Rebuilding Employee Engagement

When many of our schools, offices and other places of business closed during the past two years and many employees either worked remotely, were furloughed or unemployed, the dynamics of employer-employee relationships shifted significantly. Millions of workers decided not to return to their pre-pandemic jobs while others struggle with challenges like child care or medical concerns precluding them from working. Employers have encountered great difficulty in filling positions needed to even operate marginally.

School districts lost significant numbers of teachers and administrative personnel due to burnout or disability during the pandemic. The effect on delivering education to communities has been devastating in many areas. Rebuilding employee engagement is a critical need for schools to maintain human resource, labor relations and risk management priorities.

Many disengaged employees simply depart for another job. Of greater concern, are the disengaged who remain with your organization. According to a Gallup study, disengaged workers have 37 percent greater absenteeism, 49 percent more accidents, and commit 60 percent more errors. In a short-handed situation, these performance lapses are even more magnified. To attract, retain and maintain a productive and effective workforce, employers must reengage to improve worker satisfaction with their employment.

"Employee engagement impacts human resources, labor relations and risk management."

Among the employer characteristics that enhance employee engagement are:

• Focus on employee circumstances both within and outside the workplace
• Opportunity for advancement and training in multiple responsibilities
• Open communication about alignment of employee purpose with the organizational mission
• Agility to adjust quickly to changing realities
• Flexibility with schedules and working conditions

For employers to receive strong buy-in to their organization’s initiatives and success, employees must feel their employer has an investment in their safety, health and financial security. On a daily basis, employees need to be safe and well protected as possible in performing their responsibilities. Especially for those in front-line occupations, they need to know that they can also protect their families in the event they are injured or disabled in the performance of their duties. The employee benefits offering should also reflect the values of the organization’s concern for their employees. Effectively communicating those values is a vital to developing strong employee engagement.

Ensuring that your employees understand how your agency’s risk management practices and employee benefits program support their well-being and financial security will help you build greater employee engagement. With a more durable bond, productivity will rise and turnover will be reduced.