How to increase your employees’ engagement and their enthusiasm for the company’s results?

Engagement and Employer Branding Are Based on How People Feel at Work

Author: PeadDr. Oliver Poór, dipl.f., CEO of LIBRUM

Many employers struggle with their employees’ lack of interest (almost 78% of employees report struggling with a work-life wellbeing balance). The gap between leadership needs and employee needs is often wide and difficult to bridge. In addition, 91% of employees say they are less productive at work precisely because their wellbeing is not being addressed.

Many successful company stories, both globally and in Slovakia, are connected to leaders who manage to reach key people — and those individuals then start implementing the necessary changes. 70% of people believe that their manager/supervisor has a greater impact on their mental health than a doctor. The result is satisfaction on both sides — management and employees — which leads to increased productivity.

However, many companies only pretend to listen to their employees while continuing to do things the same old way. At this stage, the company needs an external impulse. In sports teams, this might be a new coach, a new captain, or a team-building activity focused on communication and problem-solving. In a company, it is usually the discovery of a shared need — such as wellbeing.

Who wakes up in the morning excited to be eaten alive by a toxic work environment? Probably no one. But if employees or team leads wake up thinking, today is the day we deliver a completed project to a client, or they’re curious about their colleagues’ news, or looking forward to great breakfast at the Monday meeting — then that’s a sign the company has created a great working environment.

How to Support Employer Branding?

Companies that have a clear sense of their identity and workplace culture — who know how they want to be perceived by both employees and society — are the ones who successfully build employer branding. These companies also have clarity in their needs, attitudes, and goals, as well as the rules and processes that protect the balance they have established. Education and skills training appear to be the most crucial aspect in creating and maintaining this state.

The results of our research repeatedly show that companies should focus primarily on people and process management, relationship-building and development, and most importantly — the creation of wellbeing programs.

The role of modern companies is no longer just to create business opportunities or jobs that are offset by purchasing employee benefits. Just like they plan growth and optimize processes, they now take care of employee wellbeing, which fosters engagement and a willingness to take responsibility and put in extra effort.

As many as 59% of respondents plan to invest more in health and wellbeing programs in 2024 than in previous years. These measures typically cost almost nothing and help create a company culture that leads to measurable improvements in performance. However, they require capable leaders — not ones who appear overnight, but those who are a reflection of the company’s care, training, and often the result of systematic on-site coaching.

A structured plan for employee education and development is the foundation for sustainable company growth, culture, and identity — all of which directly affect employer branding. Every €1 invested in this way returns €4 in increased revenue.

How to Attract Exceptional People and Set Up Benefits Without a Big Budget?

An exceptional company is not just about exceptional benefits. Companies hire consultants to help them build an environment and culture that supports employee wellbeing. Benefits that support this kind of setup are the cherry on top — reinforcing company strategy and employer branding.

Benefits act as accelerators of positive change and as an extra incentive for new talent. Setting up benefits must begin with understanding the situation and planning the company’s strategy. Wellbeing projects, training plans, and redesigning benefit structures always begin with detailed mapping and understanding of the company's starting points and needs.

These are no longer just about meeting annual targets but about retaining key people and attracting new ones to ensure sustainability and continued growth.

Benefits should always reflect where the company comes from, what differentiates it from the competition, and above all, how it cares for the satisfaction of its people.

Benefit structures are no longer just blanket rewards for everyone. They are becoming rewards for those who take responsibility and contribute to the company's greater success. What motivates such people to do meaningful work? The conditions the company creates for them. That is exactly what a benefit structure should be about.

And it doesn’t have to be about spending tens of thousands of euros on special bonuses, shopping vouchers, or luxury company cars.

If an employee values time with their family, a day off or the option to bring their child to work — making them a hero in their child’s eyes and a valued part of the company — can be just as meaningful.

Can You Attract and Retain the Right People Even With a Smaller Budget?

Absolutely. The best results come when team leaders understand the needs of their people and are willing to step out of their comfort zones. They know when to push and when to defend their people and negotiate additional advantages for their team.

Such leaders aren’t born — they are developed. A structured system of education and personal growth proves more effective than money spent on grand offices, salaries, or benefits.

People don’t usually leave their jobs because of money. They leave because they don’t feel good at work.

On the other hand, they are willing to reject a better-paying job offer because they are proud and happy where they are.

It’s simple — and complicated at the same time. You have to listen to your people’s needs, and also think about the form and means of supporting them.

They say: if you give people fish (insert: rewards, benefits), they’ll eat them. But if you teach them how to fish…

Data Info: The data come from a survey conducted by partner company VIRGIN Pulse – Global Wellbeing Survey.

PeadDr. Oliver Poór, dipl.f.

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