Engagement is essential for increased productivity, but not all employers frame productivity in the same light.

All employers want their company to be a well-oiled machine, but current productivity practices may not always yield the best results. 

In search of more productivity, it’s common for company leaders to focus and change processes, technology and structures to enhance productivity.

But, as we’ll see in a moment, employee engagement might possibly be the most effective path to greater productivity.

When all employees are engaged, you are able to develop a workplace culture that drives greater performance. But how big of a role does engagement play in the workplace? And how does it contribute to increased productivity? 

Let’s dive into the undeniable link between employee engagement and productivity to illustrate the impact it has on the success of your team.

What Is Employee Engagement?

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Employee engagement is defined as the connection that employees feel to the work they do, the people they work with, and to their organization. 

In today’s workplace culture, engagement is at times misconstrued as self-care or employee wellness. While employee wellness and satisfaction play a role in engagement -- and they are incredibly important -- they’re not the be-all and end-all of engagement. 

Engaged employees don’t just feel cared for by their organization. When they’re engaged, they also feel driven to do their work. They feel listened to and encouraged by their employer. And they feel a sense of purpose and passion in the workplace. 

Put simply, engaged employees are purpose-driven employees that are truly passionate about their work. But does passion really account for greater productivity? Let’s let the statistics do the talking!

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How Does Employee Engagement Impact Productivity?

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Greater engagement results in greater focus and motivation, which inevitably results in stronger productivity during work hours. 

But don’t take our word for it. 

There’s plenty of research out there that links engagement with productivity and other benefits that accompany an engaged workforce. 

• Companies that have a high level of employee engagement have reported a 22% increase in productivity 

• Businesses with greater engagement levels have reported 41% fewer quality incidents, which plays a major role in productivity.

• Engaged employees are 17% more productive than unengaged coworkers.

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What Are the Risks of Overlooking Employee Engagement?

So, we’ve taken a look at statistics that highlight the benefits of an engaged  workplace. But what are the risks  for organizations that overlook engagement? 

Some troubling statistics that should encourage you to change the work culture of your organization include: 

• According to a Gallup survey 85% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged at work. 

• Disengaged employees cost organizations between $450 billion and $550 billion each year.

Frighteningly, the figures suggest the bulk of employees may be producing little or low-quality work due to feeling disengaged in the workplace.

The advent of employee productivity monitoring tools has made these levels of disengagement more apparent than ever.

Put simply, engagement is crucial to productivity and beyond. 

If you want to retain your employees and ensure that they’re providing your organization with the highest productivity levels they can, you need to keep them motivated and engaged. But how exactly do you achieve that? 

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How to Enhance Employee Engagement to Boost Productivity

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If you want to enhance employee engagement in your organization, here’s where to start:

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Improve Company Culture

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Every employee is their own person with their own identity and unique set of skills. However, many workplaces may treat their employees the same, leaving little room for growth and engagement. 

Support them by encouraging collaboration, working to identify and reach their professional goals, and making sure they feel listened to by you. When employees have a reason to show up and work, they will. 

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Give Employees a Voice and Autonomy

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Do your employees feel like they impact and contribute to your company? You can make sure they do by giving them greater control over their work and allowing them to speak up about your team’s direction.

Even though they are working for you, they are still contributing and should feel like they play a vital role in your organization. When employees have a voice and more control over the company’s direction, they become more engaged and excited about the path ahead!

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Look After Their Wellness

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Employees who are burnt out and dread coming into the office or logging on will perform poorly. There’s a reason why employee wellness is being prioritized in this day and age. And it benefits both your organization and your employees!

Give them reasonable hours and workloads for better work/life balance, manage workloads with employee productivity monitoring software, offer wellness programs for their mental and physical health, and encourage them for their hard work. Employee wellness is a must if you want to boost engagement. 

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Allow Them to Dictate How They Work

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Sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for hours on end is not an ideal way to work. Every employee has periods throughout the day where they feel most productive. Additionally, some employees may feel like switching between the office and home fosters better work. 

The solution? Give your employees more freedom over how and when they work to see greater output from them and ensure they stay on top of their work with employee productivity monitoring tools. 

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Challenge and Help Them Leverage Their Skill Sets

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Work should equally challenge and excite employees. Look for assignments that allow employees to utilize their existing skill sets while also helping them learn new ones that will contribute to their professional growth. 

By giving employees work that best fits their skills and providing them with requisite support, they will be most engaged

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Technology Strengthens the Link Between Engagement and Productivity

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With the right strategy and adjustments in your workplace, you can make sure that both existing employees and new hires feel engaged and excited about the work that they’re doing.

To further your efforts, you should also look for employee productivity monitoring software that offers features designed to help employees stay on track. Great employee productivity monitoring tools will also offer you a productivity dashboard with productivity reports so you can track their workday productivity. 

The good news? You don’t have to comb through five types of office productivity applications to find the right one for your needs. There is always productivity software that is customized for specific industries within your reach that you can use to boost engagement and efficiency!

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Engaged Employees Are Productive Employees

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In days gone by, it used to be difficult to determine if employees were disengaged -- unless they came right out and told you.

But today, thanks to tools like employee productivity monitoring software, it’s *never been easier to get insights into employee engagement.

Above all else, the fact is productivity can’t be forced, no matter how hard you try. Instead, productivity depends on a host of factors in the workplace. As we’ve outlined, few are more influential than employee engagement.

As you can see, the link between employee engagement and productivity is clear. Now, it’s over to you to cultivate ongoing engagement by giving your  employees an environment where they feel valued and in which they can do their best work. 

With the right workplace culture and incentives, employees will be plugged in and boosting productivity in no time!