5 Employee Engagement Models for Cypriot Workplaces

Building a resilient and thriving workplace in Cyprus starts with adopting proven employee engagement models that fit local needs and culture. These frameworks offer practical strategies to connect with employees, drive motivation, and achieve lasting business success. Whether you’re considering classics like the Great Place to Work Trust Model, the Kahn Model, or newer approaches, the right engagement model can help you understand and activate the key drivers of engagement—such as job satisfaction, professional development, and emotional connection.

By applying these models, Cypriot businesses can sharpen their focus on what truly matters to employees, improving retention and nurturing a culture rooted in growth and well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore how engagement models transform organisational efforts into tangible results—unlocking the full potential of your teams and paving the way for long-term success.

What is an employee engagement model?

An employee engagement model is a structured framework that organisations use to define, measure, and improve how emotionally connected, motivated, and committed employees are to their work and workplace.

These models clarify what drives engagement, help organisations assess current levels, and provide practical guidance for developing targeted strategies that enhance employee experience, productivity, and retention.

Key features of an employee engagement model include:

• Identification of engagement drivers: Outlines core factors—such as leadership, recognition, growth opportunities, and workplace culture—that influence engagement.
• Measurement framework: Provides methods to assess engagement levels, often using surveys, feedback systems, or behavioural observations.
• Actionable guidance: Directs leaders and HR teams toward strategic improvements, ensuring initiatives are relevant and impactful.
• Clear link to business outcomes: Connects engagement efforts to organisation-wide goals like productivity, customer satisfaction, and talent retention.

Popular examples include:

• Great Place to Work Trust Model: Highlights trust, pride, and camaraderie as central elements for engagement.
• Aon Hewitt’s Say-Stay-Strive model: Focuses on engaged employees speaking positively about the company (Say), wanting to remain employed (Stay), and putting in extra effort (Strive).
• Maslow’s Hierarchy adaptation: Maps employee engagement to meeting ascending levels of workplace needs, from security to self-actualization.

Implementing an employee engagement model equips organisations with a reliable structure for diagnosing challenges, measuring progress, and taking evidence-based actions that lead to a thriving and motivated workforce.

How does an employee engagement model work?

The employee engagement model identifies key drivers of engagement—such as alignment with the company’s mission and values, opportunities for growth and development, and mechanisms for collecting and acting on employee feedback.

One of the most common tools within these models is the engagement survey, which measures employee satisfaction, well-being, and workplace experiences on a regular basis. The insights gained from these surveys help HR teams and leaders identify strengths, address areas of concern, and adjust strategies to better meet employee needs.

A well-designed engagement model also prioritizes creating a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment—where employees feel valued, heard, and safe. This atmosphere not only encourages people to contribute their best efforts but also fosters a genuine emotional connection to their roles, leading to higher performance, stronger collaboration, and long-term loyalty.

What is the purpose of an employee engagement model?

The purpose of an employee engagement model is to provide organisations with a clear, structured framework for understanding, measuring, and improving how motivated, committed, and emotionally invested employees are in their work and the company.

More specifically, an engagement model aims to:

• Identify what drives engagement – such as alignment with company goals, recognition, professional development, leadership trust, work-life balance, and team relationships.
• Measure engagement consistently – using surveys, feedback tools, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty over time.
• Translate insights into action – turning employee feedback into targeted initiatives that address challenges, strengthen workplace culture, and improve overall experience.
• Align people strategy with business goals – ensuring that efforts to boost engagement directly support productivity, retention, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
• Create a sustainable improvement cycle – with continuous listening, evaluating results, and refining strategies to maintain high levels of engagement in the long term.

In short, the purpose of an employee engagement model is to connect what matters most to employees with what drives business success, ensuring that engagement efforts are structured, evidence-based, and deliver tangible results.

How is employee engagement measured in these models?

Employee engagement is measured in these models primarily through systematic, data-driven approaches designed to capture employees’ motivation, commitment, and emotional connection to their organisation.

Key measurement methods include:

• Engagement Surveys: These are comprehensive questionnaires containing both quantitative items—such as Likert scale questions assessing agreement with statements on job satisfaction, leadership trust, professional development, and alignment with company values—and qualitative, open-ended questions for deeper feedback. Platforms like Great Place to Work’s Trust Index™ Survey model use these surveys to collect insights from employees across departments. Surveys are often conducted annually or biannually for in-depth analysis, but can also be delivered more frequently for ongoing tracking.
• Pulse Surveys: These shorter, targeted surveys (5–15 questions) are conducted at regular intervals—monthly or quarterly—to quickly monitor shifts in engagement, sentiment, and response to recent initiatives. Pulse surveys offer real-time feedback and focus on specific engagement drivers.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Metrics: Most models use indicators like Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS; “How likely are you to recommend this workplace?”), retention rates, absenteeism, participation in professional development, and performance outcomes as measurable signals of engagement levels.
• Behavioral Observations: Some models also track behaviors that reflect engagement, such as discretionary effort, collaboration, advocacy (“Say”), intention to stay (“Stay”), and willingness to go above and beyond (“Strive”).
• Actionable Analysis: All survey and metric results are analysed, benchmarked internally over time and externally against peers or industry standards. Organisations use this data to identify engagement strengths and gaps, guiding HR strategies and organisational changes.

Which five employee engagement models could be used in Cyprus?

Five widely recognised employee engagement models that businesses in Cyprus could effectively use are:

1. Great Place to Work’s Trust Model

Central to this model are trust, pride, and camaraderie. Engagement is measured through surveys evaluating credibility, respect, and fairness, along with pride in work and team spirit. Many Cypriot organisations already use this model and provide benchmarking against leading companies both locally and globally. Insights are turned into targeted action plans to drive improvement.

2. The Kahn Model

Renowned organisational psychologist William Kahn’s model focuses on making workplaces safe, meaningful, and effective. His employee engagement theory supports people making extra effort to be their authentic selves at work.

Key elements of the Kahn Model include:

• Emotional connection to job roles
• Feedback practices that encourage collaboration
• Using strengths for quality work outcomes

This engagement framework is beneficial for Cypriot workplaces. It requires a strong emotional connection between employees and workplace goals. It helps with job satisfaction and improves engagement strategies.

3. The Maslow Model

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is beneficial in workplaces. It first focuses on meeting basic needs, including physical and emotional needs. Then, it looks at career growth and ways to boost self-esteem, which are important for keeping employees engaged.

Key drivers include:

• Meeting basic employee needs like fair wages and clear job roles
• Creating a sense of belonging and recognising contributions
• Helping employees reach their full potential at work

Workplaces in Cyprus that use Maslow’s ideas can better target employee engagement levels. This leads to happier and more productive employees.

4. The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) Model

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model is a flexible framework that balances job demands and the available resources. This model shows how important job resources are. These include supportive leadership and chances for development. They improve the employee experience and increase engagement and job satisfaction.

When organisations meet employee needs well, they create a positive work environment. This encourages people to put in extra effort. The JD-R model is a helpful tool for HR professionals. They can use it to create engagement strategies that result in better business outcomes and greater employee retention in Cypriot workplaces.

5. Maslach & Leiter’s Six Areas of Work life

Maslach and Leiter’s framework matches employees’ needs with their work environment. This model aims to reduce burnout by focusing on strong leadership and inclusive practices.

Here are some key points:

• Aligning leadership with business goals
• Engaging employees by providing regular communication and feedback
• Creating a supportive work culture that boosts employee satisfaction

For workplaces in Cyprus looking for long-term engagement efforts, Maslach’s approach provides a detailed engagement strategy based on trust and teamwork.

Why is an employee engagement model needed?

An employee engagement model is needed because it provides organisations with a clear, evidence-based framework for understanding, measuring, and improving how motivated, committed, and emotionally invested employees are in their work.

Here’s why it’s essential:

• Clarifies what drives engagement: A model highlights the key factors (like trust, recognition, leadership, growth opportunities, and workplace culture) that influence how employees feel and behave at work. This enables organisations to focus on what truly matters to their people.
• Supports consistent measurement: Engagement models offer structured approaches—such as surveys and metrics—to regularly assess levels of motivation, satisfaction, and overall workplace experience. This helps track progress over time and identify areas needing attention.
• Guides targeted action: Models translate employee feedback and engagement data into focused strategies designed to address challenges, reinforce strengths, and drive real cultural improvements.
• Aligns people strategy with business goals: By connecting engagement efforts to measurable outcomes (like productivity, retention, and innovation), organisations ensure their people strategy supports overall success.
• Enables continuous improvement: A model sets up a cycle of listening, acting, and refining, fostering ongoing growth in employee satisfaction and performance rather than one-off initiatives.

Without a structured employee engagement model, actions to improve engagement can be unfocused, inconsistent, or ineffective. The model ensures that engagement is strategic, data-driven, and sustainable—helping organisations build workplaces where employees thrive and businesses succeed.

Do Cypriot companies use employee engagement models?

Yes, Cypriot companies actively use employee engagement models to measure, understand, and improve how motivated and connected employees feel at work. Engagement surveys—such as the globally recognised Great Place to Work® Trust Index™ Survey—are widely implemented in Cyprus to assess key dimensions of workplace culture, including trust, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

Cypriot businesses, including law firms and multinational corporations, also use structured HR strategies and engagement frameworks to address challenges like job satisfaction, turnover, and absenteeism. By applying these models and strategies, companies tailor their approach to professional development, recognition, communication, and work-life balance—each a core element of employee engagement models worldwide.

How is employee engagement measured in Cypriot workplaces?

Employee engagement in Cypriot workplaces is measured through a combination of structured surveys, feedback tools, and key performance indicators designed to capture how motivated, committed, and satisfied employees feel at work. The most common methods include:

• Comprehensive engagement surveys: Organisations in Cyprus often deploy annual or biannual surveys with quantitative questions (such as Likert scales) and qualitative, open-ended items. These surveys assess job satisfaction, alignment with company values, relationships with management, opportunities for growth, and overall well-being. The Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)—gauging how likely employees are to recommend their workplace—is a widely used metric.
• Pulse surveys: Cypriot companies increasingly use shorter pulse surveys at regular intervals (monthly or quarterly) to monitor changes in engagement, track the impact of new initiatives, and get quick feedback on specific areas. Pulse surveys typically feature 5–15 targeted questions and provide real-time insights into employee sentiment.
• Key indicators: Metrics such as engagement index scores (aggregated survey results), retention and turnover rates, absenteeism, participation in professional development, and employee comments are routinely analysed to reveal trends and highlight areas for improvement.
• Benchmarking and action planning: Results are compared internally over time and externally against national or industry benchmarks (such as “Best Workplaces™” in Cyprus), allowing organisations to set realistic goals and track progress. Leadership teams then use these insights to design targeted action plans and communicate transparently about survey results and next steps.

These structured measurement practices enable Cypriot organisations to strengthen workplace culture, enhance satisfaction, and build high-performing teams by listening to employees and taking meaningful action based on their feedback. The use of recognised frameworks and survey tools is considered essential for driving continuous improvement, retaining top talent, and supporting long-term business success.

How do employee engagement models aid the Great Place To Work certification?

Employee engagement models are fundamental for achieving Great Place to Work certification. These frameworks guide organisations through clear, structured steps—such as regularly measuring engagement through surveys, fostering effective leadership, and maintaining open feedback channels—that generate actionable data aligned with certification standards.

By applying these models, companies create a supportive environment centred on trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. Consistently high employee satisfaction translates into positive business outcomes, such as stronger retention, improved productivity, and a thriving workplace culture.

Ultimately, these engagement frameworks not only prepare organisations for certification but also help sustain high levels of performance and morale, ensuring that the workplace truly earns its reputation as a great place to work.