Focusing on employee engagement is crucial, particularly in Cyprus, where a robust market demands motivated, productive, and dedicated workers for success.

By using good employee engagement strategies, businesses in Cyprus can help their employees reach their full potential. This can lead to better business results, a more positive company culture, and a competitive advantage.

Companies can create a highly engaged workforce by encouraging open communication, recognizing achievements, supporting work-life balance, and offering growth opportunities.

What is the meaning of Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is about the strong emotional bond between workers and their work environment. It’s more than just being satisfied with a job. Engagement means actively participating and showing passion for one’s role.

This shows a genuine desire to help the company succeed. Engaged employees often take the initiative, put in extra effort, and are dedicated to reaching team goals. Employee engagement also connects closely with employee satisfaction and the overall work experience.

Engaged workers believe their views and growth are important, boosting morale and productivity. Companies can build successful teams by creating a work environment where employees feel valued and empowered.

What defines employee engagement strategies?

Employee engagement strategies include practical ideas for creating a more involved workforce. These strategies are not the same for everyone. They need to fit the specific needs of each organization and focus on what drives employee engagement.

Good employee engagement strategies focus on key areas like communication, recognition, career development, work-life balance, and performance management. These are all important parts of building an engaging and satisfying workplace.

When organizations understand what drives employee engagement and use strategies to work on these areas, they can build a work environment that fosters high performance within their business units. In this environment, employees feel valued, motivated, and ready to achieve both their personal goals and the goals of the organization.

How can an employee engagement strategy in Cyprus be developed?

Developing a good employee engagement strategy in Cyprus starts by understanding your employees’ engagement. The first step is conducting an effective engagement survey with well-thought-out questions that give you valuable insights into what employees think.

The survey shows what is working well and what needs to be improved. By examining engagement metrics, organizations can spot trends, patterns, and important factors that affect worker engagement.

This information becomes the basis for a specific action plan. This plan will list initiatives and transparent steps to meet your needs. This could mean improving communication, boosting recognition programs, or offering growth opportunities.

At Great Place to Work®, we use the globally recognized Trust Index™ Survey to measure employee engagement. Built on decades of research and validated across cultures and industries, the survey includes 60 core statements that assess the key dimensions of a high-trust workplace—credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

This scientifically-backed methodology not only ensures accurate and meaningful results, but also helps organizations in Cyprus benchmark their performance against leading companies locally and globally. The insights gained allow you to identify what truly matters to your employees and to craft targeted, data-driven strategies for lasting impact.

What are the core components of employee engagement strategies?

Effective employee engagement strategies depend on some key factors, with clear and open communication being the most important drivers of engagement. It is about creating a space where employees feel safe sharing their ideas, concerns, and feedback.

They should know that what they say matters. Strong leadership and good management are equally important. Leaders must support engagement efforts and help create a positive work environment. They also need to motivate employees to do their best.

Another essential part is a strong company culture. It helps build a sense of belonging, shared values, and a common goal. Finally, having good feedback systems is vital. These systems allow for continuous improvement, help address employee issues, and ensure that engagement strategies stay effective and meaningful.

This proven methodology doesn’t just measure engagement—it helps build a great workplace culture. Through years of global research, Great Place to Work® has identified the direct link between employee trust and business performance: we call this the Great Place to Work Effect™. Organizations that consistently score high on trust outperform their peers in areas such as innovation, customer satisfaction, and talent retention.

In Cyprus, companies that apply our approach are not only seen as employers of choice but also gain a competitive edge in attracting and keeping top talent. By building a culture where people trust their leaders, feel pride in their work, and enjoy their colleagues, you create a resilient organization equipped for sustainable growth.

1. Communication

Open communication is the foundation of a highly engaged workforce. It goes beyond sharing information. It creates a culture where transparency, two-way dialogue, and active listening are important. When employees feel heard and understood, they trust the organization more. This trust boosts their commitment to the organization’s success.

Getting regular updates about company performance, new projects, and industry trends keeps employees informed. This helps them feel involved in the organization’s direction. It also shows that the company is open, which builds trust even more.

Think about using different communication methods. You could hold town hall meetings, team huddles, online platforms, or suggestion boxes. Pulse surveys are a quick and effective way to understand how employees feel about certain issues. This helps ensure that any concerns are addressed before they grow larger.

Through our Accelerate product at Great Place to Work®, organizations can easily carry out pulse surveys—either fully customized or using pre-designed statements from our extensive library, including items from our Trust Index™ Survey. Many companies choose to begin with the full Trust Index™ Survey to get a comprehensive view of their culture and then follow up with targeted pulse surveys.

These are often focused on areas with lower scores or specific departments or teams where engagement needs improvement. This flexible and data-driven approach allows organizations in Cyprus to maintain continuous listening, track progress over time, and stay agile in addressing employee needs with precision.

2. Leadership and Management

Strong leadership is key to building a culture of engagement. Senior leaders need to show they care about engagement. They should talk about how important it is and actively join in relevant programs.

Investing resources in leadership development gives managers the skills they need. This helps them lead better, give helpful feedback, and create a positive work environment for their teams.

Performance reviews shouldn’t be dreaded yearly events. Instead, they should become regular talks that focus on employee growth. By giving timely feedback, recognizing achievements, and offering help, managers can empower their teams to reach their full potential.

To support this transformation, many companies in Cyprus choose to collaborate with training providers to develop custom leadership programs for their people. Our partner, interFRONTIERS, is one of the oldest and most respected training companies on the island. Each program is designed specifically around the needs and goals of the client, using a highly interactive, hands-on approach that simulates real working conditions.

This practical, experiential style of learning makes development both effective and enjoyable—steering clear of traditional classroom formats in favor of dynamic activities that encourage deeper engagement and lasting behavior change.

3. Company Culture and Values

A company’s culture can greatly affect how engaged its employees are. A positive and supportive workplace culture helps employees feel valued, respected, and empowered, which in turn helps engagement grow.

To build a strong culture of engagement, focus on a few important areas:

• Clearly define and communicate company values. Make sure these values resonate with employees and are reflected in everyday tasks.
• Promote teamwork and collaboration: Encourage employees to help each other, share knowledge, and work together towards shared goals.
• Recognize and celebrate achievements: Notice both individual and team successes to encourage positive input.

4. Feedback Mechanisms

Getting and using employee feedback is key to creating a fun and satisfying work environment.

Setting up suitable feedback methods helps in making ongoing improvements. Regularly ask for feedback using different ways, such as:

• Employee surveys: Gain valuable insights into how your employees truly feel through trusted tools like our Trust Index™ Survey, designed to capture the key drivers of engagement and workplace culture.
• One-on-one meetings: Create a space for open discussions.
• Focus groups: Hold deep talks on specific topics.

Taking action based on feedback shows that you care about what employees say. This leads to more ownership, better engagement, and a happier workplace culture. Keep in mind that feedback is a gift. Accept it, learn from it, and use it to make positive changes in the company.

10 Employee Engagement Strategies for Workplaces in Cyprus

Now that we have discussed the main components of good employee engagement strategies let’s focus on ten specific strategies. These can be used in Cyprus workplaces to improve employee engagement and create a more motivated and productive team.

By using these strategies, companies in Cyprus can create a work environment that attracts and retains top talent. This will help increase productivity and lead to better business success. Having an engaged workforce is very important for success in today’s fast-changing business world.

1. Transparent Communication

Open and transparent communication is the key to strong engagement strategies. Share company updates, financial results, and industry trends with your employees. They feel valued and more involved when they see how their hard work contributes to the company’s success.

Encourage a two-way conversation. Let employees share their thoughts, ideas, and worries without fear. Ensure there are regular chances to set clear expectations for them to ask questions and talk openly with their managers and senior leaders.

Keep in mind that communication goes both ways. Listening well is just as important as sharing information. By promoting a culture of open communication, organizations in Cyprus can build a trusting and collaborative work environment where everyone feels highly engaged.

2. Recognition and Reward Systems

Everyone likes to be recognized for their hard work and what they do. It’s important to set up strong reward systems to show employees you see their efforts and successes. This goes beyond just giving money. While bonuses and pay raises matter, genuine appreciation can often come from simple acts that show you notice their commitment.

You should highlight achievements, celebrate important events, and create personal rewards to show that you care about what each person contributes. Think about programs where coworkers can recognize each other. This helps build a supportive and caring workplace culture.

Find out what types of employee recognition mean the most to your employees. Some prefer public praise, while others like a nice note of thanks. By adjusting how you recognize people, you can better motivate and engage everyone in your team.

3. Professional Development and Training

Investing in your employees’ growth shows you care about their long-term success. You can do this by providing different chances for development. This can include workshops, online courses, certifications, and mentorship programs. These options help employees boost their skills and knowledge.

Provide clear career paths and regular performance reviews to support their career development and offer chances for them to advance within the company. Employees who see a future for themselves are more likely to feel engaged and committed to their work.

Make development opportunities fit each employee’s needs and career goals. Look into any skills gap to find areas where training can improve job satisfaction and performance. By focusing on employee development, organizations give their workers valuable skills and create a culture of growth and learning.

4. Work-Life Balance Initiatives

Having a good work-life balance is very important for employee well-being and engagement. To support this, companies can offer flexible work options, including remote work, flexible hours, and compressed work weeks. These changes help employees better manage their work and personal lives.

Companies should also provide generous leave policies. This can include paid time off, parental leave, and sick leave. By doing this, they show they care about employee well-being. This allows employees to take breaks for themselves and their families without stress about work.

Companies that promote work-life balance can boost employee morale and lower stress levels. It also helps with employee retention. Employees who feel supported in managing their personal and work lives are likelier to stay engaged, loyal and committed to the company’s success.

5. Employee Wellness Programs

Employee well-being is connected to engagement. When workers feel healthy, both physically and mentally, it improves their overall well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity.

To support this, provide wellness programs focusing on physical, mental, and emotional health. You can offer gym memberships, healthy snacks at work, ergonomic assessments, stress management workshops, and access to mental health resources.

Creating a supportive work environment that focuses on well-being helps reduce absenteeism, increase morale, and avoid employee burnout. A healthy workforce leads to a more engaged and productive team.

6. Engagement Survey and Feedback Loops

To understand what drives employee engagement, you should ask for employee feedback using employee engagement software and surveys. A good employee engagement survey examines many aspects of the employee experience, including job satisfaction, company culture, leadership, and growth opportunities. Just gathering feedback is not enough; companies must use it.

Find effective ways to get feedback so that employee opinions matter, improving employee engagement. Share the survey results openly. Show key findings and explain the steps you will take to improve. Set up working groups with employees from different areas to examine feedback, brainstorm solutions, and suggest ideas.

When organizations listen to employees’ opinions, take tangible steps to fix issues and follow suggestions, they show they care. This helps create a more engaged and fulfilling work environment.

7. Team Building Activities

Strong teams are crucial for any successful organization. Therefore, it’s wise to invest in team-building activities that promote teamwork, communication, and trust among team members. These activities can include solving problems together, going to escape rooms, volunteering, or having social events outside of work.

Team-building activities are a fun way for employees to connect personally. They help break down barriers between departments and build stronger working relationships. When communication and teamwork improve, teams often perform better and solve problems more efficiently.

Companies can create a more supportive work environment by giving employees a chance to bond, share experiences, and work together on common goals. This leads to greater engagement among their teams.

8. Inclusive Culture and Diversity Programs

Creating a workplace that values and celebrates diversity is important, not just a social duty; it is essential for business. DE&I plays a vital role in having different thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences, which improves the work environment. This leads to better decisions, more innovation, and an engaging and satisfying workplace for everyone.

To support this, companies should set up programs to recruit, keep, and promote people from various backgrounds. Offering training on diversity and inclusion to all employees is key. This helps build a culture of understanding, respect, and appreciation for differences.

By welcoming diversity and inclusion, businesses in Cyprus can attract talented individuals from a larger crowd. This can boost their brand reputation and create a more innovative and engaged workforce, resulting in positive outcomes for the company and its employees.

9. Purpose and Impact

Employees are more likely to feel engaged when they believe their work has a purpose. They want to know they are making a difference in something larger than themselves. It’s important to clearly share the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This helps employees see how their roles contribute to the company’s success.

Offer chances for employees to connect their work to the larger goals. You can share customer success stories, show how the products or services help others, or participate in community service.

When organizations create a sense of purpose and show how employees’ work matters, morale can greatly improve. This will lead to better employee engagement and help everyone reach their full potential.

10. Leadership Development

Investing in leadership development is a smart way to keep your team engaged for the long term. It helps managers and senior leaders learn skills to lead well. They will also know how to give helpful feedback and make a supportive work environment.

You should offer leadership training focused on communication, coaching, delegation, conflict management, and performance management. This would also give rising leaders chances to learn through mentorship, job shadowing, or running special projects.

By building a strong group of good leaders, companies can create a work environment where employees feel valued and supported. This helps them grow in their career paths and ultimately leads to a more engaged and productive workforce.

What constitutes a successful employee engagement strategy?

A successful employee engagement strategy is always changing. It needs to meet the needs of both the company and its workers. It is more than just taking a few actions; it requires regular checking, feedback, and improvements in employee engagement efforts.

When organizations use employee engagement best practices, they can create an environment where employees feel appreciated, excited, and dedicated to helping the company succeed.

The benefits of employee engagement are clear. Higher productivity, better customer service, lower turnover, and a more positive workplace culture are just a few of the benefits of a highly engaged workforce.

When companies in Cyprus invest in their employees’ well-being and build a culture that encourages engagement, they can enjoy the benefits of a strong and committed workforce.

Employee engagement is significant for thriving businesses in Cyprus and everywhere. It means creating a work environment where employees feel appreciated, motivated, and genuinely invested in their jobs and the company’s success. When employees are engaged, they put in extra effort.

This leads to positive business outcomes such as more productivity, better customer satisfaction, and higher employee retention. An engagement survey is a great way to measure employee engagement trends. This survey helps organisations understand how employees feel. It shows what they do well and what needs to improve. By listening to employee feedback and making changes, businesses in Cyprus can create a happier and more effective work environment.

What is the meaning of employee engagement?

Employee engagement is a crucial aspect of organisational success. It represents the emotional connection employees have with their workplace and its objectives. It transcends mere job satisfaction, reflecting a genuine concern for work quality and a better understanding of the desire to contribute to the company’s prosperity.

Highly engaged employees exhibit proactive behaviours, going above and beyond their job descriptions. They demonstrate a passion for their roles and willingly take ownership of their responsibilities. This level of commitment significantly influences company culture and plays a pivotal role in driving overall success.

As noted in the Harvard Business Review, organisations prioritising employee engagement often reap the benefits of increased productivity, improved retention rates, and enhanced morale among staff members. Engaged employees are more likely to collaborate effectively, innovate, and advocate for the organisation internally and externally. Consequently, fostering a culture of engagement should be a top priority for businesses seeking sustainable growth and competitive advantage in today’s dynamic market landscape.

How does employee engagement work in the workplace?

Employee engagement is a fundamental aspect of fostering a positive company culture. A workplace that is characterised by strong values, transparent communication, and opportunities for personal and professional development tends to experience higher levels of employee engagement.

When employees feel appreciated, respected, and listened to, they are more inclined to remain engaged with their work. A corporate environment that prioritises employee welfare recognises accomplishments and provides avenues for career advancement can significantly impact staff members’ engagement levels.

Ultimately, a robust workplace culture is one in which employees feel a sense of belonging and purpose. This sense of belonging can be a powerful motivator, inspiring employees to strive for excellence in their roles and contribute effectively to the organisation’s success.

What is the purpose of employee engagement?

Employee engagement is crucial beyond job satisfaction; it ensures a company’s success. Various employee engagement statistics support the idea that engaged employees are happier, more productive, innovative, and dedicated to achieving shared objectives.

One significant benefit of fostering employee engagement is its positive impact on retention rates. Employees who feel valued and connected to their roles are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. This translates into enhanced employee loyalty, contributing to the stability and expertise of the workforce in the long run.

Engaged employees derive greater job satisfaction from their roles, leading to increased creativity and a willingness to exceed expectations, positively impacting the company’s employer brand. The enthusiasm and passion engaged employees bring to their work environment can create a more dynamic and collaborative atmosphere, ultimately driving business success.

How can employee engagement be improved in Cyprus?

Improving employee engagement in Cyprus requires a thoughtful and customised approach. Collaboration between human resources teams and leaders is essential to developing effective engagement strategies tailored to Cyprus’s employees’ unique needs and objectives.

Regular feedback mechanisms should be established to monitor progress and address any issues promptly. Recognising and rewarding achievements is crucial in fostering a positive work environment and motivating employees to excel. Open communication channels help build trust and transparency within the organisation, encouraging active participation from all team members.

Implementing performance management systems emphasising growth and development can empower employees to reach their full potential, enhancing their overall engagement. By investing in initiatives prioritising employee well-being and professional advancement, organisations in Cyprus can cultivate a culture of high performance and job satisfaction among their workforce.

Is there an employee engagement app that helps workplaces in Cyprus?

In today’s digital world, an employee engagement platform, along with employee engagement software and apps, are great tools for businesses in Cyprus that want to boost employee engagement. These platforms act as a central point for communication, feedback, and recognition, making engagement efforts smoother.

Employee engagement apps can help:

• Gather Real-Time Feedback: Pulse surveys and quick feedback tools let companies frequently check employee feelings, including using employee engagement survey questions.
• Recognise and Reward Achievements: Digital platforms help to publicly or privately appreciate employees’ efforts efficiently.
• Facilitate Communication and Collaboration: Special channels in the app can build better team connections.

Using these apps can change the work environment in Cyprus. They help organisations listen, connect, and engage their employees.

How is an employee engagement model defined?

An employee engagement model is a helpful way to understand and improve what makes employees engaged in a company. Based on the company’s situation, this model points out the main things that contribute to the company’s engagement. 

These can include opportunities for growth, recognition, and strong leadership. When companies spot these key drivers of engagement, they can customise their engagement efforts. This helps them meet the specific needs and desires of their workers. A transparent engagement model acts like a guide for building a better work environment, which can lead to better business outcomes.

Who is responsible for driving employee engagement?

Human resources and HR professionals are essential for creating and implementing engagement strategies. However, keeping employees engaged belongs to the whole organisation and requires teamwork from leaders, managers, and individual workers.

Leaders create a positive environment that appreciates what employees do and cares for their well-being. Managers help turn those values into tangible actions by giving support, feedback, and chances to grow. In the end, everyone helps shape how engaged people feel at work.

What are the types of employee engagement in the workplace?

Workforce engagement is a multifaceted concept that manifests in various forms within organisations. By recognising and understanding these different types of engagement, businesses can develop more effective strategies to foster a positive and productive work environment. 

Here are some key types of engagement:

• Cognitive Engagement: This type involves employees who actively think about their roles and responsibilities. They find their work intellectually stimulating and enjoy the challenges it presents. These individuals are likely to be highly motivated and invested in their tasks, often seeking opportunities for growth and development.
  
• Emotional Engagement: Emotional engagement centres around employees’ personal connection towards their work, colleagues, and the organisation. Emotionally engaged employees are passionate about their jobs, exhibit a strong sense of loyalty, and genuinely care about contributing to the company’s success. Building strong relationships and fostering a sense of belonging can enhance employee emotional engagement.

• Behavioural Engagement: Behavioural engagement pertains to employees’ actions and behaviours in the workplace. Engaged employees use discretionary effort and go above and beyond their basic job requirements, demonstrating initiative, enthusiasm, and dedication to achieving organisational goals. They take ownership of their work, show commitment to excellence, and actively seek ways to add value to their roles.

Recognising and nurturing these different levels of employee engagement is essential for creating a workplace culture that supports staff members’ diverse needs and motivations. By tailoring initiatives that cater to cognitive, emotional, and behavioural aspects of engagement, organisations can cultivate a more inclusive, supportive, and fulfilling work environment for all employees.

What are the elements of employee engagement in the workplace?

Some key factors engage people at work and help create a positive experience for everyone. These factors include chances for growth, meaningful and challenging work, a sense of belonging, and recognition for what people do. One crucial factor is employee recognition. 

When workers feel valued and appreciated, it boosts their self-worth. This makes them want to perform even better. Also, effective communication that starts with the right questions is essential. Open and honest communication builds trust. It helps workers feel informed and included when decisions are being made.

How do you keep employees engaged in the workplace?

Maintaining high employee engagement takes time and effort. It’s not just about doing one engagement project and expecting it to last. Companies must create a culture where listening to employees is a big part of operating.

Ask for employee feedback regularly through surveys, meetings, and suggestion boxes. Make sure to act on their feedback. This shows that you value what employees have to say. Creating a culture of continuous improvement tells employees that their ideas are essential. This helps them feel more engaged and take ownership of their work.

Why is employee engagement important in the workplace?

Employee and work engagement are critical to fostering a thriving and productive workplace environment. They transcend being merely a buzzword, significantly impacting an organisation’s health and success. When employees are emotionally invested in their work and feel a strong sense of connection to the company, they are more inclined to contribute meaningfully to its success.

Enhanced employee engagement correlates with increased productivity, lower turnover rates, and a more positive and vibrant company culture, helping to retain top talent. By prioritising employee engagement efforts, organisations can create a work environment where individuals are motivated, satisfied, and committed to achieving common goals. This not only benefits the employees themselves but also fuels the long-term growth and prosperity of the organisation as a whole.

Investing in initiatives that boost employee engagement, such as providing opportunities for professional development, fostering open communication channels, recognising and rewarding achievements, and promoting work-life balance, can yield significant returns regarding employee satisfaction and organisational performance. An effective employee engagement program ultimately creates a workplace culture that values and prioritises employee engagement, setting the stage for sustained success and continued growth.

What are the benefits of employee engagement?

The benefits of employee engagement extend far beyond a happier workforce. Organisations with highly engaged employees often experience better business outcomes, including increased profitability, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced innovation.

When employees are invested in their work, they are more likely to go the extra mile, contributing to a more positive and productive work environment. This, in turn, can lead to improved financial performance and stronger competition.

Benefit	Impact
Increased Productivity	Higher output and efficiency
Reduced Turnover	Lower recruitment and training costs
Improved Customer Service	More satisfied and loyal customers
Enhanced Innovation	A more creative and solutions-oriented team

What are the disadvantages of employee engagement?

While high employee engagement has many benefits, we must also recognise the problems with low engagement. When employee morale is low, and people feel disconnected from their tasks and the company, it can create several issues.

Low engagement usually means less productivity, lower work quality, and absenteeism. These problems can spread throughout the company, affecting teamwork, customer bonds, and overall happiness.

Moreover, one major problem with low engagement is high employee turnover. Workers often look for other opportunities When they feel unappreciated or unhappy in their jobs. This leads to interruptions in the workflow and increases the costs of hiring new staff.

How can you raise employee engagement in the workplace in Cyprus?

Cultivating a highly engaged workforce in Cyprus requires a comprehensive approach that prioritises creating a positive and supportive work environment tailored to the Cypriot workforce’s specific needs. Central to this approach is establishing effective communication engagement strategies that resonate with employees.

Clear communication is pivotal in fostering engagement, as it helps build a culture where employees feel listened to and appreciated. The key drivers of engagement include regular feedback mechanisms and recognition for their contributions, which are essential in nurturing employees’ sense of belonging and motivation.

Furthermore, offering opportunities for professional development is critical in ensuring employee satisfaction and retention. By investing in skill enhancement programs and career growth pathways, organisations can empower their workforce to upskill, enhance their competencies, and advance within the company. This benefits individual employees and contributes to the organisation’s overall success and sustainability in Cyprus’s competitive business landscape.

What methods are used for measuring employee engagement?

Companies can use various other techniques to gauge employee engagement effectively, in addition to traditional methods like surveys. One-on-one meetings with employees provide a personalised touch, allowing for more in-depth discussions about their experiences and concerns. 

Focus groups can be beneficial as they encourage collaboration and feedback among a small group of employees, offering valuable insights into the organisation’s overall sentiment. Analysing human resources data such as employee turnover rates and absenteeism can also serve as key indicators of employee engagement. 

High turnover or increased absenteeism may suggest underlying issues that must be addressed promptly. Moreover, tracking productivity and job satisfaction metrics can further enhance understanding and highlight areas for improvement.

Regular check-ins and feedback mechanisms foster open communication and transparency, creating a conducive environment for employees to voice their opinions and contribute to organisational growth. By consistently monitoring employee engagement through various channels, companies can identify strengths to celebrate and weaknesses to address, ultimately fostering a more positive and productive work environment.

What is an employee engagement survey?

Employee engagement surveys are valuable tools that provide insights into employee engagement, continuous improvement levels, and employees’ level of involvement and commitment towards their organisation. These surveys allow organisations to measure employee engagement by enabling employees to express their genuine opinions on various aspects of their work environment, including job satisfaction, company culture, and overall happiness.

The data collected from these surveys enables companies to identify trends, pinpoint areas that require improvement, and develop strategies to address any issues raised by employees. Organisations can cultivate a more engaged and productive workforce by actively listening to employee feedback and taking appropriate actions.

Employee engagement surveys not only help gauge the current sentiment within the workforce but also serve as a proactive measure to prevent potential issues that may lead to disengagement or turnover, ultimately enhancing performance management and engagement efforts. They provide a platform for open communication between employees and management, fostering a culture of transparency and trust within the organisation.

Implementing employee engagement initiatives based on survey results demonstrates a commitment to prioritising employee well-being and job satisfaction. This can also enhance customer satisfaction and lead to better business outcomes. In turn, this can lead to increased employee retention rates, improved performance levels, and a more positive work environment overall.

What are employee engagement survey questions designed to assess?

Employee engagement survey questions are designed to determine what helps or hurts employee engagement. These questions look for the drivers of employee engagement, which are the key parts of the work environment and company culture that affect how employees feel about their jobs.

The questions usually cover how much purpose employees feel in their work, their relationships with coworkers and managers, their chances for growth and development, and how happy they are with the organisation. Organisations can learn what factors matter most to their employees by examining the answers to these questions.

Knowing what is most important helps organisations create better engagement initiatives. For example, suppose the survey shows employees don’t see enough growth opportunities. In that case, the organisation can work on providing clear career paths and offering helpful training programs.

What are common employee engagement survey questions?

Choosing the right questions for an employee engagement survey, including effective employee surveys, can make a big difference in the quality of the feedback you get. The questions you pick can help you gather important information or lead to unclear answers. Every organisation is different, but some common questions work well to measure how engaged employees feel, such as those that reflect current employee engagement trends.

Here are some common questions you can ask:

• On a scale of 1 to 5, how engaged do you feel at work?
• Do you feel proud to work for this organisation?
• Do you feel valued and appreciated for your contributions?
• Do you have the resources and support you need to succeed in your role?
• Would you recommend this organisation as a great place to work?

These questions can be a good starting point. However, you may need to adjust them to fit your industry, company size, and goals. Also, including open-ended questions can help employees share their thoughts and feelings in more detail.

What are the key employee engagement strategies?

Implementing good employee engagement program strategies is the best way to create a modern workplace where employees feel valued and motivated. Key strategies include promoting open communication, giving regular feedback and recognition, and providing plenty of development opportunities.

Investing in employee growth through training programs, mentoring, and clear career paths shows a commitment to their long-term success. By going the extra mile and celebrating achievements, big and small, through employee recognition, companies can build a positive cycle that encourages good behaviour and strengthens employee engagement. Following these best practices helps organisations attract and keep top talent.

What is employee empowerment?

Employee empowerment is key to strong engagement and organisational success. It helps create a place where people feel trusted, respected, and able to show discretionary effort in making decisions at work. This means building a culture that values employees’ thoughts and lets them take charge of their tasks.

When employees feel empowered, they are more engaged. They build an emotional connection to their work and see how it helps the organisation succeed, contributing to business success and a strong employer brand. By giving employees, the freedom to make choices, businesses also encourage a sense of ownership and responsibility, turning them into brand advocates. This makes them want to put in extra effort.

What are the employee engagement activities in Cyprus?

Employee engagement activities in Cyprus are more than just office events. They take advantage of the island’s lively culture and stunning views. Team-building can include fun activities outside, visits to historical places, or joining in local cultural events. Companies are now paying more attention to building a positive and welcoming workplace culture. 

They want to encourage a good balance between work and personal life. Flexible work options, wellness programs, and social gatherings are becoming routine. These changes show that businesses understand how important it is for employees to feel valuable and close to their teams in both work and personal settings.

Are there examples of successful employee engagement in Cyprus?

Yes, many companies in Cyprus show how to engage employees successfully. These businesses care about their workers’ well-being. They build a positive and supportive work environment that helps people grow and improve.

Knowing what their employees need and want, these companies adjust their engagement strategies. As a result, they enjoy the rewards of a happy and productive workforce, which makes them the preferred employers in Cyprus’s tough job market.

Are there successful employee engagement case studies in Cyprus?

Many specific case studies might be difficult to find because of privacy rules. Still, you can see how successful employee engagement helps businesses in Cyprus succeed. Companies in different fields, such as technology, tourism, and finance, realise that a happy and engaged workforce leads to good business results. These innovative companies follow similar steps regarding employee engagement. 

They focus on clear and open communication, invest in developing their employees, and build a company culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. By prioritising these parts of the employee experience, these businesses boost their profits and become appealing places to work, which helps them attract and retain the best talent.

What is the next step?

Encouraging employee engagement is important for everyone in the organisation, not just HR professionals. To boost employee engagement, you can use pulse surveys. These surveys help you check employees’ engagement and find ways to improve.

Offer development opportunities that match employees’ needs and wants. Create a workplace-to-work environment where communication is strong, people feel recognised, and improvement is a constant goal. Engaged employees are more likely to work harder and become advocates for your brand.

Start now by making engaging survey questions and genuinely listening to what your employees say through employee listening. It’s time to improve workplace engagement!

Integrate relationship-building, upskilling, and flexibility into your welcome when bringing on new Gen Z employees.

How warm is your workplace welcome?

Great Place To Work research has identified “hiring & welcoming” as a key leadership behavior critical to a successful employee retention strategy. While onboarding is not the only factor, it can set the tone for an employee’s entire tenure with your organization.

This is especially true for Gen Z, a generation that’s both anxious from uncertainty and hopeful for the future.

Employers hiring those born between 1997 and 2012 need to be aware of the unique experiences and expectations of Gen Z in the workplace — and how those factors impact their onboarding experience.

3 ways Gen Z’s upbringing influences the workplace

“Every generation has a unique backdrop of society that it grows up in,” says Dr. Meghan Grace, co-lead of the Institute of Generational Research and Education and a senior consultant with Plaid LLC, an organizational development firm that focuses on learning experiences.

In Gen Z’s case, she says, three factors stand out as defining characteristics: technological advancement, global connection, and high-stress uncertainty.

1. Gen Z has experienced rapid technological change

“When we look at what was going on with Gen Z in that time period, it’s rapid technological innovation, faster than any other period in time,” says Grace. “That is the only real way they’ve known how to connect with the world.”

As such, Gen Z is not just extremely skilled at learning new technology — they expect it.

For example, Gen Z is the generation most likely to have used AI in the workplace. But at the same time, they’re already more worried than other generations about being replaced by someone with better AI skills, according to a February 2024 study by D2L,

Dr. Grace says Gen Z isn’t necessarily afraid of tools like AI, but they are very aware of how new tech will change the way they work — and they want to learn it.

“It’s ‘Can I be nimble? Can I learn skills that are transferable to a variety of different spaces and different industries,’” she says. “It’s not just, ‘I’m gonna be a doctor — I might need to be a doctor who can also manage a TikTok account that educates people on health issues.’”

Gen Z may be incredibly tech-savvy, but they’re also worried about what they don’t yet know. As such, they’re seeking employers that will give them those opportunities for ongoing learning and career development.

2. Gen Z has developed high empathy

While all generations face changing technology, Gen Z’s experience of it has broadened their worldview from a very young, formative age.

It used to be that high school represented your entire social circle, explains Dr. Grace. But with social media, Gen Z has broadened their networks in an unprecedented way.

For example, maybe someone had a niche interest and were the only kid in their school to care about that. But online, they could find a community with peers from different backgrounds.

They’ve also watched world events — from wildfires in Australia to the conflict in Gaza — unfold in real time, narrated through social media by young people just like them.

“Something that’s unique is that they can understand the human experience around the globe much more than previous generations can and feel that empathy,” says Dr. Grace. “They are more aware of what’s going on in the world geopolitically than previous generations.”

As such, Gen Z is seeking workplaces that align with their expanded worldviews and offer them the chance to make a difference.

“Gen Z more aware of what’s going on in the world geopolitically than previous generations.”

“They’re hopeful for the opportunity to take on jobs that have meaning, that create impact for other people,” says Dr. Grace. “Gen Z is channeling their activism in their personal lives and want to work for companies with social alignment.”

3. Gen Z has faced global uncertainty

Older Gen Zs were early adolescents when the 2008 U.S. recession hit — meaning at the time when they were dreaming about what they wanted to be when they grew up, they were also overhearing adults worry about layoffs and unemployment.

Then, while the oldest Gen Zs were in college or graduating into the working world, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Classes and office jobs shifted online, forcing them to miss out on important social development. Many Gen Zs worked frontline jobs in retail or hospitality, where they faced furloughs and safety concerns.

Dr. Grace says this backdrop has left Gen Z with a lot of anxiety — but also a willingness to be nimble out of necessity.

Take our hypothetical medical student, who sees science as a stable career path, but is open to biomedicine and integrating AI or new technology into their work. Dr. Grace says they may then also broadcast their journey through medical school on social media for monetization.

“They are truly financially concerned, stability concerned,” says Dr. Grace. “And so, they’re utilizing everything in their toolbox to make sure they’re not going to be hit with financial uncertainty. They have the ultimate ‘Let’s prepare for the next rainy day’ mindset.”  

While Gen Z has a reputation for job-hopping, it’s not because of short attention spans or disinterest. Rather, they’re switching jobs in search of financial security — higher pay, better benefits, and better growth opportunities.

“They have the ultimate ‘Let’s prepare for the next rainy day’ mindset.”

Employers that offer perks such as health insurance and retirement savings plans will appeal to this generation’s strong desire for stability.

5 tips for successfully onboarding Gen Z employees

Given Gen Z’s unique worldview and experiences, it may not come as a surprise that some of the things Gen Z wants most in an employer are:

• Relationship-building: The chance to connect with their colleagues as friends and mentors.
• Skills development: The opportunity to learn and practice new skills that will help them in their career goals.
• Workplace flexibility: The ability to shape their work life in a way that complements their personal life.

Here’s how to integrate these elements into your onboarding process:

1. Set up a buddy or mentor system

For Gen Z, the nuances of workplace interaction, such as communicating with multiple generations and working alongside new perspectives different from their peer group, was learned from behind a screen.

“I think that’s something they’re very cognizant of, that that’s a gap that they have,” says Dr. Grace.

She recommends pairing up Gen Z employees with a buddy who they meet with regularly. This could be just a friendly face who can answer questions they may be too scared to ask of their direct manager, or it could be a more formalized mentorship with someone who has similar career goals.

2. Offer a thorough training plan

Gen Zs are keen to learn. They are OK with acknowledging what they don’t know and will appreciate getting to try new things hands-on.

“They are sponges for skills,” says Dr. Grace. “They are seeking the ability to stack more things into their toolbox because they don’t know what skill they’re going to need down the road.”

Rather than relying solely on an all-in-one training session, consider bite-sized training and refresher opportunities. This kind of training aligns with the fast-based content delivery that Gen Z has become accustomed to online.

For example, if an employee is working on a new task for the first time, you could set up a 10-minute chat over coffee to walk them through it or send them a Loom video that guides them through it step-by-step.

3. Show what success looks like

Gen Z has grown up with a lot of uncertainty — which is why they want clarity in a new job. That includes knowing what’s expected of them today in the role, as well as what their path to success looks like.

When do reviews happen? Is there a checklist they can follow to achieve a raise or promotion? Setting transparent milestones early on will help to ease Gen Z’s concerns about stability and success.

“I can’t stress enough how much transparent leadership matters to this generation, and they want transparent leadership pre-hiring through onboarding,” says Dr. Grace.

4. Promote purpose

Great Place To Work research has shown that purpose in the workplace is one of the key factors that determines whether an employee will stay or quit.

Employers can win over and retain Gen Z employees with a meaningful company mission. In fact, Gen Zs are three times more likely to remain with an organization if they perceive their work to have “special meaning,” underscoring the significance of genuine commitment over mere lip service.

“Something that should actually start in hiring is talking about how their role and the work that they will do will have a bigger impact,” says Dr. Grace. “Why do we exist and why does this specific role play a part in what we achieve?”

Gen Zs are three times more likely to remain with an organization if they perceive their work to have “special meaning.”

5. Embrace flexibility

Great Place To Work’s research on employee retention strategies has found that employees are three times more likely to stay with an employer when they can choose between remote, hybrid, or onsite work.

While all generations are seeking flexibility these days, “this is a generation that has said it at a much earlier age,” says Dr. Grace. “They’re identifying that work is not their entire identity like previous generations have.”

Good onboarding is a business imperative

Proper onboarding isn’t just a nice to have — it’s essential for an engaged workforce.

“New hires are some of the most expensive to replace because you’re oftentimes replacing many of them multiple times a year,” says Dr. Grace. “The approach to onboarding needs to be incredibly holistic because when employees have barriers — even slight barriers or slight frustrations — those are the things they remember.”

Access our report, Unlocking the Secrets of Employee Retention, to find out how you can predict and prevent turnover in your workplace, including a special section on keeping Gen Z happy at your company.

---

Learn how you can use our employee engagement survey and data analysis platform to extract data on your employees workplace perception.

---

Claire Hastwell

As the Content Program Manager at Great Place To Work, Claire helps decode the psychology behind high-trust workplaces using Great Place To Work’s extensive data repository on employee experience. Claire has co-authored noted reports such as “Women in the Workplace” and “The Power of Purpose at Work,” and contributed to Fortune with her profiles of the Best Workplaces™. Her latest report on employee retention strategies draws on the experience of 1.3 million employees to give leaders strategic guidance on retaining their top people. 

by MICHAEL C. BUSH

Every employee should take these behaviors to heart whether or not they are people leaders.  

I often get asked what it takes to create a great workplace. The short answer: trust.

High-trust cultures help employees thrive, which fuels company performance in all areas — from referrals and retention to productivity and revenue. 

It’s impossible to create a great workplace for all employees without trust. That’s what our 30 years of research about company culture has told us. And that’s why our survey that measures employee experience is called the Trust Index™.

Trust is woven into our daily interactions at work, just as it is outside of work among family and friends. It’s built on many moments — moments that our research has broken down into nine behaviors that can build or break trust. It’s a list I keep on my desk and check every day check-in on how I’m doing as a leader.

Every leader should work on and improve these behaviors; if you’re not a people leader, you might be thinking, “What does this have to do with me?”

Leaders affect 70% of the employee experience, but the other 30% comes from our teammates, how we work with others, and the actual work that we’re doing. It takes everyone in an organization to create a great workplace for all.  

Here’s where to begin: 

1. Listening

This is the most important behavior of all and what I focus on the most. If you’re not a great listener, you can’t model the other behaviors well.  

Listening is not just making sure you’ve accurately heard the words coming out of someone’s mouth. It’s also not just waiting for someone to stop talking so you can speak. It is choosing to empty your mind and set aside your opinions while someone else is talking.

True listening requires humility, vulnerability, and empathy.  

You may have a lot of opinions, but to be a for-all, inclusive leader, you must put those opinions aside. If you’re having a conversation and you’re not willing to consider other points of view, what’s the point of having the conversation at all? Letting go of your assumptions can be described as a meditative mindset, and that’s what makes a great listener.

How do you know you’re doing it right? You’ll find yourself asking questions because you’re learning something from the person you’re talking to. People will tell you that you’re a great listener because it’s rare to have a conversation with someone who’s deeply listening.  

Listening might sound reactive, but it should be proactive. Make yourself available and seek out chances to listen.

Think about who you haven’t heard from lately — and then go ask them questions with a learning mindset. Schedule informal meetings like brown-bag lunches and Q&A sessions. Use surveys and focus groups to regularly elicit employee opinions — and follow up with feedback and action.  

“Listening is not just making sure you’ve accurately heard the words coming out of someone’s mouth. It’s also not just waiting for someone to stop talking so you can speak. It is choosing to empty your mind and set aside your opinions while someone else is talking.”

2. Speaking

This is what we do all day. But there are many layers to what might seem like a straight-forward behavior. 

Speaking is about clarity, frequency, transparency, and sharing information fully in a variety of ways. That includes regularly sharing company news with employees through all your channels — video, intranet, email, print, etc. Be sure to share that news (both the facts and feelings around it) internally before you do externally.

It’s not just about what you share, but who you share it with. Be mindful of those who haven’t heard a message and need to know what information is being shared.  

Speaking is more than what you say and who you say it to, it is how you share information. Communicate thoughtfully and with care, and in easy-to-understand styles. Set up regular meetings to discuss what’s happening and personally share news to encourage a culture of transparency as much as possible.

Lastly, speaking is an opportunity to communicate how a person’s job — and how doing their job well — is essential for your organization to achieve its purpose. 

Consider your receptionist, for example — a role that is often overlooked. Whenever you speak with them, reiterate, emphasize, and clarify how important their job is. When someone walks in a building or contacts a receptionist on the phone, that’s a connection to the brand. In a few seconds, a caller or visitor either feels cared for, important, and listened to, or they don’t.

Speaking is the ability to talk to every warehouse worker, every receptionist, every salesperson, every executive, every teammate in a way that they feel that doing their job is important for the organization to achieve its purpose. And if you’re not sure what someone does, this is your opportunity to build trust by getting to know them.

“Speaking is more than what you say and who you say it to, it is how you share information.”

3. Thanking

If you’re listening to people in the way that I described earlier, you’ll learn things about them. That helps you thank your colleagues in ways that are personally meaningful. Acts of gratitude let people know you’re listening in a way that shows they’re important and essential.

Create a culture of appreciation by recognizing good work and extra effort frequently.

Opportunities to do this are endless: Encourage peer recognition, present employee awards, write personal notes, appreciate mistakes as learning opportunities, and recognize employees who demonstrate company values in person and in front of others.

Creating a culture of thanking will positively affect people’s sense of value and willingness to do their best work because they feel seen.

4. Developing

Listening and speaking helps you learn how someone can further develop personally and professionally.

It’s your job to help employees grow as people, not just performers. Nurture their talents and interests through courses (job- and non-job-related), tuition reimbursement, and personalized development plans and training, for example. Connect employees with mentors and inform them of internal job postings.

Try and give feedback in a way that’s measurable, so they know they’re improving, and with a sense of care, so they’re open to what you have to say. 

When people know you care — even if they don’t always like hearing where they need to improve — they’ll take it as a gift. Everybody wants to get better. Yes, they know it leads to more money, more compensation, and more responsibility in the company. But, at a base level, they want to know they’re making a difference.  

“It’s your job to help employees grow as people, not just performers.”

5. Caring

This is the secret weapon. Great work happens when people care. And people care about their work when they experience being cared for. That shows up when you take time to understand and listen to people’s experiences, inside and outside of work.  

Support their personal lives by discussing options for flextime and personal leave policies. Help them cope with family and personal crises as they arise, and organize support through sick leave or monetary donations. Encourage work-life balance and remind them to take time off to recharge.  

Do you know what makes an employee check an algorithm two or three times, or proofread an email six or seven times? It’s because they care about the purpose of the organization, they care for others, and they feel cared for.

Caring is what unlocks people, and it is key to maximizing a human’s potential.  

“Great work happens when people care. And people care about their work when they experience being cared for.”

6. Sharing

Distributing profits, compensation, bonuses, and incentive plans fairly creates an equitable workplace. If you’re building trust for all, every employee needs to share in the company’s success and understanding how their performance relates to compensation.

Equitable and inclusive sharing also shows up in philanthropic activities. If you’re organizing community activities like a cleanup at a local school, or picking up plastic off a beach or park, make sure that everybody has the opportunity to participate.

If you’re doing those things between eight to five, what about the night shift worker? Make sure you’re truly inclusive in terms of sharing opportunities for people, as well as the resources of the organization.  

Equity does not equal sameness. A picnic for the day shift doesn’t also have to be a picnic for the night shift. What is the purpose of the picnic? To bring people together, to show them their value, and create opportunities for them to interact in informal ways with their leaders.

So how can you create this same experience for this night shift without recreating the same event?

7. Celebrating

The most important things to celebrate are the values of the organization and how people help the organization achieve its purpose.  

It’s important to be specific:

“We want to thank John for the work he did in helping a customer through a sticky problem. We wanted John to do that in seven minutes, but John took 20 minutes because the customer needed it at that time. At our company, we’re willing to do whatever is required to make the customer’s problem our problem, and we’re willing to do what’s required to solve it. I also know that John was late for getting to a soccer practice for his kid. I hope John doesn’t have to do that again, but I want to appreciate the fact that he did that for us.”

If you find yourself celebrating, recognizing, and rewarding the same person, communicate to everyone what it takes to be celebrated and recognized so they don’t feel there’s bias or favoritism. They’ll know if they work hard in some measurable way, they too will get celebrated, recognized, and rewarded one day.

“The most important things to celebrate are the values of the organization and how people help the organization achieve its purpose.”  

8. Inspiring

You don’t have to be a great public speaker to inspire people. You can inspire people with the questions you ask and the way you listen.

You can inspire them by reaffirming the difference your organization makes in the world and why the work is important. Help your workforce understand how their work relates to the company’s higher purpose and business success.

You can do this by telling customer or client stories, sharing the vision of where the company is headed, pointing out behaviors that exemplify company values, reinforcing company values, stressing your company’s contribution to your industry or society, and showing links between employee efforts and achieving your goals.

“You don’t have to be a great public speaker to inspire people. You can inspire people with the questions you ask and the way you listen.”

9. Hiring and welcoming

When someone joins your organization, you should make sure that they know you were expecting them — and that you couldn’t wait for them to get here.

You need to make sure that they have a workplace, can access the systems they need to connect with their work and their colleagues, and have the equipment to be successful. Their laptop is ready, their uniform is ready, their steel-toed boots are ready, their safety goggles are ready.

This goes beyond hiring; it’s what we call welcoming. You can email or send new hires a note in the mail before they start, announce them to other employees in advance, take them to lunch their first week, and help them get integrated into your culture.

When a person joins an organization that has shown that they’ve been thinking about them for a few weeks before they started, they will go home and say, “It was a great experience today. They expected me, my name badge was ready. Everybody was kind, and they seemed to know who I was and what I was going to do.” These actions build trust on their first day.

If someone gets to work and those things aren’t true, trust dips a bit. Self-confidence drops. They wonder if you really want them there, or if they’re an afterthought.

And the worst case — they feel like they’re just an employee and not a person who’s important, because if they were important, they would’ve had a much different experience when they arrived. 

Whether or not you manage people at work, I encourage you to put this wheel of nine high-trust behaviors in a place where you will see it every day.

Trust takes work and conscious effort. And it’s required to create a great place to work for all.

Become great

Ready to learn more about your employee experience? Benchmark your organization using Certification™ and see how you stack against the very best.

---

Michael C. Bush

Michael Bush is CEO of Great Place to Work®. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, Michael joined Great Place to Work as CEO in 2015, bringing 30 years of experience leading and growing organizations. Previously, he was CEO of Tetra Tech Communications, a billion-dollar global telecommunications infrastructure firm and was a member of President Obama’s White House Business Council. He earned his M.S. in Management from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

by Great Place To Work® UK

Why employee stories should be part of your employer branding strategy plus real company examples for sharing them with maximum impact.

What was your company’s latest social media post? Was it about your product? Or was it about your people?

How often do you feature employee stories on your social media? (If you do it at all.)

As any marketer knows, social media is one of the most important tools in their kit, providing instant reach to an audience in real time. And yet, while millions of businesses have social media accounts, two critical factors are too often overlooked:

1. Social media is social, meaning it’s meant to be a two-way conversation, not a broadcast
2. Marketing your people and values is just as important as marketing your goods and services

Why you should feature employee stories on social media

Sharing employee stories on social media shows potential job candidates what they can expect from your company culture. It’s also cost-effective and possible with a dispersed team.

More consumers want their money going to companies they feel align with their values. In fact, a 2021 study by Toluna/Harris Interactive and KuRunData found that:

• 79% of consumers prefer buying from brands with aligned values
• 68% have stopped supporting brands that don’t align with their personal values

That alignment also applies to employees, who are increasingly seeking out workplaces that fit their values. Which is why featuring employee stories on your social media is so important. Sharing employee stories on social media is a way to showcase your company culture and values and attract customers and potential hires alike.

But how do you share employee stories in a way that’s authentic and engaging?

Here are five ways to feature employee stories on social media that will work for remote and in-person workplaces, starring examples from Certified™ great workplaces around the globe.

How to share employee stories on social media

1. Employee social media take-overs

Hand your account(s) over to your employees and let them speak for themselves. That could be something like a “day in the life” on TikTok, an interactive Twitter chat, or an Instagram ‘Ask Me Anything.’

Of course, blindly giving the reins of your brand accounts may not fly with your PR and communications team. But if the employee and the marketing team collaborate on the message, you can come up with some creative and authentic employee stories. Best Workplace Version 1, for example, have shared “day in the life” videos of employees like Amardeep, which give a glimpse into what working there is like.

 

2. Participate in theme days for maximum reach

Global theme days (or even themed weeks or months) are a social media gold mine. Not only do they supply you with a focused content topic, but they enable you to take part in a worldwide conversation and reach more people.

Days like Employee Appreciation Day, Certification Nation Day or World Mental Health Day are perfect times to show off how your workplace is making the world better – especially when you can connect those themes directly to your employees’ stories.

For example, check out how Edrington UK honoured the women on its team for International Women’s Day, through a fun video highlighting why each woman had been nominated for recognition.

 

3. Think beyond the workplace

Great workplaces recognise that their employees have lives beyond the office. While it’s great (and encouraged!) to praise employees for their hard work, why not extend that and shout out some of the amazing things they’re doing outside of work?

Maybe you have an employee who volunteers with a charity, or who has a fascinating hobby, or a talent beyond their 9-to-5. Show off the personality of your people and in doing so, you’ll convey how your business puts its people first. Aer Studios, for example, welcomed a new employee to the team with a fun ‘two truths and a lie’ post.

 

4. Share your stats for transparency

If done right, numbers can be very eye-catching on social media. If done wrong, they’re just another boring statistic.

When it comes to social media, think visual: graphs or infographics that are easy to read at a quick glance. And be selective with which numbers you want to present.

Tap into the stats that truly set your company apart, whether that’s:

• how many women you have in leadership positions
• how your salaries compare to the competition
• how your employees answered your latest pulse survey.

For example, Health & Care Management Ltd used a graphic of one of their employee survey stats to show off how and why they achieved Great Place To Work Certification.

 

5. Jump on trends for playful posts

If you’re stuck for ideas, why not try taking a look at what’s trending? From TikTok audios to Instagram buzzwords, there’s plenty of ways to adapt current trends for your organisations’ socials – like Signable, part of Domo Group, who shared their ‘office icks’ in a fun video for Instagram

by Jessica Levco

From left, Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work; Julie Sweet, Accenture chair and CEO; Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and HR officer at Accenture; and Michael Phelps discuss the importance of mental health.

Attendees at the For All™ Summit learned the bottom line will only go up if you invest in improving the lives of your employees.

You can’t run your company through an Excel sheet.

“It takes commitment and courage,” said Julian Lute, senior strategic advisor at Great Place to Work®. “You want to create and nourish your community.”

On Oct. 13, speakers at the 18th annual Great Place to Work For All Summit showed how they nurture their employees. Here’s a look: 

• Great companies want them to be great for all. For two years in a row, DHL Express is No. 1 among the World’s Best Workplaces™ in 2022. Thomas Ogilvie, board member for human resources and labor director at Deutsche Post DHL Group, said, “Every individual on our team needs to ask themselves: ‘Is DHL a great company to work for me?’”
• Go beyond listening. Although listening to employees is important, you must act on that feedback. “If employees tell us they need something, we try to do it within a week,” said Brian Doubles, president and CEO at Synchrony. “Listening is one thing, but acting on it is another. Close the loop.”
• Make wellness for employees a priority. Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, talked about why wellness matters more than ever. “If you want to succeed in a tight labor market, well-being has to be an important priority for your company,” she said.

Advice like this resonated with first-time conference attendee, Jessica Koch, internal communications and engagement specialist at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

“The best part has been the passionate, knowledgeable people I met,” Koch said. “I’ve interacted with so many professionals who are driven to lead extraordinary change at their organizations. I’ve heard from remarkable leaders who have proven records of innovation and inclusion. I’m excited to bring my notes back home to help my organization continue to be a great place to work.”

THREE WAYS TO FOCUS ON THE EMPLOYEE JOURNEY

We spend so much time thinking about the customer journey, but why not bring that same level of care and intentionality to the employee journey? That was the question Pat Wadors, chief people officer at UKG, encouraged attendees to think deeply about.

“We think so much about what we want employees to do — sign up for benefits, set up their direct deposit, get a computer — but we need to focus on how we want them to think and feel,” said Wadors. “Stitching together the experience from their first day to final day at the company matters.”

Want to bring that level of care to your organization? Here’s how:

• Encourage nudging. Let’s say you’ve got a long hiring process and a manager has been talking to a college student who is about to take final exams. They might be interviewing at other places, but you want your company to stay top-of-mind. By using a technology platform, Wadors can send a reminder to the manager to encourage them to wish the future employee well on their finals and send a gift certificate for food.
• Don’t be late. The biggest turn-off for future employees is if the interviewer shows up late for the interview, Wadors says. Through an app, Wadors can find out if the hiring person was late. If they’ve been late for more than two interviews, they no longer get to be part of the interviewing process.
• Keep an eye out on your managers. Did you know that your boss has a huge role in your heart health? “Crappy managers can affect employees,” Wadors said. “Build and hire great managers, and give them the courage and leadership tools to be great.”

HOW TO BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

Michael Phelps is more than an Olympic athlete. He’s dedicated to making the world a better place and shared his formula of success with attendees at the closing keynote address: Dream. Plan. Reach.

Attendees learned that there was a Phelps we saw on TV — the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) who earned 28 Olympic medals, and an outstanding performer who defined what it meant to be a world class swimmer. But outside of the pool, he was a man who struggled with mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

In the fall of 2014, Phelps experienced the darkest time in his life and questioned whether he wanted to be alive. He decided he needed help and checked himself into a treatment center for 45 days. It was there he learned about himself: how to understand his emotions, communicate his feelings, and not to compartmentalize them.

He attributes the benefits of therapy to helping him understand who he is as a person and provide tools to help him manage his mental health, And in turn, it has made him a better version of himself as well as a stronger husband and father.

“For 20 years, I was carrying around 100 pounds of stuff,” Phelps said. “I had to figure out what self-care looked like and how to be my authentic self every single day.”

In 2008, he established the Michael Phelps Foundation, which works to promote water-safety, healthy living (physical and emotional wellness), and the pursuit of dreams.

During his transformation, Phelps stuck by these principles:

1. Don’t feel guilty about self-care.
2. Know who your special person is that you can talk to.
3. Ask for help, but if you get rejected — it’s OK. “They just might not be able to help you in that exact moment,” he says. “There are people that I go to that sometimes will tell me they are not able to hold space for me at that time, and that’s okay.” Keep asking and you’ll find someone who has the capacity to help.

Phelps was joined onstage by Accenture’s Sweet, and Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer, to talk about the importance of mental health in the workplace.

Shook encouraged us to ask those around us: “How are you doing? Really?” And then listen to the answer.

In meetings, she says, “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, how are you?’ And then you jump right into your agenda, but you never really pause to see or hear how the person is really doing.”

Mental health is a top priority in managing the firm’s 700,000+ employees—from leaders to individual contributors to everyone in between.

“I think for all of us, just to understand that the person, whether they’re a high performer or not, on the other side of you, may be going through something profoundly difficult and you may never know,” Sweet said. “And it could be the least likely person in your mind. Ask those around you: “How are you doing? Really?” And then listen to the answer.”

 — Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer, Accenture

Not only did Accenture listen and act on company data that showed mental support was needed, it’s become a prominent voice in normalizing mental health as a priority in the workplace.

Shook spends a lot of time thinking about how to infuse empathy into our day-to-day at work. 

“How do we help people think, ‘Oh, that person could be having a tough day. They might need help,’” she said.

Building on what Sweet said, Shook added: “It’s about the human connection and creating the conditions for care, kindness and connection. [That’s] really the place in the journey we are today.”

Shook described “a little experiment” she conducted ahead of a global management committee meeting. She spent two weeks writing personal letters to each member and had those letters waiting for them when they checked into their rooms. She shared the ways in which she admired them and their families. The response, she said, was “extraordinary.”

“What I think it showed each one of us is when you see someone as a human being first — not as an employee, not as one of Fortune’s most powerful women — but as an employee, a human being, that makes a big difference to people,” she said. “And that is how you can achieve what it is we’re trying to achieve one person at a time, even when there’s 721,000 of us.”

by Claire Hastwell, Great Place to Work® US

Gen Z may just be an emerging generation in the workforce, but employers in-the-know recognize it’s a demographic they need to appeal to now.

Lumping all “young people” into one category is unwise. It will hurt your hiring, your employee engagement and – as we’ve seen in the past two years – the way employees measure how their managers show up in a crisis.

Through our extensive research of the Best Workplaces™ in the U.S., we’ve been able to extrapolate the data to understand where Gen Z are now, and where they’re going.

Gathering over 32,000 Gen Z employee survey responses from more than 3,500 companies across the U.S., we’ve identified the workplaces that are getting it right when it comes to attracting and retaining Gen Z.

COMPANIES GEN Z WANTS TO WORK FOR

ALTAR’D STATE

Altar’d State is a women’s fashion brand, with 121 boutiques across the USA. Over a third of its employees are Gen Z, with 94% of them ranking it a great place to work.

Employees at Altar’d State feel a strong sense of purpose at work every day, in part thanks to their “Mission Mondays.” On Mondays, 10% of their net proceeds go to local charities in their communities.

In their Trust Index™ survey, many Gen Z employees at Altar’d State expressed how much meaning they felt at work (one of the key things Gen Z want from employers):

I always tell people that I don’t just work retail, because our giveback mission is what truly stands out. I’ve worked at other retailers prior to Altar’d State and I’ve never held the pride I do in sharing Altar’d States mission. Although we are a large company having the opportunity to create local relationships with other organizations is something that is truly unique. – Gen Z employee at Altar’d State.

TECHSTYLE FASHION GROUP

Global fashion retailer TechStyle uses data science for personalized, membership-based e-commerce. It’s also a company that 93% of its Gen Z employees say is a great place to work.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are more than just words on a mission statement at TechStyle. The company measures employees’ feelings of inclusion and belonging in their survey and the results are impressive.

Ninety-five of employees believe people are treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation, and 92% say that people of all cultures and backgrounds are valued at the company. This is good news for any company wanting to recruit the next gen, since Gen Z is the most diverse employee group yet.

I think the inclusive culture of this company is unique to most, I feel that many companies preach this message, but don’t practice it. Fabletics does a great job of doing both. Also, my managers have done an incredible job of creating a team environment in the store where everyone is welcome and feels valued. This team is not just a group of employees, but rather a family. It’s unusual to find that in a retail store, and I have to credit that to our managers and team leads. – Gen Z employee at Fabletics, part of TechStyle Fashion Group.

WEGMANS FOOD MARKETS, INC.

With a quarter of its survey respondents within Gen Z, supermarket chain Wegmans scores high — 93% of them say it’s a great place to work. Things like daily team huddles and employee appreciation budgets are just a few ways the company supports its staff.

Wegmans also offers an employee scholarship program, which continued even amidst the pandemic, with 1,842 new scholarship recipients in 2020. After college, some of their scholarship winners move into a new field, but many Wegmans grads pursue a career within the organization.

I’ve been given the opportunity to train in any department I showed interest in. I know that I will continue to be asked if I want to participate in more learning opportunities in the future. Management is stable but constantly changing due to how many people are given opportunities to train. We were consistently shown appreciation throughout the pandemic through coupons for free PPE, free meals, and extra flexibility with scheduling. – Gen Z employee at Wegmans.

WESLEY ENHANCED LIVING

Aging services company Wesley Enhanced Living prides itself on creating a sense of community and meaningful connections, and a sense camaraderie between employees and residents. It’s clearly succeeding, with 92% of its Gen Z employees ranking it as a great place to work.

Eighty-five of Gen Z employees feel their work has special meaning. In their survey, many Gen Z employees compliment the caring management as well as the social interaction with residents – three core drivers of happiness at work for Gen Z. 

You feel very welcomed by others. The managers are very understanding. This company makes it a great place to work compared to other places.– Gen Z employee at Wesley Enhanced Living.

MATHNASIUM – KV

Mathnasium is a math learning center dedicated to teaching children math in a way that makes sense to them and goes beyond traditional tutoring. Nearly 60% of its employees are Gen Z, with 90% of them saying it’s a great place to work.

Mathnasium stand out for their equitable treatment of people from diverse backgrounds, with 99% of employees believing people are treated fairly regardless of their race. Many employees also mentioned how “welcomed” they felt when joining the company – another key driver of Gen Z employee experience.

The welcoming nature and attention to making all the students and employees feel as comfortable as possible are what set this company apart from many other places to work. – Latinx Gen Z employee at Mathnasium.  

WIRELESSVISION

With locations in 30 states, WirelessVision is the largest T-Mobile retailer in the U.S. It’s also a place that prides itself on its company values: passion for its people, being best in class, staying hungry while loving the hustle, being honest and humble, and working hard while playing hard. Among its Gen Z staff, 90% said they think it’s a great place to work.

When asked what makes the company a great place to work, some employees mentioned feeling valued and how management lives up to company values.

[What’s special is ] recognition that’s given to the people who have earned it. I love the core values and that the company lives by them. Makes me feel appreciated. – Gen Z employee at WirelessVision.

QUIKTRIP

Self-described as “a fast-paced, happy bunch,” convenience store company QuikTrip certainly has happy employees. With one-fifth of its employees identifying as Gen Z, 90% of them said it’s a great place to work.

QuikTrip truly cares about their employees. I feel confident that my company would make the right decisions for myself and my co-workers in any situation, instead of doing what is best for the higher-ups. – Gen Z employee at QuikTrip

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

Like most restaurant chains, The Cheesecake Factory was hit particularly hard during the pandemic. But rather than let employees go, the company furloughed staff, so that they could keep their health benefits. They also reduced the hourly requirement for working staff to receive benefits and donated food and household essentials to staff stuck at home.

Nearly one-fifth of The Cheesecake Factory’s employees are Gen Z, with 89% of them ranking it as a great place to work. It’s clear that mental health is taken seriously at the company:

This company is accommodating to its staff and never questions you if you need time off for personal reasons. They check in to make sure your personal life is going well, as well as check in to make sure there isn’t anything they can be doing better when it comes to assisting their employees in the workplace. After discovering I had a serious illness that would require time to figure out proper treatment, my management gave me the time off I needed to get things squared away with my doctors without making me feel guilty for doing so. In fact, because they were so accommodating it made me want to work harder for the Cheesecake Factory in return. – Gen Z employee at The Cheesecake Factory.

NUGGET MARKET, INC.

At family-owned, Sacramento-based grocery chain Nugget Market, 96% of Gen Z employees say it’s a great place to work. The company prioritizes training and development for store managers through “Nugget High” and offers a 10% discount to all employees.

The company is also working to foster positive relationships between the community and police, through their “Coffee with a Cop” events, hosted in their cafes. The events allow people in the community to meet with local officers.

Mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth, not points of criticism. This applies whether it is a guest complaint or feedback from a manager. I never feel like I am being punished, rather I am given the chance to do better next time. This creates a positive and encouraging work environment, as well as strengthens my relationship with the managerial team. – Gen Z employee at Nugget Market.

by Claire Hastwell, Great Place to Work® US

Gen Z is coming to your workplace.

The generation born between 1997 and 2012 may be just entering the workforce, but smart employers are already thinking about how their company culture can attract and retain Gen Z.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 16- to 24-year-olds made up 11.6% of the workforce in 2020, primarily in the industries of retail, hospitality, and senior living — all of which were hardest hit by the pandemic and lockdowns. Because of this, this generation has a unique perspective as new workers under extraordinary circumstances.

In our research of workplaces around the country, we’ve collected over 32,000 Gen Z employee responses from over 350 companies. Here’s what Gen Z says they want from employers in 2021 and beyond.

WHAT GEN Z WANTS FROM EMPLOYERS

1. DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

Gen Z is tracking to be the most diverse workforce yet, with our data showing 47% of Gen Z employees identifying as

BIPOC By comparison, 39% of Millennial workers we surveyed identified as PoC, versus 34% of Gen X and only 25% of Boomers.

Pew Research Center points to changing immigration patterns —immigration to the U.S. peaked in 2005 and then declined — that have shaped Gen Z’s demographics. There are fewer Gen Zs than Millennials who are foreign-born, but a higher number who were born in the U.S. to immigrant parents.

As Gen Z grows into the workforce, employers must learn how to best manage a diverse team and get serious about DEIB initiatives. This includes:

• Ensuring a diverse slate of candidates to secure the best talent
• Training other employees (particularly older generations) on DEIB, and
• Ensuring there’s representation across the leadership team.

2. LIVABLE PAY

Pay was the number one topic Gen Z employees commented on in our research, with calls for better minimum wage and increased hourly pay. Only 69% of Gen Z employees said they feel they’re paid fairly, which is 7 points below other generations.

Because of their young age and career stage, most Gen Z employees are working in industries such as retail and hospitality, which tend to be lower-paying or reliant on tips. These were also the industries most impacted by lockdowns, leaving Gen Z workers bearing the brunt of COVID-19 furloughs and closures.

According to payroll company ADP, Gen Z was hardest hit by job losses in 2020, losing some 11% of their jobs, well above the national average (6.7%) and impacts to other age groups.

With the current hiring crunch slamming retail and hospitality in particular, employers wanting to attract Gen Z talent will need to offer fair pay and earn the trust of a generation uniquely hit by the crisis.

3. MENTALLY HEALTHY AND SAFE PLACE TO WORK

Some of the widest gaps between Gen Z and other generations are around feeling their workplaces are psychologically and emotionally healthy.

In our research, Gen Z employees showed a 7-point difference on statements measuring:

• Psychologically and emotionally healthy workplace environment
• Ability to take time off from work when necessary

The American Psychological Association has identified Gen Z as the most stressed generation, attributed to growing up while the world has faced severe global challenges like gun violence, climate change, political instability, racial reckoning and a pandemic.

Great employers will need to ensure Gen Z feels emotionally supported in the workplace, through things like regular check-ins and encouragement to practice self-care (although, to be clear, that’s something all generations could benefit from after the past year).

4. SPECIAL MEANING

Finding purpose and special meaning is something that has typically been associated with the Millennial generation. But our research found the meaning deficit is even more acute for Gen Z, who scored their employers:

• 8-points lower than other generations on how much their work has special meaning
• 7-point lower than other generations on how much they feel they make a difference at work

Grocery chain Wegmans is one example of a company that’s giving employees a voice, and 93% of Gen Z respondents at the company ranked it as a great place to work.

Wegmans management frequently seeks out ideas from the front-line workers who interact with customers the most, and all staff are invited to make suggestions and ask questions through “Ask Jack,” the company’s SVP of operations, Jack DePeters.

Since launching in 2002, Jack has responded to over 16,000 employee comments, with 68% of employees choosing to identify themselves by name rather than submit anonymously.

5. WARM WELCOME

Gen Z is still young. Many of them are just getting started in the workforce. A warm and thoughtful welcome can go a long way when you’re onboarding new grads and first-time employees.

With many employers switching to remote or hybrid workplaces post-pandemic, this can present a challenge — the usual practices of showing a new hire around the office or taking them out for lunch may no longer be an option for some workplaces.

But companies like YNAB are making it work. The software firm sends out welcome packages in the mail, timing them to arrive on an employee’s first day. The packages include YNAB swag, a booklet about the company’s vision and mission, personalized welcome messages from the team and a dinner gift card for the employee to celebrate their new job.

For someone new to the working world, efforts like this can go a long way to keeping them enthusiastic and engaged.

For years, Millennials have been the talked-about generation as brands have worked to woo them, either as customers or as employees (or both). But now that the next generation is on the workplace doorstep, employers need to start thinking now about how they’re going to attract the next gen of talent.