Creating a unified definition for engagement, driven from the top, will encourage connection and collaboration across the workforce.
By Maggie Mancini
Social and economic changes have led to increased uncertainty at work, and nearly 40% of senior leaders believe that their organization has experienced a high level of adversity or disruption over the last two years, according to research from LumApps. Employee engagement has also become a greater organizational priority over the last two years for nearly 70% of senior leaders.
What’s driving this trend? Economic pressure, shifting expectations, and new technology have made most workplaces feel like they’re in constant motion, says Louise Willoughby, chief people officer at LumApps. Leaders, in turn, see employee engagement as the stabilizing force through this period of disruption.
“When people feel connected, informed, and recognized, they stay and help their organizations stay balanced through change,” Willoughby says. “Leaders are realizing engagement isn’t just about satisfaction. It’s about creating the conditions where people can do their best work even when things are uncertain. Engagement is no longer a side initiative. It’s the foundation for resilience.”
Despite employee engagement being identified as a priority, there is a lack of alignment in how leaders define and measure it. Nearly 40% of leaders define employee engagement as “employee commitment to the business,” while 60% of leaders disagree with that definition altogether.
When each department has a different idea of what engagement actually means and why it matters, it’s difficult to make real improvements to how connected employees feel about their work, their colleagues, and their organization, Willoughby says.
She explains that leaders from every department should come together and create a unified definition for engagement to establish true connection, understanding, and collaboration across an organization. More than a quarter of leaders specifically cite HR, IT, and communications departments for operating in silos, which is part of the reason why engagement strategies are so disjointed, she says.
“Breaking down those walls makes engagement a company-wide goal that the leadership team shapes together,” Willoughby says. “When you have that alignment, employees naturally feel more connected to their organization and the work they’re doing. When leaders agree on what engagement means, they can measure it, resource it, and improve it far more effectively.”
Three-quarters (75%) of senior leaders believe workplace technology tools that support organizational connection contribute to both engagement and productivity, the report finds. Senior leaders are often juggling up to 10 different apps to do their jobs, Willoughby adds, which creates digital friction. This inefficiency can lead to burnout as regular, transparent communication is replaced by constant tool-switching.
“Tools that bring together communication, collaboration, and learning in one place have the most noticeable impact on engagement and productivity,” she explains. “A single employee hub gives employees one space to connect, stay up to date on changes, and handle their daily work without jumping between tools. Getting employees to actually use these tools, though, means meeting them where they are.”
Willoughby says that the tools should fit naturally into their workflow and deliver clear wins. This can mean getting new hires up to speed faster, providing easier access to information, or helping teams collaborate smoothly. This is particularly important for frontline workers who are always on the move.
By making workplace technology straightforward and easy to manage, HR leaders can secure employee buy-in organically, Willoughby adds.
Employee wellness and culture create engagement. At the end of the day, employees do their best work when they feel connected to and supported by their team. In particular, employees feel valued by leaders who listen, adapt, and create a culture built on empathy and transparent communication, Willoughby says.
“Engagement does not live in a policy or a presentation. It lives in the daily interactions between people,” Willoughby says. “It’s how quickly leaders respond to feedback, whether frontline teams have the same information as office staff and if managers are visible to their teams.”
The most successful companies treat communication as part of their culture, not separate from it, she adds. They make it easy for people to be seen, heard, and informed. When that happens, employees stay and help the culture continue to grow.
