Employee engagement adds value to every organization. It significantly impacts both the individual employee and the business overall. When done right, the results are powerful: increased productivity, better customer service, lower staff turnover, and reduced absenteeism. A wealth of research supports these benefits—most notably from Gallup, a global leader in employee engagement analytics. However, despite this overwhelming evidence, Gallup reports that only 15% of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work.
This is where Human Resources (HR) plays a vital role. Traditionally acting as a mediator between management and staff, HR is uniquely positioned to facilitate, support, and measure the impact of employee engagement strategies. HR also plays a crucial role in shaping company culture and ensuring alignment between leadership, organizational goals, and the workforce. Simply put, when it comes to boosting employee engagement, HR is a key driver of success.
What Is Employee Engagement?
Before implementing initiatives, it’s essential to define what employee engagement really means. This article is part of our ongoing series on the topic. In a recent post, we offered this definition:
Employee engagement is the emotional connection employees feel to the company, its mission, and values. It’s what motivates them to go above and beyond their basic job duties.
Key Benefits of Employee Engagement
Done well, employee engagement has a direct and measurable impact on your company’s bottom line. A highly engaged workforce is more productive, delivers superior customer service, and shows greater commitment to the organization. Engaged employees also take fewer sick days and are more likely to remain loyal to the business long-term. These outcomes translate into reduced recruitment costs, stronger team cohesion, and improved overall performance.
Top Employee Engagement Drivers
So, what motivates employees to fully engage with their roles and the organization? Several key drivers influence engagement levels, but research has consistently identified the following four as the most impactful. Businesses that perform well in these areas typically lead the field in employee satisfaction and retention:
- Inspirational leadership: Employees are motivated and inspired by supportive, effective managers.
- Clear connection to organizational success: Employees understand how their team’s efforts contribute to company goals.
- Role clarity: Staff know their responsibilities and how they fit into the bigger picture.
- Recognition and appreciation: Employees feel valued and acknowledged for their contributions.
The Role of HR in Employee Engagement
Effective HR employee engagement initiatives are designed to deepen the emotional and professional connection between employees and the organization’s mission. While every leader and manager shares responsibility for engagement, HR has strategic oversight across areas that directly influence it. These include communication, performance management, learning and development, and employee wellbeing. As such, HR is ideally positioned to implement engagement strategies that are aligned with business goals.
What Does Employee Engagement Mean in HR?
In the context of Human Resource Management (HRM), employee engagement refers to the level of commitment, motivation, and emotional investment employees have in the organization. It involves creating a culture where individuals feel appreciated, heard, and empowered to do their best work. HR fosters engagement through transparent communication, robust recognition programs, ongoing professional development, and by promoting a positive, inclusive workplace environment.
When employee engagement strategies are executed effectively, the benefits ripple through the entire organization—leading to increased productivity, enhanced employee satisfaction, and improved retention rates.
Let’s explore the most impactful and actionable ways HR can influence the core drivers of engagement.
HR Initiatives For Employee Engagement
Motivate And Inspire Employees
The first key driver of employee engagement is when employees feel motivated and inspired by their managers. HR can significantly contribute to this outcome by empowering leaders with the right tools, training, and resources. The good news? It doesn’t have to be expensive or overly complex.
A well-structured, HR-led onboarding program for new managers is a critical starting point. This program helps instill a workplace culture that prioritizes and supports employee engagement as a central value. Managers learn practical techniques to keep their teams inspired and engaged. These include:
- Personally thanking employees for a job well done.
- Listening actively and addressing staff concerns.
- Offering regular, constructive performance feedback.
- Delegating responsibilities and encouraging ownership and initiative.
- Keeping employees informed about company updates and strategic developments.
According to research from Forbes, managers account for 70% of the variance in workforce engagement. Therefore, equipping them properly is non-negotiable. HR is the key driver in implementing this organization-wide initiative.
Linking Company Objectives With Individual Contribution
HR typically oversees the annual performance review process, which is a perfect opportunity to align individual contributions with the company’s broader strategic goals.
By connecting individual performance goals with team targets and business objectives, employees gain a deeper understanding of how their work contributes to the organization’s success. This alignment increases motivation, clarity, and a sense of ownership.
HR’s leadership in shaping the performance review process is crucial. Rather than solely focusing on assessment, HR can reposition reviews as a tool for engagement, helping employees feel seen, heard, and aligned with the company’s mission.
Safeguarding And Strengthening Company Culture
Protecting and reinforcing a positive company culture is another core HR responsibility that directly impacts engagement. In high-performing organizations, employee engagement is embedded in the cultural DNA.
HR can safeguard culture on two key fronts:
- Recruitment Fit: Ensuring new hires align with the organization’s values and culture. Skills can be taught, but cultural mismatches are hard to fix.
- Internal Communication: Keeping the company’s values visible and top of mind. Frequent, consistent communication helps employees internalize the mission and reflect it in their daily work.
As the guardian of company culture, HR provides strategic leadership, ensuring that engagement is not just a buzzword but a lived experience across the business.
Recognizing And Appreciating Employees
Time and again, studies show that employees who feel valued are more engaged, productive, and loyal. HR plays a pivotal role in fostering this sense of appreciation.
An effective HR-driven employee recognition program can acknowledge both individual and team achievements. Recognition doesn’t have to be costly—simple gestures such as a public shoutout in the company newsletter or a small token of appreciation can go a long way.
Examples include:
- Celebrating major milestones—personal and professional.
- Highlighting achievements in internal communications.
- Encouraging peer-to-peer recognition across departments.
Whether it’s praising Bruce in Marketing for completing the New York Marathon or celebrating Jenny in Accounts on the birth of her first baby, recognizing employees as whole people fosters a more engaged and connected workforce.
Creating a workplace where recognition is frequent and genuine supports a company culture of appreciation, which is essential for sustained engagement and employee retention.
The Strategic Role of HR in Measuring Employee Engagement
In addition to influencing the key drivers of employee engagement, HR plays a vital role in shaping a workplace where employees feel motivated, productive, and aligned with company values. Perhaps the most significant contribution HR can make is in measuring employee engagement to determine the success of internal initiatives. Below are essential ways HR can lead the charge in evaluating and enhancing engagement levels.
Conducting Staff Engagement Surveys
A regularly scheduled employee engagement survey allows companies to gather employee feedback on a broad range of workplace issues. These surveys provide valuable longitudinal data that help HR assess how engagement activities evolve over time. In addition, survey results can be used to benchmark employee satisfaction against industry peers. HR is best positioned to design and manage a company-wide staff engagement survey that yields actionable insights.
Monitoring HR Metrics and Employee Data
There is a well-documented correlation between employee engagement levels and core HR metrics such as recruitment, retention, absenteeism, and turnover. These insights—already tracked by HR—can serve as early indicators of engagement health. HR should analyze this data regularly and share findings with leadership to help diagnose and resolve emerging issues before they escalate.
Leveraging Exit Interviews for Deeper Insights
Exit interviews offer an invaluable opportunity to collect candid, qualitative feedback from departing employees. Since they are leaving the organization, these employees often provide honest insights about their workplace experience. Analyzing patterns in exit interview data can uncover recurring issues and help identify areas that negatively affect employee engagement. HR should regularly report on these findings and incorporate them into strategic planning.
Using Intranet Blogs and Forums for Real-Time Feedback
Internal company forums and blogs give employees a voice while promoting transparency and collaboration. These platforms allow staff to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss company matters. HR should provide clear content guidelines and moderate discussions to maintain a constructive tone. In addition to being a source of innovation, these forums act as a barometer of employee morale and organizational climate.
Employee Communication: Sharing Updates and Outcomes
Effective employee engagement communication is crucial to building trust and alignment. One common frustration among disengaged employees is the lack of meaningful two-way conversations. HR should take the lead in regularly updating staff on the results of engagement surveys, changes made in response, and progress toward shared goals. Keeping employees informed helps reinforce their value and builds a culture of transparency.
Why HR Is Central To Any Employee Engagement Strategy
So, how can HR improve employee engagement? The answer lies in a strategic and proactive approach. HR is not just a support function—it is the driving force behind engagement initiatives that foster higher productivity, better retention, and a healthier workplace culture. Whether it’s through technology, surveys, or transparent communication, HR must champion the cause of engagement at every level of the organization.
Boost Employee Engagement with MyHub Intranet
MyHub’s cloud-based intranet software is designed to empower HR teams in boosting employee engagement. Our customizable, easy-to-launch intranet templates include a wide range of tools that support communication, collaboration, and feedback—key pillars of any engagement strategy. Features include:
- News blogs and staff forums for sharing updates and gathering employee input
- Team and project pages for better collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Online surveys and polls for gathering actionable insights
- Employee profiles and biographies to enhance visibility and connectivity
- Social intranet features like activity walls and follow-me tools to support interaction
You’ll also gain access to additional tools that enhance internal communication, improve productivity, and foster a strong company culture. Book a free demo or start your no-obligation 14-day trial today to see the platform in action.
FAQ Section
What does employee engagement mean in HR?
Employee engagement in HR refers to strategies that boost motivation, satisfaction, and commitment among employees to improve performance and retention.
Why is HR important for employee engagement?
HR leads initiatives like performance reviews, recognition programs, and culture-building efforts that directly impact how engaged employees feel.
How can HR measure employee engagement?
Through surveys, exit interviews, absenteeism and turnover data, and real-time feedback tools like forums and intranet blogs.
