How respondents measure employee engagement
Annual employee survey 66%
Pulse style research 23%
They do not measure employee engagement levels 16%
Employee engagement platform 11%
Bi-annual employee survey 4%
Other 7%
Sample: All respondents (169)
What respondents see as the main barriers to improving employee engagement in their organisation
Budget 53%
Time or resource 43%
Lack of executive or senior management support 29%
Not a priority issue that needs to be addressed 19%
They do not know 12%
Other 6%
Sample: all respondents (164)
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The proportion of respondents that do not measure employee engagement levels has remained relatively static year on year. Some 16% of this year’s respondents said this is the case, compared to 18% in 2016.
Among those respondents that do measure staff engagement, annual employee surveys are by far the most popular method of doing so, used by two-thirds (66%) of respondents. This is followed by pulse-style research, used by just under a quarter (23%).
Respondents’ main barriers to improving engagement in their organisations also remain consistent year on year. Perhaps unsurprisingly budget remains the top impediment in 2017, cited by more than half (53%) of respondents, followed by time or resource (43%). This compares to 47% and 44%, respectively, in 2016.
How engaged employees are with benefits in respondents’ organisations
Moderately engaged 54%
Partially engaged 23%
Very engaged 18%
Not engaged at all 3%
Do not know 2%
Sample: All respondents (169)
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Engagement levels continue to vary greatly across respondents’ organisations. More than half (54%) believe that staff are moderately engaged with benefits within their organisation, while just under a fifth (18%) say that staff are very engaged with benefits. However, the research also shows that nearly a quarter (23%) of staff are only partially engaged with their organisation’s benefits, and 3% believe their staff are not engaged at all.
The measures respondents are taking to improve employee engagement with benefits
Digital communication 68%
Face-to-face communication such as group seminars, benefits roadshows, and so on 60%
Printed communication materials 49%
Personalised total reward statements 36%
Technology platforms 26%
Apps 11%
Gamification 4%
None of the above 9%
Other 4%
Sample: All respondents (169)
How respondents provide personalised total reward statements for their employees
Online statements 63%
Printed documents 33%
Other 4%
Sample: All respondents that provide personalised total reward statements for staff (57)
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Digital communication remains the top channel used by employers to improve employee engagement with benefits. As in 2016, 68% of respondents use this method.
This is followed by face-to-face communication, such as group seminars and benefits roadshows, used by 60% of respondents.
Both digital and face-to-face communications are effective ways of reaching groups of employees, particularly when a workforce may be mobile, geographically dispersed or work varying shift patterns.
Printed communication materials (49%), and technology platforms (26%) also remain popular among respondents.
Where respondents use personalised total reward statements (36%) as a means of improving employee engagement with benefits, 63% use online statements, while a third (33%) issue printed documents.
