Engaging employees is one of the trickiest challenges for businesses and organizations. That’s because companies must invest in learning more about their workforce as a whole and individually. Plus, a lot of factors for effectively doing so are constantly changing. However, with the benefits it brings to the table, this investment is more often than not, worth it. This is why it pays to keep tabs on recent employee engagement statistics.

In this article, we have collected various data that will help shed some light on the insights related to the workplace satisfaction of employees. This way, you will not only get a better idea of the benefits of having engaged employees but also understand what modern employees want and how you can adjust to their changing needs.

General Employee Engagement Statistics

Working is an integral part of life that allows us to afford our daily needs. Even with that motivation, however, not all employees feel the need to do their best in their work. These are most likely the disengaged employees who only show up and do the bare minimum of work. The following statistics show which portion of the workforce can be deemed as highly engaged, engaged, and disengaged.

• At least 33% of the United States workforce, in general, are considered engaged.
• 51% of gender minorities can be considered engaged.
• Workers with regular salaries are 10% more engaged than hourly employees.
• Highly engaged employees grow less in number by 3% after mergers and acquisitions.
• 31.3% of employees say they’re engaged, but their respective organizations can work more on improving employee experience.
• More than half (51%) of the US workforce can be considered as engaged business units.
• When asked, 20.8% of workers consider themselves very engaged.
• Meanwhile, 16.3%  think of themselves as fully disengaged when it comes to working.
• 58% of employees are happy with the support that their management gives while 26% feel neutral, and 14% are unhappy.

Data on the Benefits of Having Engaged Employees

Engaged employees are almost synonymous with loyal employees. This means that they are willing to spend extra effort and time to ensure better quality output without being told to do so. They’ll also feel not only professionally attached to the company but, to a degree, will be emotionally invested as well. More benefits of having highly engaged employees working for you are enumerated below.

• Highly engaged workers are very much welcome in organizations with a high turnover rate. That’s because there is a 24% less chance of turnovers.
• However, they are even more welcome in organizations with low turnover rates, with 59% less chance of turnovers.
• Highly engaged employees are 41% less likely to be absent for work.
• Employees who are highly engaged are also 17% more productive than those who are not.
• Because of their more positive behaviors, highly engaged business units can bring about 21% higher profitability.
• Engaged employees can achieve 20% more sales and a 10% increase in customer ratings.
• Employees who feel that their voices matter are 4.6x more likely to perform their best in their work because of feeling empowered.
• Highly engaged workers make for a safer workplace with 70% less chance of safety incidents.
• 69% of the business units claim that they’d work harder if they get better appreciation and treatment from their companies.
• 77% of employees think that strong company culture let them be at their best during work, while 76% see the influence of efficiency and productivity.
• Over 50% of employees are willing to sacrifice about 29% of their salaries if it means working a job they enjoy.
• 26% of employees find that proper recognition of their work is important if employers want them to stay in their company.

Statistics on the Negative Effects of Disengaged Employees

Some of the worst problems that companies face might stem from having a distant workforce that does not seem to care enough to try their best in the tasks they’re given. These include monetary loss that can reach billions of dollars, high turnover rates, and lower productivity. The set of statistics below shows these negative effects in a more detailed look.

• A disengaged workforce can lead to loss as high as $550 billion each year.
• 18% of millennials aren’t satisfied with their work-life balance.
• 31.6% of employees view their engagement level as average and are on the lookout for better opportunities.
• Only 14% of employees would claim disengagement as their main reason for changing jobs.
• 40% of workers believe that the companies they’re working for don’t help them when it comes to advancing their careers.
• 44% of employees have no idea how exactly they affect their companies’ business goals, while 5% believe they offer no contribution of any kind.
• 71% of employees are ready to quit their current jobs if other employers offer them a flexible work schedule.
• Over 50% of employees are experiencing job burnout.
• 67% of employees consider quitting their jobs if the work arrangement becomes more strict.
• 68% of the workers would consider quitting their jobs if they don’t feel the support of their seniors at work.

Employee Engagement Trends

Some of the reasons why employees feel engaged or otherwise change from time to time. Maybe their excitement for the job has waned over time. Perhaps the majority of employees today are from a different generation with different points of view altogether. Here’s a series of statistics that show the trends affecting employee engagement.

• After passing the one-year mark at their respective organizations, the engagement level of employees drops by almost 7%.
• A good onboarding program plays a big part in reducing turnover rates. This will cause 69% of workers to be more inclined to stay with their companies for at least three years.
• In their first year on the job, employees are 82% engaged. That number drops to 75% after two years and to 74% in three to five years.
• The quality of the manager is responsible for 70% of the engagement level of their members.
• Organizations that feature a strong learning culture demonstrate a 30%  to 50% higher level of employee engagement and retention.
• 40% of employees rate their employer or manager’s effort for asking feedback as “okay.” 16.3%, on the other hand, think that they’re superiors are terrible at soliciting feedback from their workers.
• 64% of millennials claim that benefits are very important in building loyalty to employers.
• 87% of employees expect support from their companies when it comes to balancing their personal and work commitments.
• 12% of workers believe employee recognition as the top concern when it comes to people’s priority.
• Employees who participate in collaborative work management are 85% more likely to claim happiness in their workplace.
• 74% of employees believe that there’s a strong correlation between company culture and their ability to serve customers well.

Employee Engagement is Important

It’s evident from all the statistics mentioned in this article that employee engagement plays an important role in a business’s success. It brings about positive effects, such as increased productivity, fewer absences, a safer work environment, etc.

On the other hand, having disengaged employees can cause you to have a workforce that’s ready to leave the moment they see a slightly greener pasture. Therefore, an organization must consider employee engagement not as an afterthought but as an integral part of their core business strategy.

These efforts can be as simple as recognizing high performing employees or coming up with an incentives program to help them keep up the good work. Alternatively, you can also provide them with avenues for career growth and continuous learning. Some even try to provide more flexible work hours, which is great, especially for working parents.

The point here is that it doesn’t take too much to keep your employees engaged. As such, going out of your way to do so should be a small tradeoff compared to the business benefits that you can reap and the professional relationships that you can forge along the way.

References:

1. The Right Culture: Not Just About Employee Satisfaction
2. The Impact of Equality and Values-Driven Business
3. Study: Disengaged employees can cost companies up to $550B a year
4. 2019 Employee Engagement Trends
5. Engaged Workplaces Are Safer for Employees
6. 2018 Employee Engagement Trends
7. Work-Life Balance Survey: Gen Z, Millennials Are the Unhappiest Generations
8. Despite Disengagement at Work, 65% of Employees Plan to Stay in Their Current Jobs According to New Achievers Study
9. Employers fear 4.5m workers could be on the move this year
10. Beyond a raise, this is what the majority of American workers want to be happier at work
11. Two-Thirds Of American Workers Would Be Better Employees If They Got More Sleep, According To Glassdoor Survey
12. The 28 Employee Engagement Statistics Your Company Needs to Know
13. More than half of employees have experienced job burnout, report finds
14. The Millennial Study
15. Survey: Flexibility, wellness key to employee retention