Why do engaged employees matter?
How to Improve Employee Engagement in Difficult Times
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
At the heart of a successful organization is a team of people who feel connected to their work, committed to their mission, and supported by their leaders. That’s employee engagement. And it matters more now than ever.
But it’s not just about summer barbecues, team-building retreats, or desk-decorating competitions. A culture of engagement can have these things, but it goes beyond “fluff.” It’s a culture driven by meaningful work, growth opportunities, transparency in organization communication, trust, and a sense of belonging and commitment,
That’s a lot. And it’s doable.
What are the benefits of increasing employee engagement?
Engaged employees don’t just show up — they show up invested. Engaged employees:
Stay longer (higher retention)
Perform better (increased productivity)
Recommend your company (stronger employer brand and employee advocacy)
Go above and beyond (put forth a higher discretionary effort)
Drive innovation and customer satisfaction
They don’t just do their jobs, they care about the outcomes.
"When people care, business gets better."
Is it too late to start focusing on employee engagement?
It’s never too late to prioritize the well-being of your employees and improve your company culture. Through deliberate actions, any company can improve employee engagement and, in turn, succeed.
You can’t turn culture around overnight, but you can start small:
Begin by listening (more on that below).
Communicate transparently and often.
Empower managers with simple tools to connect with their teams.
Follow through on feedback, even in small ways.
Culture change doesn’t require a flashy program. It requires consistent action rooted in trust. And it starts with understanding what your people are experiencing right now.
What Data Do You Need to Improve Employee Engagement?
If you’re serious about improving engagement, you need more than intuition — you need data that can give you and your C-suite meaningful, actionable insights.
This is where employee engagement surveys come in.
A survey helps you measure not just how people feel, but why they feel that way. At CustomInsight, we focus on science-backed engagement drivers like trust in leadership, recognition, growth opportunities, and communication.
Here’s what an effective engagement survey should include:
Quantitative items tied to core engagement factors (e.g., “I feel valued by my organization”).
Open-ended questions that invite employees to share in their own words (this can help give you in-depth information, context, and explanation to the numbers).
Demographic filters to identify trends across departments, roles, age groups, or locations.
Confidentiality is fundamental for employees to feel safe being honest. (And why it's essential to hire an independent survey company.)
A good employee engagement survey sets your leaders up to take action — not just admire the data, send a report, and put it in the drawer. We recommend tying results to an action planning process, empowering managers to review feedback with their teams, and tracking progress over time. Engagement surveys aren’t just diagnostics. They’re conversations — and your employees are waiting to be asked.
How Do You Go From Data to Action?
Once you’ve collected your survey data, it can be tempting to jump to solutions. But the most successful companies pause, listen, and co-create with their people. Here’s a simple 3-step framework:
Understand: Review results with curiosity, not judgment. Look for strengths and pain points.
Discuss: Create space for teams to talk about what the data means for them. Listening is an engagement strategy in itself.
Act: Choose one or two priorities and follow through. Take visible, timely action. Communicate the actions you're taking so your team can see your commitment.
Repeat. Track progress. Celebrate growth.
Remember: Employees don’t expect perfection. They expect progress — and they notice when leadership is genuinely trying. Engaged employees are the heartbeat of your organization. They build better products, support each other, care for your customers, and drive your mission forward.
It’s not too late to start. In fact, the best time might be now.
So ask yourself: When was the last time you asked your employees how they’re doing — and really listened?
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