Despite the difficult economic climate, UK office workers are continuing to give their all to their employers, it has been claimed.
Research conducted by Badenoch & Clark suggests employee engagement is defying the recession, with employees making determined efforts to maximise productivity.
The firm told HR Magazine that workers are “combating austerity blues and economic woes with a renewed sense of purpose”, demonstrating a high level of enthusiasm for their jobs.
Almost half (48 per cent) of those surveyed said they were proud to work for their current employer, and 89 per cent believed their role contributed towards the success of their organisation.
More than three quarters (76 per cent) said their colleagues seek their opinion and listen to and respect their views – making them feel more valued in the workplace.
Some 71.5 per cent of those surveyed believes their manager enables them to do their job to the best of their ability, with 81.2 per cent of 16-24 year-olds agreeing with this statement.
Nicola Linkleter, managing director at Badenoch & Clark, said employee engagement can and should be seen as a measure of strong management and good internal communication.
“There is a strong argument to be made in favour of seeing investment in engagement as a business imperative,” she stated.
“In an immediate sense, there is a direct link between employee engagement and productivity – proud, enthused workers will strive to produce stronger and higher results, directly impacting on the bottom line.”
But with salary freezes and job losses widely reported throughout the UK, managers must work hard to foster a strong culture of inclusivity and engagement within their place of work, Ms Linkleter added.
She suggested that, on a macroeconomic level, strong employee engagement has “the power to buck the forces of economic austerity”.
“The UK will emerge from the economic downturn at a faster rate if workers are more engaged in their work. As such, leaders must now place engagement at the heart of their broader strategy,” the expert claimed.
