Trust and empathy could boost employee engagement

Date: 14/10/2010

Boosting trust and well-being amongst staff in the workplace could improve employee engagement.

Carole Hathaway, a senior consultant at recruitment specialist Towers Watson, said: "Business leaders therefore need to show their employees how they intend to build trust and demonstrate interest in their employees' wellbeing - whilst also doing so in as cost-effective ways as possible."

She said if companies failed to engage with existing staff, they would find themselves struggling to achieve growth - particularly as the recent Towers Watson and WorldatWork report showed that despite high rates of unemployment around the globe, firms are failing to fill key vacancies because of a lack of skills.

Ms Hathaway noted that the economic downturn was undoubtedly having a negative impact on staff engagement and employee motivation, and reward and recognition programmes were starting to suffer at the hands of budget cuts.

However, firms wanting to avoid cutting staff reward and recognition programmes could offer things such as flexible working opportunities - which don't cost any extra.

Written by David Farrior

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