Managing People 2: Employee Engagement, Diagnostic Tools, and Strategies for Increasing Engagement

This study explores employee engagement, diagnostic tools, and strategies for increasing engagement in the context of Argos, a UK catalogue retailer. It discusses drivers of engagement, measuring tools, and strategies for increasing engagement, including group work, prioritizing feedback, performance recognition, company outings, and promotional opportunities.

Managing People 2

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Concept and drivers of employee engagement............................................................................1
Diagnostic tools to measure employees’ engagement.................................................................2
Employees value proposition and strategies for increasing level of engagement.......................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
People management can be defined as a practice or process of recruitment, training,
engagement and retention of employees within business (Morris, 2017). This present study is
based on Argos that is catalogue retailer, operates in UK. This present study is going to discuss
employee engagement concept and drivers that can lead employee engagement. Further, it will
discuss some negative impacts of poor retention and engagement of employees on business along
with strategies of increasing engagement. It will discuss some diagnostic tools by which
companies can measure engagement of employees and can accomplish goals.
MAIN BODY
Concept and drivers of employee engagement
HR is known as one of the important department of organisations and it performs number
of function s including: recruitment, selection, training, team working motivation and
employees’ engagement. Employee engagement is one of the main aim of HR as it believes that
by engaging employees within business, it can encourage and motivate them towards performing
functions and accomplishing goals. In regard to employees’ engagement, it can be said that it is
the main concept of HR that describes dedication of employees and feelings of workers towards
their job (Shaaban, 2018). When employees are happy with their job role and company then they
are more likely to stay loyal and stay within business for the long run. There are number of
factors that can affect and lead employees’ engagement and all of these factors are known as
drivers such as:
Co-worker relationship: It is important for employees to have an improved relation with
their co-workers because they all need to work in a team and have to communicate with each
other’s. When employees have an improved relation with their o-workers then they are more
likely to stay with business as they feel valued and refreshed. They are less likely to be absent
from workplace.
Fairness: When employers provide fair treatment and fair judgement then it makes
employees feel valued and it motivates them towards accomplishing goals. Fairness help
employees toward improves in improving performance and they retain within business (Naim
and Lenka, 2017).
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Feedback: Feedback is one of the best ways of improving performance of employees.
When employees get feedbacks from their employers then they can know their actual position in
their organisation. On the basis of feedback comments, given by their employees, they find
easier in improving areas where they are lacking behind. It improved their performance and it
decreases errors hence they stay with business for the long run.
Autonomy: This driver also plays a vital role in inspiring as well as encouraging
employees. When employees are being provided with specific direction and they are being
encouraged then it helps them out in accomplishing goals and improving performance. With
improved performance, they find easier in satisfying customers and taking advantages of other
opportunities.
On the basis of above drivers, it can be said that, Argos supermarket can increase
customers’ engagement by focusing on all these factors and can accomplish its goals.
Diagnostic tools to measure employees’ engagement
There are number of tools by which employers can measure employees’ engagement and
accordingly can increase their level of engagement. Some common and effective ways by which
employers can know employees’ engagement level include:
Employees survey: Employees survey is one of the best and effective tool for measuring
employees’ engagement. On the basis of feedbacks, employers can know their needs and
preferences and on the basis of these feedbacks, they can know as what employees want and
accordingly, they can engage them. Some common questions that might be asked by employers
from their employees in order to know their engagement level include:
 Are you determined to give your best effort at work each day?
 Which part do you like the most while working?
 Which part you do not like and any suggestion that you need to give to your company?
Social media: Employers find easier in measuring employees engagement and their
sentiments by making use of social media platforms. Glassdoor ratings, reviews are some
important tools by which, they can measure employees’ needs and feelings towards their
business and job roles. Company intranet, an effective social media network allows employees to
post their ideas and by doing so they can engage themselves in conversation. This shared ideas,
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shows their engagement level to employers. It gives opportunities to managers to understand
teams and get a sense of their morale.
HR tools: Other than employees survey, companies are increasingly supplementing periodic
survey with versatile software programs that can collect and track employees’ engagement. there
are number of modern HR platforms that provide tools to employers to collect feedbacks and
measuring employees’ satisfaction. Along with this, it allows employers to manage their data by
analysing and storing survey results in one appropriate place (Ahmed and et.al., 2020). One of
the best examples of HR tool that can help employers in measuring their current level of
engagement is: performance management software. It allows continuous conversation and
feedbacks between managers and employees and accordingly, managers can increase
engagement.
Exit interviews: Employees engagement can be measured from employees’ retention as
well as their exit rate. Employees tend to leave organisation and for retaining them, it becomes
important for employers to know reason as why they are leaving organisation. On the basis of
their reasons, companies can take better actions and can increase staff retention rate. Exit
interview is one of the best ways of knowing as why employees do not want to stay with
business. This valuable exit feedback can help employers in identifying all those areas where it is
lacking behind and accordingly they can attract best talent and can retain them within business.
Employers can conduct a follow up phone interview in order to know their perspectives and
attracting them again if they want to come.
Employees lifecycle: An employee lifecycle refers all stages through which they go during
their tenure. Employees, in this journey, learn a lot of new things. through different stages of
employees’ journey, employers can collect feedbacks and can know their preferences as well as
needs and accordingly, they can satisfy them at the same time (Cattermole, 2019). It can protect
employees against poor staff retention, talent management and loss of skilled employees.
Accordingly, employers can build engagement programs.
eNPS: It refers employees net promoter score that is an effective way to measure
engagement. This score helps out employers in knowing loyalty of employees towards their
business. By making use of this score, employers can improve working environment and they
can make their employees feel valued and happy at workplace as well. Result of this survey and
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score can be shared to employees by which they can also identify all those areas of company
with which they are not happy and wants to improve. Employers can ask for feedbacks regarding
ways of improving areas where their company is lacking behind (Sedlak, 2020).
On the basis of above tools, it can be said that employers of Argos can measure current
engagement of their employees’ and on this basis they can increase staff engagement as well as
retention rate.
Employees value proposition and strategies for increasing level of engagement
An employee value proposition is the unique set of benefits that an employee receives in
return for skills, experience as well as capabilities that they bring within an organisation.
Employees prefer something in return of their skills and experience as well as efforts that they
give to their organisation and help them out in accomplishing goals. When employees get value
in return of their skills then they become loyal towards their company (Pawar, 2018). They are
more likely to help their company out in accomplishing goals and stay with business for the long
run. Valuable employees are less likely to leave organisation and it increases employees’
engagement. There are number of ways by which employers of Argos can increase employees’
engagement such as:
Group work and collaboration: Strategies can be selected on the basis of drivers of
employees’ engagement. On the basis of above discussion, regarding drivers of engagement, it
can be said that improved relation of employees with colleagues’ increase employees’
engagement. Group work is one of the best ways of improving collaboration and relation of
employees with their colleagues. Along with this, there are number of other advantages that
employers can take by promoting group working such as: improving performance, productivity,
increasing customers’ experience and increasing employees’ skills (Ciobanu, Androniceanu and
Lazaroiu, 2019).
Prioritise feedbacks: Employees within organisation crave feedbacks and it increases their
performance and confidence when they receive positive feedbacks by their managers. Managers
should priority to receive and give feedbacks to employees in order to let them know their actual
position within organisation and knowing needs of employees. When managers ask feedbacks
from employees then it makes them feel valued. they provide some suggestions and by taking
suggestions into consideration, employers can increase employees’ engagement. Manager must
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encourage middle manager for establishing regular review sessions with their team for increasing
employees; engagement.
Performance recognition and reward achievement: Employees become loyal and stay
with business for the long run when they are being appreciated by their leaders and manager for
their performance. When leaders appreciate employees’ efforts then it boosts employees’
confidence as well as morale and it is one of the main factor of employees’ engagement with
their job roles. By providing positive feedbacks, appreciation mails to employees, employers can
make employees feel valued. Employers find easier in increasing staff retention rate and talent
management when their employees are loyal towards business (Buil, Martínez and Matute,
2019). Employees are less likely to leave or switch brand when they are valued at their
workplace. Overall, it can be said that appreciation to employees is one of the best strategies by
which manager of Argos can engage employees with it.
Company outings: Employees become frustrated when they work for 7-8 hours every day.
They need some changes from their daily routine. Company outing is one of the best ways of
refreshing employees’ mind. It makes employees refreshed and they perform their functions with
more energy and with refreshed mind. It decreases errors and lead qualitative work. It allows
employees to interact with their colleagues and they can talk about their personal live, they can
enjoy and can know each other’s to the great extent. It fosters personal relationship. Game night,
happy hours and potluck dinner are some examples of company outings by which employers can
engage employees and can retain them within business for the long run.
Promotional and other opportunities: Employees should be given opportunities by their
managers on the basis of their experience and performance. When employees get promotional
opportunities and opportunities to lead team members then it motivates them towards improving
their performance and becoming idle for their team members (Lichtenthaler and Fischbach,
2019). It helps them out in career development that is beneficial for both employees and
employers as well.
On the basis of above discussed strategies, it can be said that Argos can increase employees’
engagement and can improve its overall performance. There are number of other advantages that
can also be taken by Argos if it focuses on employees’ engagement and make use of all of these
discussed strategies. Some advantages that companies can take by increasing employees’
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engagement include: improved customers’ experience, customers’ retention, competitive
advantages and others.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarised from the above study that employees’ engagement plays a vital role
as it helps employers in accomplishing their goals and increasing staff retention rate. Employees
engagement is one of the main factor by which companies can become successful. It has
discussed some factors or drivers that lead employees’ engagement such as: improved relations
of employees’ with managers and colleagues, fair treatment, performance appraisal and others. It
has further shows some measuring tools of employees’ engagement by which employers can
increase level of employees’ engagement. Some strategies such as rewards to employees,
promotional and opportunities to them can also help companies in increasing employees’
engagement.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Ahmed, T. and et.al., 2020. Impact of employees engagement and knowledge sharing on
organizational performance: Study of HR challenges in COVID-19 pandemic. Human
Systems Management, (Preprint), pp.1-15.
Buil, I., Martínez, E. and Matute, J., 2019. Transformational leadership and employee
performance: The role of identification, engagement and proactive
personality. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 77. pp.64-75.
Cattermole, G., 2019. Developing the employee lifecycle to keep top talent. Strategic HR review.
Ciobanu, A., Androniceanu, A. and Lazaroiu, G., 2019. An integrated psycho-sociological
perspective on public employees’ motivation and performance. Frontiers in
Psychology. 10. p.36.
Lichtenthaler, P.W. and Fischbach, A., 2019. A meta-analysis on promotion-and prevention-
focused job crafting. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 28(1).
pp.30-50.
Morris, M., 2017. Managing people and projects in museums: strategies that work. Rowman &
Littlefield.
Naim, M.F. and Lenka, U., 2017. The impact of social media and collaboration on Gen Y
employees’ engagement. International Journal of development issues.
Pawar, A., 2018. Analyzing organizational elements of employee value proposition: the
employees perspective. In Proceedings of Asia Conference on Business and Economic
Studies (ACBES) by University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City on 8th–9th Sep (pp. 94-
103).
Sedlak, P., 2020. Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) as a Single-item Measure of Employee
Work Satisfaction An Empirical Evidence from Companies Operating in
Poland. Contemporary Organisation and Management. Challenges and Trends,
Michałkiewicz A. and Mierzejewska W.(eds), Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego,
Łód, pp.347-357.
Shaaban, S., 2018. The impact of motivation on organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB): The
mediation effect of employees’ engagement.
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