Engagement, Recognition, and Safety Strategies Drive Positive Business Outcomes

Last week we mentioned some of the impacts related to the labor shortage and employee recruitment and retention challenges. With less-than-full staffing, employers pressed to maintain operational, production, and service demands are employing a variety of strategies to these ends. Our experience in helping deliver profitable business outcomes centers around comprehensive programs that develop and build sound engagement, recognition, and safety strategies.

During Covid and continuing through the post-pandemic environment, companies with sound strategies for engagement, recognition, and safety in place have been able to leverage those established programs to maintain positive business outcomes. If there is a positive takeaway from the past three years, it is that companies and organizations without such strategies have come to realize their importance and value.

The Retention Challenge

The continuing labor shortage presents many challenges, with recruitment and retention at the top of the list. One contributing factor to the retention problem is the additional burden placed on employees. As this article by Gallup’s Ryan Pendell points out, over half of employees say their organization has asked workers to take on additional responsibilities. These employees were polled during the first quarter of this year.

Almost half (48%) of employees reported that their organizations had undergone restructuring or reorganization because of less-than-full staffing. As employees are asked to do more with less, the risk of over-stress and burnout continues to mount. As Gallup’s survey shows, employees are:

  • 2.5 times as likely to feel burned out at work – very often or always
  • 55% more likely to seek a new job
  • 39% less likely to be engaged at work
  • half as likely to think their employer cares about their well-being.

With stress and overload come an increase in sick days, a decrease in engagement and buy-in, and the likelihood for departures.

The Recruitment Challenge

With recruitment challenging enough, attracting new employees to join an organization in this kind of disarray becomes even more so. This scenario has produced an environment in which employees have lost trust in leadership, and many see no end in sight. Pendell points out that when new responsibilities are structured carefully and communicated clearly, the result can be positive in terms of career development – when roles and responsibilities align individual talents with organizational needs.

The Safety Challenge

With fewer employees pressed to do more, and open positions being filled with inexperienced, younger, and/or temporary employees, the potential for injury is on the increase. The impact of increased stress, low engagement, employee burnout, and inexperienced employees contributes to a negative workplace culture. Consider a comprehensive strategy that includes engagement, recognition, and safety initiatives that can demonstrate your care and concern for employees. You’ll see an increased potential for positive business outcomes.

Overcoming Employee Recruitment and Retention Challenges in the Workplace

With 2023 nearing its final stretch, I’m not exactly going out on a limb to say the same uncertainty and change affecting workplaces will continue into the New Year and beyond. Employers are struggling to overcome challenges in the areas of productivity, safety incidents, and absenteeism – but the most pressing challenge for many industries… Read more »

A Leader’s Guide to Fostering a Healthy Team

As we continue to tread the waters of the 2023 job market, business leaders must embrace an important task: how to manage their teams in an uncertain economy. The focus on team dynamics has never been more crucial than it is now, and a healthy team fosters productivity and enhances job satisfaction. As the modern… Read more »

The Motivation Equation

The motivation of recognition and incentive program participants is at the core of any HR or sales & marketing solution. After all, the goal of recognition and incentive programs is to reinforce existing attitudes/behaviors and bring about new levels of engagement and performance. Obtaining desired outcomes (and being able to model ROI) is determined by… Read more »

Boosting Employee Morale One Step at a Time

Disengagement and lack of inspiration lead to low employee morale – the “silent killer” of the workplace. Low employee morale negatively affects atmosphere and culture, and subsequently decreases productivity, growth, and engagement. Additionally, as morale and engagement decrease, employee burnout increases.  In Lattice’s State of People Strategy Report 2023, data shows that 72% of employees… Read more »