Employee engagement strategies: How to build a workforce that's genuinely invested

Employee engagement in the UK lags behind most of Europe. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report, just 10% of UK employees are engaged at work, one of the lowest rates on the continent and well below the global average of 21%. The estimated cost to the UK economy exceeds £257 billion annually. [1]

The business case for improving engagement is strong. Gallup's analysis of over 100,000 teams found that highly engaged workplaces see 23% higher profitability, 18% higher productivity, and significantly lower absenteeism and turnover [2]. For smaller businesses, where every team member's contribution is visible, these differences can have a material effect on performance.

Yet engagement remains difficult to influence. Unlike pay or working conditions, it reflects how employees feel about their work, their managers, and the organisation's direction. Understanding what drives engagement - and what undermines it - is the first step toward creating conditions where people are more likely to be invested at work and go above and beyond.

Summary

• Just 10% of UK employees are engaged at work, compared to 21% globally, costing the economy an estimated £257 billion per year [1].
• Engaged employees contribute to 23% higher profitability and 18% higher productivity [2].
• The most significant driver of engagement is not pay or perks, but confidence in leadership and effective change management [3].
• Managers account for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement levels [1].
• Practical engagement strategies include providing clarity on roles and expectations, recognising contribution, offering development opportunities, and giving employees a voice in decisions that affect their work.
• Engagement is not a one-off initiative; it requires consistent effort and genuine follow-through on commitments.

What actually drives engagement

Pay and benefits matter, but they rarely explain why some teams are highly engaged while others in the same organisation are not. Research points instead to less tangible factors: how people feel about their work, their managers, and the organisation's direction.

Culture Amp's 2024 analysis identified confidence in leadership as the top driver of engagement [3]. Employees who trust that senior leaders are competent, honest, and steering the organisation in the right direction are far more likely to be engaged. Where that confidence is absent, engagement suffers regardless of other factors.

Closely related is how well organisations handle change. Perceptyx research found that by 2025, "change is handled effectively" had become the number one engagement driver- a shift that reflects the turbulence many employees have experienced in recent years [4]. Employees who feel informed, supported, and treated with respect during periods of uncertainty tend to remain engaged. Those who feel confused or overlooked may struggle to maintain the same level of commitment.

Beyond leadership, the research identifies several consistent drivers: a sense of purpose and meaning in the work itself, clarity about expectations and how success is measured, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for contribution, and a degree of autonomy over how work gets done [5]. These factors appear across industries and organisation sizes, though their relative importance may vary.

The role of managers

Research suggests that managers account for up to 70% of the variance in team engagement [1]. This finding places significant responsibility on those in supervisory roles, but it also represents an opportunity. Improving how managers communicate, support, and develop their teams can shift engagement levels without large-scale organisational change.

In practice, this often involves:

• providing clarity about what's expected and how individual work connects to broader goals
• acknowledging good work regularly, not just during formal reviews
• making time for genuine conversation about how employees are finding their roles
• advocating for team members when resources or support are needed.

Where managers default to oversight without support, or feedback without recognition, engagement tends to decline. Employees who feel monitored but not valued may be less inclined to invest discretionary effort. The relationship between manager and employee is often one of the most significant factors in shaping engagement levels.

Employee engagement strategies

The factors that influence engagement are well documented, but translating them into practice requires attention to specifics. The following strategies address the most consistent drivers identified in the research: clarity, recognition, development, voice, and autonomy. None requires significant investment, but each depends on consistent application over time.

1. Make expectations clear

Uncertainty about what's expected can lead to employee disengagement. Employees who are unsure whether they're succeeding, or unclear about their priorities, may pull back rather than risk getting it wrong.

Clarity doesn't require elaborate performance frameworks. It can be as simple as a conversation at the start of a project about what success looks like, or a regular check-in to confirm priorities haven't shifted. The goal is to ensure employees understand not just what they're doing, but why it matters and how it connects to the organisation's broader objectives.

Culture Amp's data shows that employees who know what it takes to be successful in their roles are more likely to be engaged at work. Their data shows that over recent years, having a clear sense of direction at work has become a key driver of engagement [3]. As work becomes more complex and fast-moving, employees increasingly value straightforward guidance about where to focus their energy.

2. Recognise contribution

Recognition is one of the most effective and least expensive engagement tools available. Research suggests that employees who feel their contributions are noticed and valued tend to be more engaged, while a lack of recognition may have the opposite effect over time [6].

Recognition doesn't need to be elaborate. A specific, timely acknowledgement of good work, whether delivered in a team meeting, a brief message, or a one-to-one conversation, often carries more weight than formal awards. What matters is that it's genuine, that it names what the person did well, and that it comes regularly rather than only at annual review time.

Peer-to-peer recognition can be equally valuable. When colleagues acknowledge each other's contributions, it reinforces a culture where effort is noticed and appreciated. This is particularly relevant in smaller teams where formal recognition programmes may not exist.

3. Offer development and progression

Employees who see a future for themselves within the organisation are more likely to engage with it. Those who feel their skills are no longer developing may find it harder to maintain the same level of investment.

Development doesn't always mean promotion. It can include learning new skills, taking on stretch assignments, contributing to cross-functional projects, or gaining exposure to different parts of the business. What matters is that employees feel they're growing and that the organisation is investing in their future, not just their current output.

Research also found that employees who participate in ongoing learning programmes are three times more likely to be engaged [2]. For smaller businesses without dedicated training budgets, this might involve mentoring arrangements, access to online learning platforms, or simply making time for employees to develop skills relevant to their roles.

4. Give employees a voice

Engagement improves when employees feel their opinions are sought and considered. This doesn't mean every decision needs to be made by committee, but it does mean creating opportunities for input on matters that affect how people work.

Anonymous surveys, suggestion schemes, and regular team discussions all provide channels for feedback. The key is acting on what you hear. Feedback mechanisms that produce no visible response can undermine trust rather than build it. Even when the answer is "we can't do that," explaining why demonstrates that input was taken seriously.

Stay conversations, where managers ask valued employees what keeps them engaged and what might be improved, can surface concerns before they become problems. These conversations signal that the organisation cares about the individual's experience, not just their output.

5. Create conditions for autonomy

Employees who have some control over how they do their work tend to be more engaged than those who are closely directed. Autonomy doesn't mean absence of structure; it means trusting people to make decisions within clear boundaries.

This might involve flexibility over working hours or location where roles permit, discretion over how tasks are approached, or involvement in decisions about team processes. The underlying principle is that employees who feel trusted to manage their own work are more likely to take ownership of outcomes.

Sustain engagement over time

Engagement is not a problem to be solved once; it requires ongoing attention. Organisations that launch engagement initiatives but struggle to follow through may find it harder to rebuild momentum later.

Consistency matters more than grand gestures. Regular check-ins, honest communication, visible recognition, and genuine responsiveness to feedback build engagement gradually. A survey that isn't followed by visible action may leave employees feeling less inclined to participate next time.

Leadership visibility plays a role here too. When senior leaders communicate openly about the organisation's direction, acknowledge challenges honestly, and demonstrate that they value employees' contributions, engagement tends to improve. When communication is limited, employees may be left to draw their own conclusions.

What engaged workplaces look like

Organisations with high engagement share certain characteristics.

Best practice	What it looks like
Communication	Flows in multiple directions, not just top-down.
Development	Managers invest time in developing their people.
Recognition	Contribution is acknowledged regularly.
Purpose	Employees understand how their work connects to the organisation's goals.
Change	Explained rather than imposed.

None of this requires significant expenditure. It does require intention, consistency, and a willingness to treat engagement as a core management responsibility rather than an HR initiative. The businesses that succeed in building engaged workforces tend to be those where leaders genuinely believe that how employees experience their work affects business outcomes, and act accordingly.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information is accurate at the time of writing but may be subject to change. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified professional.

[1] Gallup, State of the Global Workplace Report, 2025.
[2] Gallup, Employee Engagement and Performance Meta-Analysis, 2024.
[3] Culture Amp, The Great Regression: Employee Engagement in 2024.
[4] Perceptyx, What Is Employee Engagement and Why Have Its Drivers Changed?, December 2025.
[5] People Insight, Drivers of Employee Engagement, 2025.
[6] Moodle, 6 Key Drivers of Employee Engagement, October 2024.