Sharing employer’s core values leading driver to boost engagement

A personal commitment to an employer’s core values is the top driver of employee engagement among 91 possible factors analyzed by Right Management in a new global study. The top three factors also include pride in the company’s products and services, as well as a belief that an employee’s opinions count. Right Management is the talent and career management expert within Manpower, the global leader in employment services.

Right Management surveyed over 28,000 employees across 15 countries to determine the relative correlations between high engagement and a wide range of what are considered key dynamics or influencers.

The top five global engagement drivers are:
1.   I am committed to my organization’s core values.
2.   Our customers think highly of our products and services.
3.   My opinions count.
4.   I have a clear understanding of what is expected of me at work.
5.   I understand how I can contribute to meeting the needs of our customers.

“What strikes me most is that the leading factors are all very personal and  relate to the employee’s sense of belonging to the organization and having an opportunity to participate and contribute in a real way,” says Deborah Schroeder-Saulnier, senior vice president for global solutions at Right Management. “One lesson for top management is the need for personal authenticity and connecting directly with each employee. These aren’t behaviours or practices that are fancy or dramatic, but demonstrably fundamental to how leaders can increase employees’ engagement levels and impact workforce performance.

“Employee engagement is the basis for organizational effectiveness and directly impacts productivity and profitability,” says Schroeder-Saulnier. “When the role of employees is taken for granted, the inevitable outcomes are poor morale, lower performance and career dissatisfaction…all damaging to the company’s bottom line.”

Right Management surveyed 28,810 employees across 10 industries in 15 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Demark, France, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States). The data was collected between November 2008 and January 2009.

For more information, visit www.right.com