15 Crucial Employee Engagement Metrics For Successful Surveys

In today's dynamic business landscape, employee engagement metrics play a pivotal role in driving organizational productivity and employee satisfaction.

As companies recognize the importance of a motivated workforce, quantifiable measures of employee engagement have become indispensable.

In this blog, we explore 15 essential metrics that provide valuable insights into your employees' attitudes and involvement in their work.

Having employee engagement metrics in place helps companies identify areas where they need to improve. They can use the insights to create a better workplace culture, improve communication, and provide career growth and development opportunities.

These metrics help you understand how your employees feel and what they seek from you to stay motivated at work.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the concept of employee engagement metrics.
• What are the advantages of employee engagement metrics.
• 15 employee engagement metrics you should have in your workplace.

What are Employee Engagement Metrics?

Engagement metrics are quantitative and qualitative data points that companies can use to measure employee engagement in their organization.

Employee engagement KPIs, such as satisfaction surveys, retention rates, absenteeism, turnover, and performance metrics, are used by companies to measure the level of engagement of their workforce.

These metrics provide valuable insights that enable companies to identify areas to improve and enhance employee engagement.

Advantages of Using Employee Engagement Metrics

Using employee engagement metrics can be incredibly beneficial for companies that want to create a more engaged and productive workforce.

1. Improved employee retention

Measuring employee engagement allows employers to identify areas of improvement and take action to increase engagement levels, which can help reduce employee turnover.

2. Increased productivity

Engaged employees are generally more productive and motivated, which can lead to increased output and improved business results.

3. Better customer satisfaction:

Engaged employees are more likely to provide better customer service and deliver a positive customer experience, increasing customer loyalty and retention.

4. Enhanced employee well-being:

Monitoring employee engagement can help identify sources of stress and burnout, allowing employers to take action to improve employee well-being and mental health.

According to the survey, 66 percent of companies view their well-being programs as an employee engagement activity but, ironically, 65 percent of these say engaging employees in these programs is the biggest challenge, with only 24 percent reporting an average employee participation rate (EPR) of more than 50 percent. Low awareness and buy-in among line managers about the wellbeing program contribute to low EPR.

5. Effective leadership

By tracking engagement metrics, employers can better understand the impact of leadership styles and identify areas where leaders can improve to create a more engaged and productive workforce.

Businesses are finding it harder and harder to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Instead, companies should focus on what the speaker refers to as a "transient advantage," where they can swiftly and effectively gather ideas from their entire organization to adapt and respond to changes in the market.

The 10 Employee Engagement Metrics You Need to Include in Your Surveys

1. Relationship With Managers

The relationship between employees and their managers is crucial in determining overall employee engagement and job satisfaction. Effective managers build trust with their employees, communicate regularly and effectively, recognize and appreciate employee contributions, and work to align individual employee goals with broader organizational objectives.

After all, as Seth Godin says, "Leadership is the art of giving people a platform for spreading ideas that work.". So unless the manager leads fairly, the team will never grow.

But how can you measure your relationship with managers?

The strength of the relationship between managers and employees can be measured through surveys, feedback mechanisms, and assessments of the frequency and quality of communication, recognition, and alignment. A good relationship will result in better workplace culture and lesser scope for workplace conflicts.

Here are a few sample questions you can ask to measure employee-manager relationships.

• How comfortable do you feel approaching your manager with questions or concerns?
• Do you trust your manager to provide support and guidance when needed?
  How often does your manager provide feedback on your work performance?

According to Gallup research, a significant proportion of the variance in employee engagement scores, at least 70%, can be attributed to managers. As a result, it's understandable that approximately 50% of employees have resigned from a job to escape their manager.

Once the measuring criteria are satisfied, you can accurately check the relationship score and adapt your organization accordingly. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, understanding your employees is more crucial than ever.

With Vantage Pulse, we revolutionize the way you measure employee satisfaction and engagement. Our platform not only provides comprehensive surveys but also harnesses the power of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to extract meaningful insights from the data you collect.

2. Relationship with Peers

Employee engagement also depends on the type of workplace relationship that employees share with their peers. Positive peer relationships can foster collaboration, teamwork, and a sense of belonging in the workplace.

To measure the strength of peer relationships as an engagement metric, organizations can assess the quality of collaboration and communication between employees and the degree of social support and camaraderie among coworkers.

So, how do we measure it?

• Feedback mechanisms and employee surveys can gather data on the quality of peer relationships in the workplace.
• By fostering positive peer relationships, organizations can create a more cohesive and supportive work environment, leading to better engagement and commitment. If you look rightly, you can ascertain their relationship with management at multiple points.

So, what kind of questions can we ask to measure peer relationships?

• Do you feel your organization encourages employees to recognize each other?
• On a scale of 1 to 5, how comfortable do you feel when approaching the management?

3. Recognition

The only thing that employees crave for more than a handsome paycheck is getting recognized for their work. Recognition in the workplace refers to acknowledging and appreciating an employee's contributions, achievements, and efforts toward the organization's success. It involves providing positive feedback, praise, and rewards to employees who demonstrate excellence in their work and go above and beyond their job responsibilities.

When your employees do something great, you should acknowledge them. Doing so makes them realize their worth and how their work contributes to the organization's success.

Workplace recognition is a very important metric as it is one of the crucial elements for ensuring an engaged and productive workforce. Amidst the hectic schedule, managers often miss out on praising their employees. If the same continues for a long time, it brings down employees' willingness to cover the extra mile.

Some of the questions you can ask to determine and measure this metric are

• Is recognition given out on time?
• How frequently are they recognized?
• If they have a dedicated employee engagement platform?
• Do they genuinely believe they'll get recognized when they present great work?

Hence, you must focus on asking your employees if they're getting acknowledged for their work. If your employees' response comes out positive, congrats, you're one step closer to achieving highly engaged employees.

We at Vantage Circle understand that employee engagement is crucial to the success of any organization. That's why we offer a comprehensive employee recognition platform to help companies build a culture of appreciation and recognition.

Our highly flexible platform allows employers to customize recognition programs to suit their unique needs and goals. Whether you're looking to boost productivity, improve retention rates, or create a more positive workplace culture, our platform can help and offer you the perfect solution.

4. Compensation with Perks and Benefits

Compensation, perks, and benefits are all forms of rewards that employers offer their employees in exchange for their work. Compensation includes the financial compensation that employees receive for their services, such as salaries, wages, and bonuses.

However, to understand this concept well, let us first understand the difference between Perks and benefits.

Perks are additional non-monetary benefits or incentives, such as flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, and other work-related services that improve an employee's quality of life. Benefits, on the other hand, are a set of programs and services that employers provide to support the overall well-being of their employees, including healthcare, retirement plans, paid time off, and other employee assistance programs.

Compensation, perks, and benefits can be important factors in employee engagement metrics because they directly affect employee satisfaction and well-being. Employees who feel fairly compensated and receive appropriate benefits and perks are more likely to feel valued and motivated.

Offering competitive compensation and benefits packages can also help HRs attract and retain top talent and improve overall employee morale and loyalty. In addition, providing perks such as flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities can help demonstrate a company's commitment to employee well-being and growth, leading to increased job satisfaction and engagement.

Measuring employee satisfaction with perks and benefits can be done through various methods such as surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one conversations.

Here are a few sample questions that can be asked while measuring perks and benefits:

• How satisfied are you with the compensation package that you currently receive?
• Which benefits do you find most valuable and important?
• Do you feel that the benefits and perks provided by the company align with your personal and professional goals?

At Vantage Perks, we understand the importance of providing employees with the right compensation, perks, and benefits to boost engagement and satisfaction. Our customizable employee benefits platform offers a range of attractive perks and benefits tailored to meet your employees' unique needs and preferences.

Our expert support and advice can help you provide the benefits that matter most to your workforce while creating a positive and engaging workplace culture. By partnering with Vantage Perks, you can help improve employee engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction, while setting your company apart from the competition.

5. Engagement

Employee engagement refers to employees' emotional and psychological commitment towards their organization and work. Engagement is an important metric because it is strongly linked to various positive outcomes, such as increased productivity, better employee retention rates, and improved organizational performance.

Implementing engagement in the workplace involves creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated. This can be achieved by providing opportunities for learning and development, recognizing and rewarding employee achievements, encouraging open communication, and fostering positive company culture.

As an employee engagement platform, Vantage Circle offers various tools and features to help organizations implement and measure engagement in the workplace. For example, it provides a peer-to-peer recognition feature that allows employees to acknowledge and appreciate each other's contributions. This can help team members establish a sense of healthy competition and camaraderie, contributing towards employee engagement.

According to the latest Gallup report, 51% of employees are disengaged in the workplace, while 13% are actively disengaged. Actively disengaged means feeling miserable at work and spreading negativity to their colleagues.

This platform also offers a comprehensive employee survey tool to help organizations gather employee feedback on various aspects of their work experience, such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and career development. This data can then identify areas where improvements can be made to increase engagement and overall organizational performance.

In summary, implementing workplace engagement is an important metric because it can help organizations create a more positive work environment that fosters employee commitment, motivation, and productivity.

6. Work Culture

A good work culturecan be considered an important employee engagement metric because it directly affects how employees feel about their work and their organization. A positive and supportive working culture can create a sense of belonging, purpose, and motivation among employees, leading to higher engagement.

To measure the impact of a good working culture on employee engagement, organizations can use various metrics such as:

• 1. Employee satisfaction: This metric can be measured through surveys and feedback sessions to understand how satisfied employees are with their work environment, company policies, leadership, and overall culture.
• 2. Turnover rates: High turnover indicates employees are disengaged and looking for better opportunities elsewhere. A low turnover rate can signify that employees are happy and engaged in their current work environment.
• 3. Employee referrals: When employees refer their company to a friend or colleague, it can strongly indicate their engagement and satisfaction with the company culture.
• 4. Attendance rates: Regular attendance can signify employees’ commitment to work and the organization. Measuring attendance rates can help understand how engaged employees are with their work.

Some of the questions you can ask to measure these metrics include:

• How satisfied are you with your work environment, company policies, leadership, and overall culture?
• Would you likely recommend our organization to your friends and colleagues as a great workplace?

7. Autonomy

Autonomy is a powerful driver of employee engagement. Employees feel valued, trusted, and respected when they are free to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This can lead to a sense of empowerment that motivates them to be more productive, creative, and innovative.

To measure autonomy in the workplace, organizations can use a variety of questions that assess employee perceptions of their level of control over their work, their ability to use their skills and expertise, and their sense of recognition and value. For example, questions could include:

• How much control do you feel over your work?
• To what extent can you use your skills and expertise to make decisions?
• Do you feel trusted and valued by your manager and colleagues?

By measuring autonomy in the workplace, organizations can identify areas where employees may not feel empowered or valued and take action to address these issues.

8. Personal Growth

It is the process of learning and developing new skills, abilities, and knowledge to enhance one's personal and professional potential. It involves employees taking ownership of their professional development and seeking opportunities to learn and grow within their organization.

It can be an important engagement metric as it reflects an individual's commitment to their own development.

When individuals are motivated to grow and improve, they seek new experiences and opportunities that challenge them and push them out of their comfort zones.

They will likely participate more actively in communities and organizations supporting their growth goals as they engage in these activities.

Moreover, personal growth often leads to improved performance and increased productivity, which can also be measured as engagement metrics. By tracking personal growth as an engagement metric, organizations can encourage their employees or customers to invest in themselves and help foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Some of the sample questions that you can ask to measure personal growth are;

• How satisfied are you with your job and the work you do?
• Do you feel your skills and talents are effectively utilized in your current role?
• How would you rate the level of communication within your team and with your manager?

9. Alignment

Team alignment means how much the employees can relate their organizational goals with their own ambitions. When these connect at a mutual point, the employees will start working as an integral part of the organization. This way, they will be intrinsically motivated to go the extra mile when accomplishing goals on the organization's behalf.

Once the employees connect with their organization's long-term vision, there's no looking back. It is the only one who'll start taking charge and pushing their organization forward.

Ensuring that your employees align with the organizational goals includes this and is an essential part of your employee engagement metrics.So, some of the questions to start of the can be;

• Do you think the organizational values align with your own value, which you consider important in your life?
• Would you stand up if you realize your organization is not heading in the right direction?

Asking questions helps organizations assess the extent to which their employees are aligned with the organization's mission and goals. This assessment allows companies to identify discrepancies between the two and take corrective measures to promote alignment.

By clearly communicating the organization's mission and goals to employees and fostering a culture of mutual respect, companies can promote a sense of purpose and shared values, leading to better alignment among employees.

10. Wellness at Work

Employee well-being has become a buzzword in the corporate world due to its effectiveness in ensuring a healthy and productive workforce. Organizations now want to include corporate wellness programs in their work culture.

However, the number of organizations coming forward to implement such programs is still low, and that's a matter of concern. With the growing workload and sedentary lifestyle that has become a part of the present-day work environment, employees are exposed to some health ailments. This is where a wellness app will work the most.

However, at Vantage Fit, we believe that every employee deserves to feel their best at work. That's why we've created a wellness platform designed to support physical, mental, and emotional health naturally and holistically.

Our platform offers various features and tools designed to make healthy living accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Whether participating in virtual workout classes, tracking nutrition goals, or practicing mindfulness and meditation, our platform is designed to help employees prioritize their well-being naturally and sustainably.

Therefore, if your organization already has a workplace wellness plan, ask your employees whether they feel uplifted from their earlier status. However, if you don't have such programs, it would be a great chance to know if your employees would like to participate.

Some of the questions you can ask your employees to determine the need for a wellness platform are;

• What are your thoughts on adopting a wellness platform by your organization?
• Are you able to take care of your health with our wellness program?
• Would you participate in health activities if our organization introduces an employee health and wellness program?

11. Attrition Rate

The attrition rate is a common measure of employee turnover in the workplace. It indicates the percentage of employees who have left an organization over a period of time, usually a year. High attrition rates can indicate low levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, and potential issues with leadership, work culture, or compensation.

Measuring attrition rate can help companies identify areas of improvement and implement strategies to retain valuable employees.

Some sample questions that can be asked to measure attrition rate include:

• How satisfied are you with your current job role and responsibilities?
• Do you feel your contributions are valued and recognized in the organization?
• How well do your immediate supervisors provide feedback and support for your professional development?

Asking employees the right questions to measure attrition rate can help organizations identify areas of improvement and develop effective strategies to retain valuable employees. Ultimately, organizations can achieve higher productivity, greater employee satisfaction, and increased profitability by prioritizing employee engagement and reducing attrition rate.

12. Retention Rate

According to research conducted by Employee Benefits News, the loss of an employee incurs a significant expense of 33% of their yearly income on average.

It is a metric that can be calculated by tracking the number of employees who leave the company over a given period, typically a year, and dividing that number by the total number of employees at the beginning of the period.

Retention rate measures employee engagement as it reflects how well an organization can retain its employees. High retention means employees are committed and find their job fulfilling, while low retention could indicate disengagement, leading to high turnover costs.

Retention rates can reveal what motivates employees to stay and allow companies to improve engagement by offering growth opportunities, better compensation, a supportive culture, and recognition. So, tracking retention is vital to keeping a happy and productive workforce.

To measure the factors that influence retention rate and assess employee engagement, organizations can ask questions such as:

• How satisfied are you with your job and work environment?
• How valued do you feel by the company?
• Do you have opportunities for professional growth and development?
• Are you compensated fairly for your work?

This information can be used to implement strategies that promote a positive and engaging work environment, increase employee satisfaction and retention rates, and ultimately contribute to the organization's success.

13. New Hire 90-day failure rate

The new hire 90-day failure rate refers to the percentage of newly hired employees who leave the company or are terminated within the first 90 days of their employment. This metric is used to measure the hiring process's success and assess the onboarding program's effectiveness.

A high 90-day failure rate can indicate issues with the hiring process, such as poor candidate screening, inadequate training, or mismatched expectations between the employee and the company. Additionally, a high failure rate can lead to increased recruiting and training costs, decreased productivity, and a negative impact on employee morale.

But how do we measure it?

• One creative way to approach this is to use a "first impression" analogy. Just like in personal relationships, the first impression that a new employee has with an organization can be a critical factor in their decision to stay or leave. If the organization fails to make a positive impression during onboarding, it can lead to a "breakup" within the first 90 days of employment.
• To measure new hire engagement levels, organizations can use creative questions that capture the emotional experience of the onboarding process.

Here are some sample questions that can be used to measure new hire engagement:

• How did you feel during your first day/week/month at the organization?
• Did you feel welcomed and supported during your onboarding process?
• Did you receive adequate training and resources to perform your job effectively?
• Did you have opportunities to connect and network with colleagues during your onboarding process?

While the new hire's 90-day failure rate is not traditionally considered an engagement metric, it can provide a creative way to measure the effectiveness of the onboarding process and indirectly impact employee engagement and retention rates.

By using creative questions that capture the emotional experience of new employees, organizations can identify areas of improvement and develop strategies to create a positive and engaging onboarding experience, leading to higher retention rates and long-term success.

14. DEI Score

DEI score stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion score, which is a metric used by organizations to assess their level of commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

According to UIowa, "Being equitable means acknowledging and addressing structural inequalities—historical and current—that advantage some and disadvantage others. Equal treatment results in equity only if everyone starts with equal access to opportunities.

The DEI score is typically calculated by analyzing various factors, such as workforce diversity (including race, gender, ethnicity, age, and other identity markers), company policies related to equity and inclusion, employee benefits and initiatives related to diversity and inclusion, and the overall workplace culture.

DEI score can be considered an engagement metric in the workplace because it directly impacts employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention levels. When employees feel valued and included in the workplace, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to perform their best work.

A strong DEI score indicates that the organization is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and supported. This can lead to higher levels of employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Organizations can use survey questions that gauge employees' perceptions of the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to measure employee engagement levels related to DEI.

Here are some sample questions that can be used to measure DEI-related engagement:

• How important is it to you that your company prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion?
• How supported do you feel by your manager and colleagues in your diversity and inclusion efforts?
• How well does the company communicate its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion to employees?
• Have you experienced any instances of discrimination or bias in the workplace? If so, how did the company respond?

By analyzing the responses to these questions, organizations can identify areas where they may need to improve their DEI practices or communication to increase employee engagement and satisfaction.

Additionally, organizations can use the data to identify issues that employees are passionate about and create opportunities for employee involvement in DEI initiatives.

15. Innovation Score

The innovation score is a metric used by organizations to measure the level of innovation within their workplace. It can be calculated by analyzing various factors such as the number of patents filed, research and development investments, employee-generated ideas, and implementing innovative practices.

It can be considered an engagement metric in the workplace because it reflects how engaged and motivated employees are to contribute new and creative ideas to the organization.

A high innovation score indicates that employees feel empowered to innovate and that the organization is open to and supportive of new ideas.

To measure employee engagement levels related to innovation, organizations can use survey questions that gauge employees' perceptions of the company's innovation culture and their own ability to contribute new ideas.

Here are some sample questions that can be used to measure innovation-related engagement:

• How often are you encouraged to share new ideas or suggestions with your manager or colleagues?
• How supported do you feel when you propose a new idea or innovation to the company?
• How well does the company communicate its innovation goals and strategies to employees?

Innovation score can be a valuable engagement metric in the workplace because it reflects how engaged and motivated employees are to contribute new and creative ideas to the organization.

By using survey questions that measure employees' perceptions of the company's innovation culture and their own ability to contribute new ideas, organizations can identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to create a more innovative and engaged workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is employee engagement, and why is it important?

Employee engagement refers to the level of emotional commitment and attachment that an employee feels toward their job and their organization. It is important because highly engaged employees tend to be more productive, innovative, and likely to stay with their employer long-term.

2. What are some common metrics used to measure employee engagement?

Some common metrics used to measure employee engagement include employee satisfaction surveys, turnover rates, absenteeism rates, employee net promoter scores (NPS), and engagement scores based on employee responses to specific questions.

3. How can employee engagement metrics be used to improve overall employee performance and productivity?

By measuring employee engagement and identifying areas where employees may be struggling or disengaged, employers can implement strategies to improve employee morale and engagement. This can include offering professional development opportunities, creating a positive company culture, and providing regular feedback and recognition.

4. What are some challenges or potential drawbacks to using employee engagement metrics?

Some challenges or potential drawbacks to using employee engagement metrics include the possibility of biased or inaccurate data, the risk of employees feeling like their responses are not being heard or acted upon, and the potential for employees to provide responses that they think their employer wants to hear rather than their honest opinions.

5. How can employers use employee engagement metrics with other data points to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their workforce?

Employers can use employee engagement metrics in conjunction with other data points such as performance evaluations, productivity data, and demographic information to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their workforce. This can help employers identify patterns or trends in employee engagement levels and tailor their engagement strategies to meet the specific needs of their employees.

Recommended Read: Best Employee Engagement Software for Employee Surveys, Wellness, Recognition, and more

Conclusion

Do you want to take your organization to the next level of success? Then, it's time to pay attention to your most valuable asset: your employees! Measuring employee engagement through crucial metrics is the first step toward building a highly motivated and committed workforce that drives growth and innovation.

When employees are engaged, they feel connected to the organization's goals, values, and mission, resulting in higher productivity, lower turnover rates, and increased profitability.

So, if you want to boost your organization's bottom line, invest in employee engagement metrics today and watch your business soar to new heights of success!