12 Employee Needs for an Engaged and Productive Workplace

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement is what determines an individual’s personal investment into your company, which also influences whether they’re with you for the long run. Engagement influences productivity, happiness and wellbeing in the workplace so it is essential that you know how engaged your employees are so you can determine what to do to improve it. 

How can you measure it?

Measuring employee engagement has never been easy; however, knowing how to measure employee engagement is the first step to improving it. 

Gallup has studied over 2.7 million workers across 100,000+ teams to find out what employees need most to perform their best. Using their findings, they invested in the Employee Engagement Q12, a set of 12 statements that accurately measure the level of engagement an individual has at work.

1. I know what is expected of me at work

2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right

3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day

4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work

5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person

6. There is someone at work who encourages my development

7. At work, my opinions seem to count

8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important

9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work

10. I have a best friend at work

11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress

12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow

1. I know what is expected of me at work

Why?

Employees who strongly agree that their job description aligns with the work they do are 2.5 times more likely than other employees to be engaged. 

Employees who are held accountable for tasks that do not match their job description can become confused and frustrated with their roles, leaders and company. 

Tip: define and discuss the explicit and implicit expectations for each employee. Help your team recognise how their work leads to individual, team and business success. 

2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right

Why?

The supply of resources that employees need to do their jobs is essential. Without the right resources, whether it’s technology or information, jobs can become frustrating and impossible to do. The lack of physical resources can also become a potential barrier between an employee and an employer. 

Tip: Don’t assume what your team needs. Ask and listen to your employee's needs so they have everything they need to do their jobs effectively. 

3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day

People like achieving. One of the most powerful strategies for managers and organisations is giving their employees opportunities to apply the best of their natural selves (their talents) as well as their skills and knowledge. When employees have the chance to do what they do best, the benefits are visible in employee attraction, engagement, and retention.

Tip: Get to know your employees as individuals and give them opportunities to apply the best of their natural selves and their talent. Ask about their values and what impact they want to make in their position. 

4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work

Why?

Great people are hard to find. Once you find them, you don’t want them to leave, which is why you need to make them feel valued for their hard work and contribution. Employees who do not feel adequately recognised are twice as likely to leave within the next year. 

Recognition provides a sense of accomplishment and enhances feelings of success. 

Tip: Create a recognition-rich environment by providing regular praise to employees. Explain why performance matters and reward people who perform well. 

5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person

Why?

People need to feel like more than just a number. They need to know that someone is concerned about them and their happiness and that they are in a safe environment. 

When an employee is supported, they are more likely to share new ideas and information and extend support to others in the business. Support also contributes to your company culture and employer advocacy.

Tip: Caring for someone must be genuine and cannot be manufactured or faked. If the managers in your business genuinely do not care about their employees, you have a management problem that needs addressing. The most successful managers know their employees as individuals and acknowledge their achievements and performance and respect their team.  

6. There is someone at work who encourages my development

Why?

Gallup data show that lack of development and career growth is the No. 1 reason employees leave a job. Development is part of the unwritten social contract workers expect when they are hired.

Personal and professional development takes effort through sponsorship, coaching, protection, exposure, visibility or challenging work assignments. 

Tip: development does not mean promotion. Development happens over time and is a process of understanding unique talents and strengths to direct people down the right career path. 

Great managers identify wins and miss to coach and motivate people to improve their performance and future. 

7. At work, my opinion seems to count

Why?

People with valuable suggestions and opinions want to be heard. Letting people have a voice is an important element of engagement, as it shows that their opinion is welcome and heard. 

Tip: ask for people's opinions and consider them when making decisions. Informed decisions are much more impactful than stabs in the dark. Great managers promote open dialogue and provide honest feedback on employees’ opinions and ideas.  

8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important

Why?

People who are more aligned with the company’s mission and purpose have a higher engagement rate than those who are not. It is a strictly emotional need that contributes to the strongest drivers of retention. 

Tip: Ensure that the organisation's missions and purpose are clear and aligned with the employee experience. 

Hire employees who resonate with your mission and core values, and then help employees understand how their role contributes to the mission. 

9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work

Why?

Sharing a commitment and being part of a team that respects one another increases engagement and performance. This can only happen when employees have respect for one another by working together to produce quality work. 

Tip: employers need to create an environment where there is mutual trust and respect for each other’s efforts and results. This starts with a deep awareness of work standards and expectations. 

10. I have a best friend at work

Why?

Early research on employee engagement and the Q12 elements revealed a unique social trend among employees on top-performing teams. When employees have a deep sense of affiliation with their team members, they take positive actions that benefit the business.

Tip: great employers recognise that people want to build meaningful relationships at work. Loyalty and trust are also easier to establish when people have genuine relationships at work. Managers need to create situations where people can get to know each other so people can socialise. 

Organise regular events and let people take time at work to socialise and collaborate when they get the chance. 

11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress

Why?

It is important that employees know what they are doing in their role so they can take action to improve if it’s needed. If there are goals and promotions that people want to achieve, it’s also important to address where they are in their progression and what they need to do to get to the next stage. Being encouraged and having knowledge of where they can improve encourages engagement and productivity. 

Tip: regularly provide feedback to your employees about their progress and achievements. Not only will this give them guidance, but it will also give you a chance to provide immediate, constructive and motivating feedback. 

12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow

Why?

The desire to learn and grow is a basic human need and is required to maintain employee momentum and motivation. 

When people grow, companies grow! When people feel like they are learning and progressing, they are more likely to work harder and be more engaged. Roles, where there is limited learning and progression, don’t make people feel enthusiastic and engaged. 

Tip: Create learning opportunities and ask people what they want to learn. Upskill your workforce so they don’t leave you for another role where there is more learning opportunity.