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So what exactly is employee engagement? In the past, the idea that "our people are our most important asset" has been labelled the biggest commercial untruth since "the cheque is in the post". Today, however, there is clear evidence that business leaders are not simply saying this – they are actually beginning to mean it too.

Why the change of heart? Because the body of evidence that employee engagement is a key driver of organisational performance grows almost daily. But with recent research highlighting the fact that employee disengagement is a global epidemic, organisations still clearly have much work to do to ensure that their workforce can be properly inspired and motivated.

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Employee disengagement a global epidemic

At a time when companies are relying on their workforces to achieve growth, a major new survey has found that only one in seven employees worldwide are fully engaged with their jobs and willing to go the extra mile for their companies.

Employee engagement: What exactly is it?

The notion of employee engagement is causing a big buzz in management circles at the moment. It's a topic that employers and employees alike think they understand, yet often can't articulate very easily. So what exactly is it?

A road map for employee engagement

Now that we have identified the key drivers of employee engagement, how can we start to create – and implement - a road map for achieving outstanding organisational performance?

Engage me or enrage me

More managers and leaders ask me "how to engage" and, "how to innovate" than any other question. As well they might, given that so many of us have to disengage just to survive their endless ill-conceived meetings, badly-laid plans, and the waste, day by day, minute by minute, of our lives.

How to motivate the unmotivated

Motivation is fire lit from within. You can't light that fire, but you can create the conditions for that fire to burn brightly. But when you're faced with a workforce whose fire has gone out, what do you do? Here's my advice to someone in just that situation.

Employee engagement: the what, why and how

Employee engagement is the new Holy Grail for organisations worldwide. But what exactly does it mean? Why is it so important? And if you haven't got enough of it, how can you get some more?

Managers critical to employee engagement

Managers' behaviour has a huge impact on the work climate and is a critical component in employee engagement and motivation. Yet too many reward programmes simply focus on money and ignore this human factor.

The keys to employee engagement

Keeping your employees engaged really isn't rocket science - it's just a metter of listening, learning and leading by example.

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Beyond the pot of gold

Non-existent bonuses, fewer promotions, mass redundancies and stringent budget-cuts. In times of austerity, what really incentivizes employees to get out of bed in the morning?

Seven characteristics of remarkable businesses

Is your business remarkable? But what does that actually mean? What makes a business remarkable? In simple terms, you could say it's anything that gets people talking about it. And that means being dramatically and demonstrably different from your competitors.

Getting into the FLOW

Flow is about achieving a state of focused high-performance and enjoyment where the challenge level is a match for skill level. Athletes call this place 'the zone', but it's something that you can achieve at work, too.

The mistrust crisis

Almost three out of 10 employees actively distrust the senior leaders in their organisation, a new survey has found, with serious consequences for staff retention, employee well-being and organisational performance.

Give employees what they really want

There are seven key elements that contribute to the engagement, commitment, retention and overall satisfaction of employees. There's no mystery to any of them - in fact they can be achieved with little or no expense while delivering real improvements in operational performance.

Values? What values?

Many CEO are quick to trumpet the values of their organization and how these values inspire and motivate their workforce. But according to a new report, in the vast majority of American organizations it isn't values that drive employee behaviour, it's fear.

Does austerity breed negativity?

A hiring freeze is one thing. But cost-saving can quickly become counter-productive. And austerity measures like removing pot plants and rationing paper are only undermining morale and boosting negativity.

Rudeness is infectious

Rudeness is infectious, a new study has found. In fact, the stress created by rudeness at work can be so intense that it is taken home by the worker, impacting the well-being of the their family and partner who in turn "export" the stress to their own workplaces.

How to make work meaningful

It's hardly surprising that levels of employee engagement are at an all-time low when so many of us are essentially modern-day serfs. A large part of the value that we create at work simply feeds the greed of the people at the top. And where's the meaning in that?

The bold employee experience

If you want to deliver a great customer experience you must first create an engaging employee experience. And what what motivates employees is feeling connected to the brand promise.

Gimme, gimme, gimme!

Many generations have said "today's young people only think of themselves," but this time around it may be true. So is "Generation Me" a real phenomenon – and if it is, what are the implications for business and society?

The real test of employee engagement

We hear all the time about employee engagement and how it's measured (or not). But finally, I've found a simple metric that reveals what employers and employees alike really need to know.

The multiple benefits of empowerment

A new study has confirmed that workers who feel empowered by their employers have higher morale and are more productive, regardless of their industry, job role or even their culture.

Learning from the old beans

Every organisation faces the challenge of bringing on board and developing raw talent. So as far as project managers are concerned, what are the keys to a successful induction?

Respect, trust, confidence and Facebook

If you don't want to see your firm being slammed by an unhappy employee on Facebook, ask yourself whether you have a culture of recognition within your company. Because such comments invariably stem from someone's lack of trust in their employer. And that comes down to poor management and leadership.

Green business: the HR angle

If a business is really serious about being environmentally responsible, it has to taking the environment out of the environmental manager's office and embed it in the DNA of the organisation – and that includes the HR department.

Overqualified, under-rated

The idea that overqualified workers are easily bored and prone to quit is a myth, a new study has suggested. Instead, intelligent workers can be of enormous benefit to companies.

CEOs misunderstand employee engagement

The vast majority of senior executives admit that employee disengagement is one of the biggest threats facing their business. But despite this, the issue is rarely discussed at board level.

Money, happiness and motivation

The first thing Clive Palmer did when he bought a loss-making Australian nickel refinery in July 2009 was to raise the of pay of its employees and then ask them how to run the business. The results have been impressive – and so too Clive Palmer's generosity in return.

How do I draw the line?

Connie manages two other people, one of whom is distracted, unproductive and unfocused - and she's had little success in trying to change this behavior. Dan Bobinski maps out a management strategy with a better chnace of success.

Is work worth the sacrifice?

The Great Recession has prompted a growing number of Americans to question whether the sacrifices they have made name of work are really worth it, a new study suggests.

Workforce issues critical to post-recession success

As companies emerge from the recession, how they handle key workforce, leadership and performance issues will be critical in determining their success - or otherwise - over the coming years.

Exciting work is key to engagement

Is your work exciting? If so, you're much more likely to be motivated. But can a business case be made for 'exciting work' and what can managers do to improve productivity and make the work of their teams more engaging?

So you're a manager. Now what?

All actions and attitudes displayed by managers have ripple effects. We can choose to value and build up our team members, or we can look for ways to elevate our own stature. Do you know which category you fall into?

Breakdown in trust heralds retention crisis

With a third of Americans saying they plan to look for a new job when the opportunity arises, many organizations face a big challenge if they are going to rebuild trust with their workforce and retain key staff.

How to engage employees

Traditionally, executives climbed the ladder by being decisive and by appearing to know what they are talking about, not by listening to others and being great facilitators. This is why real employee engagement can be so difficult to achieve.

HR and the new normal

More and more business leaders who have survived the recession and are rebuilding their organisations are coming to realise that their business models must be overhauled and that the old ways of improving performance and managing change will no longer work.

Rewriting the rules of work

The rules of work are changing. Commitment, hard work and loyalty counted for little during the tough times. As a result, people are reviewing their loyalties. They want work that is on their terms. And that poses some real challenges for those who those who manage and lead businesses.

How do I motivate my bored staff?

Elizabeth has recently been promoted to manageress of two busy shops. But her efforts to make the job a success are being undermined by the attitudes of her two staff members who are not willing to pull their weight. Charles Helliwell rides to the rescue.

Workforce development or workforce disaffection?

Many large businesses have built their workforce development plans on the creation of a corporate elite who are fast-tracked into becoming the leaders of the future. But could this model of talent management be seriously flawed?

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Earlier Stories on Employee Engagement . . .

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On the Cheap

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