Employee engagement is more than just a buzzword—it’s the driving force behind a thriving workplace. At 15Five, we know that when employees feel emotionally connected to their work, their team, and their organization, they’re more motivated, more productive, and more satisfied. But engagement doesn’t just benefit the company; it directly impacts your day-to-day experience.
This article will walk you through what employee engagement really means, why it’s important for you, and how participating in engagement surveys can make a real difference in your work life.
In this article, you will learn...
- What is employee engagement? 🌟
- Why should I care? 💡
- How did you come up with the survey questions? 📊
- What should I expect? 📝
What is employee engagement? 🌟
Here at 15Five, we define employee engagement as "the emotional commitment and passion that an employee has towards their work and employer, demonstrated by their willingness to expend discretionary effort to help the organization succeed."
To go a level deeper, we believe that employee engagement is impacted by a person's belief in their organization's goals and values. It is characterized by enthusiasm, dedication, and a willingness to invest effort in work activities.
Engaged employees are...
- Motivated to contribute to the organization’s success 📈
- Feel a sense of purpose and satisfaction in their work 🌟
- Often go above and beyond in their roles 🚀
Did you catch the part of the definition about “helping the organization succeed”? The more an employee is driven by passion and purpose, the more meaning they'll find at work and the more profound the bottom-line impacts will be for the business at large. High levels of engagement typically result in increased productivity, better performance, and lower turnover rates.
Furthermore, engagement is not equal to job satisfaction. Anyone can be satisfied with a job that meets their basic needs and still lack the inspiration and motivation needed to excel— and that’s a big deal. When employees are engaged, a subsequent path to value ensues. That’s a far cry from employees who are merely happy with their employers and satisfied with the work they do.
Why should I care? 💡
Great question! At 15Five, when we measure engagement, it’s not just about numbers—it’s about improving your experience at work. Here are some examples of how participating in engagement surveys benefits you:
By identifying areas where teams are stretched too thin, we help your leadership understand how to balance workloads and reduce burnout. This means fewer late nights and more manageable projects for you.
Engagement data helps leaders clarify strategic priorities and show how they connect to your work. You’ll have a clearer understanding of the company’s direction and how your role fits into the bigger picture, reducing confusion and frustration.
Engagement insights can highlight a need for growth opportunities. This often leads to the creation of development programs that help you build new skills, advance your career, and feel supported in your professional journey.
When disengagement reveals issues like office politics or morale problems, leadership can take action to address these negative dynamics. This results in a healthier, more enjoyable workplace where collaboration and mutual respect thrive.
Engagement surveys can spotlight inconsistent management practices. This allows leadership to provide coaching and support to managers, ensuring everyone receives fair treatment and better guidance, no matter their team or department.
By identifying roadblocks and inefficient processes through engagement feedback, the company can streamline workflows. This means you’ll spend less time on unnecessary tasks and more time on meaningful work.
In short, when your organization measures and acts on employee engagement, it helps them identify the biggest obstacles to great work experience and culture, and create a work environment where you can thrive. You’ll experience less stress, clearer communication, better growth opportunities, and a more positive, efficient workplace.
How did you come up with the survey questions? 📊
There’s a lot of science behind the questions that make up our core engagement survey! We didn’t just throw random questions together—far from it. We teamed up with top university psychologists, dove into scholarly research, and rigorously tested our questions in the real world. This ensures they’re as effective as possible at capturing what really matters to you and your work experience.
Each question is thoughtfully crafted, with the wording carefully chosen to get to the heart of what drives engagement. To keep everything accurate and reliable, we regularly run tests on these questions to ensure they’re still providing valuable insights.
The survey itself includes around 55 quick statements that you rate from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree,” and it only takes about 6 minutes to complete. Plus, your leadership team can add extra surveys as part of an engagement campaign to dig deeper into specific areas. You can find more about these survey options in this article.
Your responses give leadership insight into three key aspects of engagement:
- Your work experience 🧑💻
- The relationships surrounding your work, including those with your coworkers, managers, and leadership 🤝
- The mission and purpose of the company 🌎
The survey also measures 17 drivers of engagement— things like rest, professional development, and leader integrity. These drivers play a crucial role in creating a positive and engaging work environment, which in turn boosts employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall success.
Our recommended cadence for this survey is 3-4 times a year. Why? So we can track engagement trends over time, giving leaders ongoing feedback to make real improvements that benefit you and your team.
What should I expect? 📝
When your organization sends out an engagement survey, you will receive an email from surveys@15five.com and/or a text message inviting you to participate by clicking on the survey URL. You will also see an action item on your homepage with a link to complete your survey.
After you finish answering survey questions, you'll be asked to share optional feedback about an area that you scored higher or lower than other areas on the survey, giving you the opportunity to expand on why certain topics resonated more with you, or where you feel there’s room for improvement.
Once the survey is complete, your responses (along with those from your colleagues) will be compiled and anonymously shared with leadership. This helps your organization identify key areas to improve the work environment, reduce stressors, and foster a more engaged and fulfilling workplace. Learn how we protect your anonymity and ensure your feedback remains confidential.