Resolve Recruit Inc. (www.ResolveRecruit.com), one of Mississauga’s leading employment agencies, is commenting on recent findings by Deloitte that show divisions in how employers and employees are prepared to deal with engagement issues in the workplace.
The survey of 200 Canadian workers not only shows that almost 60% of employees think their employers aren’t ready to handle engagement issues, but a distinct gap in how the situation is perceived between rungs is shown as well. (“58% of employees say employers aren’t ready to engage: report,” Benefits Canada web site, May 13, 2016; http://www.benefitscanada.com/news/58-of-employees-say-employers-arent-ready-to-engage-report-81352, last accessed May 25, 2016.)
“Although 54% of the executives surveyed thought their organizations could address engagement matters, only 36% of non-executives shared the sentiment,” notes Kim Muir, managing director of Resolve Recruit. “This shows a perception gap that might mean executives aren’t as in tune with other employees as they might think, or it could mean that higher-ups don’t do a good job at explaining engagement plans or goals.”
Employee engagement—a person’s enthusiasm toward their work and emotional commitment to the organization in general—is a hard-to-pin trait but one that is a key part of successful, healthy work environments. Engagement is distinct from employee happiness or satisfaction and represents, among other things, a willingness to show “discretionary effort” and make additional contributions that further enhance the working environment.
“Discretionary effort can involve anything from being more willing to help out colleagues, picking up a bit of litter that missed the garbage bin, or staying a few extra minutes to get a final task wrapped up,” explains Muir. “All of these things help build a more successful and overall more healthy organization for everyone, so knowing how people perceive efforts to build engagement is important. In fact, 91% of Canada’s business leaders consider engagement one of the modern workplace’s top priorities.”
The Deloitte survey’s other findings highlight additional gaps in employer-employee perceptions. In each case, from leadership to understanding of a workplace’s culture, employees felt executives’ organizational understanding was weak. This continued to highlight a knowledge gap that indicates further need for improved communication efforts.
“When people talk, they share,” Muir says. “When people share, they can brainstorm. By working together and listening to each other, by getting a real idea of all the pieces, effective change can happen.”
About Resolve Recruit
Resolve Recruit Inc. is one of the leading employment agencies in Mississauga. They match skilled workers with a variety of businesses for both temporary and direct hire positions. More information can be found at www.ResolveRecruit.com.
