By Vikas Kakkar, Founder, Amara
A company’s employees are valuable assets, and their level of engagement is crucial to achieving business success. When employees believe in the company’s mission and align their purpose with the organisational goals, they are more likely to be productive and contribute significantly. This increased productivity leads to higher revenue and greater profitability for the business. However, while most organisations emphasise employee engagement, few have effective strategies in place to achieve it. Engagement refers to the level of enthusiasm employees have for their work, which leads to job satisfaction, loyalty, and positive outcomes. Achieving this requires a tailored approach to predict individual performance and ensure that employees make discretionary efforts toward the organisational goals.
What difference do engaged employees make?
Effective employee engagement is crucial for driving positive business outcomes. Employees make decisions and take actions that directly impact revenue growth and business stability, and the way an organisation treats its employees can influence their actions positively or negatively. Unfortunately, many organisations struggle to engage their employees, resulting in billions of rupees in lost productivity. According to a Gallup study, engaged employees are less likely to leave the organisation, leading to reduced attrition rates. Employee engagement goes beyond job satisfaction and performance evaluations.
Organisations that actively engage their employees through inclusive approaches are more likely to retain their workforce in a meaningful way. Employees who feel committed to simplifying and streamlining business processes, with managers who demonstrate a willingness to listen, understand, and respond to their workforce, create a supportive environment that fosters a unique form of engagement. It is essential to recognize that if employees do not care about the organisation’s work or goals, they are more likely to leave.
Additionally, disengaged employees find it challenging to deliver quality work and are more likely to switch jobs, leading to increased turnover rates that can negatively impact organisational performance and profitability. Engaged employees can become ambassadors of the company, sharing their positive experiences, sense of belonging, and culture with others. This creates a strong employer brand that attracts more candidates and inspires them to work for the organisation. Employee engagement also helps recruiters by making their job easier. Highly engaged employees share positive stories about their employer, which can be highlighted to showcase the organisation’s work culture and attract skilled talent. This contributes immensely to the recruitment strategy and helps to build a strong and talented workforce.
Technology intervention
The integration of technology has allowed organisations to streamline employee tasks efficiently, resulting in improved employee self-efficacy, resiliency, and optimism. These same tools enable recruiters and talent managers to update employee information and assess performance, providing actionable data insights that HR can use to make decisions for goal setting and achieving long-term business success. Technology integration also allows for remote working through collaboration tools, promotes work-life balance, eliminates biases, and facilitates reward decisions. However, it is crucial that organisations allocate these tools effectively to align employees with business purposes.
For example, AI-enabled HR tools like Amara.ai chatbots can transform the employee experience, predicting, engaging, and nurturing employee lifecycles to future-proof business growth. AI chatbots connect with employees at critical touchpoints in their employee lifecycle, measuring their level of psychological investment in the organisation and proactively identifying those who are highly disengaged or at risk of attrition. Organisations that implement AI chatbots can drive continuous engagement, promote diversity and inclusion, and employee well-being, and provide one-time and quarterly pulse surveys and employer branding modules. Essentially, these tools address all the factors that drive a positive employee experience and engagement in the workplace.
Bottomline
In today’s world, an increasing number of organisations are utilising advanced technology tools, including AI chatbots, analytical software, and SaaS-based software, to predict disengagement and attrition. Organisations with data-driven approaches can address employees’ concerns and provide benefits to create a magnetic effect. By continuously monitoring employee problems and emotions, organisations can build a high-performance, highly engaged workforce.