this type of program, you can ultimately foster a healthier and happier workplace.

Best of all, you can use social wellness platforms to streamline your program. As our top recommendation, Givhero offers a suite of features designed to engage employees in wellness and social responsibility efforts, such as:

• Customizable Challenges: Create personalized health and wellness challenges tailored to your workforce, encouraging participation in a fun and engaging way.
• Charitable Donations: Achievements within these challenges are rewarded with donations to charities, linking employee wellness efforts directly to social impact. Employees can choose from Givhero’s Partner Network of over 2.3 million charitable causes.
• Activity Tracking: The platform includes tools for tracking various wellness activities, such as exercise, meditation, or healthy eating. Employees can sync Givhero with apps like Apple Health, Fitbit, and Strava, allowing for easy progress tracking.
• Social Engagement: Features for sharing achievements and participating in group challenges help build a sense of community among employees. People can even support colleagues with applause and badges.

Historically, Givhero has increased employee wellness program participation by 50%+ and reduced HR administration time by up to 80%. Using an app like this will not only motivate employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle but also foster a culture of giving back. Best of all, adminstration is a breeze.

Overall, Givhero helps companies invest in their employees’ health and the community, making it a powerful tool for boosting employee engagement and fostering a positive workplace culture.

5. Promote Work-Life Balance.

Promoting work-life balance is essential for engaging employees and fostering a healthier, more productive workplace. Set reasonable working hours and encourage employees to disconnect from work when they are off the clock.

Keep in mind that a culture of work-life balance should be cultivated from the top down. Leaders and managers should model this balance by respecting employees’ time and encouraging them to prioritize self-care. Encourage employees to take regular breaks and vacations, setting realistic expectations for response times to emails or work requests outside regular hours.

By demonstrating a commitment to work-life balance and providing the necessary support, you can create an environment where employees feel engaged in their roles and fulfilled in their personal lives.

6. Foster an Inclusive Work Environment.

Inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging among employees, regardless of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. When employees feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged because they are comfortable being themselves and contributing their unique perspectives.

Here are a few ways to promote a positive and inclusive workspace:

• Implement inclusive hiring practices that consider candidates from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Ensure that job postings and interview panels are free from bias.
• Establish policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment in all forms, including that based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age.
• Foster a culture of open and transparent communication where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas without fear of retribution.

Creating a positive and inclusive work environment is an ongoing process that requires commitment from all levels of the organization. It’s essential to continually assess and refine your efforts, seek feedback from employees, and adapt to evolving best practices in diversity and inclusion to create a thriving workplace for everyone.

Looking for even more ideas? Check out our list of 50+ employee engagement ideas!

How to Measure Employee Engagement

After launching your engagement initiatives, analyze turnover rates, absenteeism, and performance metrics to determine their effectiveness. Additionally, send out surveys and have one-on-one discussions with employees to gauge their level of commitment to your organization.

Focus on metrics like:

• Attendance. Track employee attendance, paying particular attention to how your absenteeism rate changes before and after implementing your engagement program. Engaged employees tend to miss fewer days of work and show up on time. 
• Productivity. Check employees’ productivity rates and the quality of their work. Engaged employees should provide work that shows an investment in your success. 
• Participation in cultural activities. Host cultural events, such as after-work activities, and take note of which employees attend.
• Retention. Over all, your engagement programs should correspond with an uptick in employee loyalty and retention.

Identify and take measures to re-engage disengaged employees to prevent further decline in morale and performance.

A Final Note About Employee Engagement

Remember, employee engagement is not a one-time initiative. It’s a continuous journey that requires commitment, dedication, and a genuine desire to create a workplace where employees feel inspired to do their best.

For more information on employee engagement, check out these additional resources:

• Why Workplace Giving Matters for Nonprofits + Companies.  Looking to learn more about workplace giving programs and their impact on businesses and nonprofits? Check out our guide!
• A Full Guide to Employee Engagement Tools + 20 Top Picks. Explore tools that enhance different aspects of employee engagement, including everything from recognition platforms to polling software.
• Increase Employee Engagement With Corporate Giving. Corporate giving programs do a lot to increase employee engagement. Learn how in this guide.