In 2024, employee engagement dropped globally by 21%. The numbers are even more alarming for India, with 86% of the workforce self-reported as struggling or suffering. Only 14% characterised themselves as ‘thriving’. As the second recorded decline in the last 12 years, these numbers show a worrying failure in employee engagement strategies.
So, what’s leading this downturn, and how can you fix it? Even as business and Human Resource leaders work on reversing the trend, commercial real estate leaders, facility managers, and workplace community managers also have the opportunity to create more engaging spaces.
The declining engagement graph
The drop in employee engagement cannot be attributed to a single factor. Organisations do not exist in isolation, and the ruling sentiments amongst people who make up the workforce can be influenced by myriad factors, including non-work-related factors. Global events, like wars, fears of a recession, and mass termination in other industries, can also create a general decline in employee positivity.
While these external factors can influence the general sentiment, it is the internal workplace culture that fanned it into a trend, leading to a full-fledged decline in employee engagement strategies.
Should you care?
In one word – Yes. Declining employee engagement costs the economy dearly. A Gallup survey pegged the cost of lost productivity at $438 billion. If we can successfully flip the scenario, the world economy can benefit from a whopping $9.6 trillion, a 9% increase in global GDP.
Research has shown a positive correlation between engagement and productivity. A loss of engagement, hence, also results in poor productivity, which directly impacts the bottom line of any business. As businesses focus on rectifying the balance, their focus will shift to strategies that foster engagement.
Employee engagement strategies
Significantly, the highest drop was seen amongst managers, falling from 30% to 27%. The largest decline was seen amongst young managers and female managers. With 70% of team engagement attributed to managers, this disengagement directly affects the workplace culture.
Clearly, there is an urgent need to rethink employee engagement strategies.
Go digital
With almost complete internet penetration in the urban working population, you cannot ignore the digitisation of the workspace. Today’s workforce expects a mobile-first interface when dealing with their physical spaces.
ANACITY Business is an all-inclusive platform that digitises the workplace experience. Find out How Technology can Transform Occupying Offices and best employee engagement strategies for Improving Tenant Experience with a Digital Tenant Management System.
Make access to services convenient
Quite often, the workplace may have the facilities, but employees don’t know or find it difficult to access them. A workplace with difficult access to amenities leads to frustration and conflict.
The facility reservation module in ANACITY Business resolves this challenge with easy app-based amenity booking – whether it’s a meeting room, a conference hall or in-campus recreational facilities. Read In-app Booking & Automation: How ANACITY Business is Changing Facility Management.
Be responsive
Are you listening to the people working in the workplace? Quick and prompt response to queries, complaints, and service requests is crucial in creating a feedback loop. A responsive workplace management team fosters trust, engagement, and loyalty.
ANACITY Business ensures prompt and relevant responses by the admin team through a complaint management system. Tenanted offices can log in complaints and the app ensures a time-bound response. The facility management teams can also hold polls and surveys for better insight into the tenanted office management.
Another unique feature is eFeedback which empowers even visitors to submit their opinion. These features are designed to demonstrate that every employee is valued. This encourages active participation and positive interactions, leading to a stronger sense of community.
Think of that extra service
If the workplace is our second home, how are you making sure it’s comfortable enough? Many modern workplaces are embracing ‘live-work’ spaces with facilities for both commercial and residential activities. This can include perks like sleeping pods or gym and recreational amenities.
As a workplace and tenant management platform, ANACITY Business offers access to value-added services, including carpool and in-campus food ordering. Read about how Smart workplaces can Leverage tech to improve the work environment.
Also, check our articles Workplace Employee Experience: The Key to Success and What is Employee Wellbeing & Why You Should Care.
To learn more about our ANACITY Business, contact us at support or call 80886 11229.
