Company Health and Wellness : Employee Engagement

Employee Engagement is the level at which staff members are aligned with and working toward organization goals. Employee Engagement is effected by a wide range of factors that include internal talks, organization structure, benefits and recognition.

Corporations that have high levels of employee program engagement profit from improved work rate, retention and performance than peers with disengaged employees.  Levels of engagement among employees in the United States have been declining over the past decade as individuals have become disillusioned with the treatment of employees by employers. The inability to engage employees is one of the reasons why, despite steady rises in hours worked, America lags behind several other nations in terms of employee productivity per hours worked.

Workplace Wellness Programs may increase employee program engagement in several ways. First, when communicated properly, they verify to employees that the employer cares about their well-being. This can improve retention and turnover as well as support more of a discretionary effort from employees. During a period of significant downsizing, Motorola found a greater interest in its Workplace Wellness Programs as managers recognized the value of providing for the health and well-being of employees.

In addition, the health improvements will decrease absenteeism and presenteeism (when workers continue to work despite decreased work rate), allowing for more time spent at full work rate. Lastly, healthier workers are more likely to have increased morale, which translates into a more enjoyable and more effective work environment.