Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during 2020 and so far in 2021, both organizations and their connection among employees have changed. Therefore, it is very relevant to know to what extent organizations' engagement has changed due to the restrictions and the "new normality."
What is a company's engagement?
We know that engagement is a term that refers to the “hooking,” the commitment, and the connection that exists between people and their organization.
In this case, thanks to an online survey conducted by Continente CI, an organization that Oxean Cross is part of together with Internal -Internal Communication and Both (“People and Comms”); we sought to establish which are the primary “triggers” or variables that support this engagement when it comes to labor organizations.
Thus, the results collected during May and June in Argentina, Chile, and Spain allowed the elaboration of the first Continente CI Pulse on engagement. You can visit this presentation by following the link at the end of this article.
And why is it interesting to know this data?
Because only with information is it possible to outline and establish an internal communication plan that would be effective and provide well-being and security to the company’s people.
“It is so relevant to know what happened and what continues to happen with organizations during this time of pandemic because things have certainly changed. What is also really necessary is to have initiatives to detect the well-being of the organization members or, for example, even burnout situations. On the other hand, we have identified a great desire to generate platforms that promote closeness, recreation spaces, playful situations with children, workshops, contests, raffles, breakfasts, etc.”, marks Marcela Ospina, co-founder and communication director of Wise Work, company partner of Oxean Cross.
The top 5 actions to improve a company's engagement
Those who participated in the survey identified five triggers for effective engagement:
Regarding the first point, purpose, 44% answered that the pandemic had given greater importance to the company’s purpose and its connection with the employees, while on the other hand, 15% considered that the bond with workers had been severely diminished.
Most relevant results
When talking about the role of the leaders, 42% of the respondents said that they have shown themselves to be closer and have been concerned about the day-to-day or have been aware of the mood of the team. In addition, 33% said that they have been able to listen and respond to the new needs of their teams through support, flexibility, and autonomy.
This is undoubtedly linked to another result: 37% noted a more significant commitment from those who lead the organizations concerning the teams.
Specifically, on internal communication, 43% stated that the situation (of the pandemic) had been shared in a clear way, and listening spaces have been created in which doubts and moods have been followed; and on the other hand, only 2% noted a situation without any changes.
Five initiatives to improve engagement
The survey addressed the issue of initiatives that have been undertaken to improve engagement, especially with wellness in mind.
Respondents said that in 28% of cases, existing initiatives were increased to respond to the new situation. In comparison, in 42% of cases, new initiatives have been implemented due to the pandemic.
These include, for example:
- Emotional, mental, and physical wellness programs.
- Psychological assistance programs, and actions related to health and prevention (emotional telephone assistance, health app, sessions with doctors).
- Definition of policies to detect possible burnout alert.
- Online training focused on personal development and growth.
- Recreational opportunities.
These last ones include recreational moments such as fun sessions with dynamics, online concerts, live DJ’s, virtual activities with the youngest members of the family, workshops on different topics, organization of contests and raffles, complimentary vouchers for the purchase of items related to the home office, subsidies for gymnasiums, and breakfasts.
“It is essential to contemplate the different moments that people live in their teams and the experiences they have in the organization; this is called the Employee Journey. It is key that we think about how to include that which, that is usually outside of work, but that is part of the new social breaks that serve to connect us; something that is very needed nowadays”, says Luciana Orecchio, Chief Communications Officer of Oxean Cross, who also reflects upon the role of the communicator as “facilitator and connector for this engagement to truly take place.”
Four points to improve
When asked about what company leaders should do, the results were the following:
- 38% actions focused on people’s well-being.
- 24% actions to enhance team leadership.
- 19% to improve internal communication.
- 19% actions related to the purpose.
“Having a clear purpose stands out as a key element to boost engagement within an organization; under the light of the pandemic, it has become even more relevant, and its connection to employees has grown, although there is still a lot of work to be done. Rethinking, redefining, and emotionally reconnecting with employees is a pending task for many companies”, concluded Marcela Ospina.
