Is there an employee engagement crisis?

If you skim through the headlines, things look grim. Studies show that over half of Americans are one health crisis away from becoming unhoused. Gallup reports that engagement sank to a ten-year low in January. Some are calling it a quiet crisis (though it’s not-so-quiet). And we’re seeing organizations struggling to attract and retain top talent, as well as struggling to engage and retain tenured employees.

It's been a hard year.

We invite you to stop doomscrolling and stop reading those headlines. Because this might be the climate, not the storm, and organizations are going to have to become more agile, more dynamic, and more human to thrive. (We still have the edge on AI here!)

Do you want to improve employee engagement? It’s time to focus on your employees’ quality of work life (QWL).

What affects QWL?

Just as a person’s quality of life depends on complex and varied factors, so, too, does the QWL of your employees. QWL is affected by:

Work Satisfaction
Workplace Stress
Compensation and Benefits
Work-Life Balance and/or Integration
Working Conditions
Job Environment

Improve the Employee Experience and Improve Their Quality of Work Life:

There is no magic formula. A key piece of QWL is great managers – managers that tap into what their employees need and help them grow to meet professional and personal challenges and goals.

There are key things all organizations can implement today to improve QWL and help engage their employees.

Build a Healthy Workplace Culture:

This doesn’t “just happen.” Building a safe workplace culture requires mindfulness and intention through daily interactions between staff, managers and staff, and staff and customers. Open and respectful communication, recognition, trust and transparency, and consistency are daily actions that build a healthy workplace culture.

Limit Working Hours:

The hustle culture has done incredible damage. Nine-to-five became seven-to-until the work gets done. Everything has become now, now, now. And people burn out. Organizations must limit working hours.

Take the time to set clear daily and weekly hour limits (both for mental and physical health).
Disable after-hours emails and notifications.
Encourage use of paid time off and breaks.
Ensure managers walk the talk and model time off.

Provide Employees with Fair Compensation:

This should go without saying, but we’re saying it because organizations aren’t keeping up. Pay your people well. Pay them a living wage. And your business will thrive with them. This is not only the smart business thing to do but the correct thing to do. How?

Conduct regular market salary reviews
Offer performance-based bonuses
Provide clear paths for pay progression
Include equity or profit-sharing options
Improve healthcare benefits to cover dental care, women’s reproductive care, and mental health; enhance retirement plans; consider childcare and elderly care stipends and more.

Make Good Working Conditions:

Working conditions include the physical and safety aspects of the workplace that directly impact employees' health and daily experiences. By thoughtfully addressing these factors, you can enhance quality of work life (QWL) and help create a supportive, healthy environment.

Incorporate ergonomic practices to prevent strain and injury (even for your remote workers).
Make the work environment clean and comfortable.
Update your technology.
Manage workplace temperature.
Manage noise.
Make sure lighting is right.
Give employees access to training on new equipment.

Improving employee engagement starts with genuinely investing in your staff's quality of work life. When employees feel supported, respected, and equipped to do their best, they’re more motivated, connected, and committed. By creating a workplace where people thrive—not just work, you lay the foundation for lasting engagement and shared success. This all takes a lot of humanity, mindfulness, and intention.

How to Manage the Growing Employee Engagement Crisis:

4 Tips to Improve your Employees’ Quality of Work Life (QWL)

Is there an employee engagement crisis?

What affects QWL?

Improve the Employee Experience and Improve Their Quality of Work Life:

Build a Healthy Workplace Culture:

Limit Working Hours:

Provide Employees with Fair Compensation:

Make Good Working Conditions:

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