Be Engaged: Employee Engagement and Psychological Safety

Most of us understand Employee Engagement as the level at which employees are committed, excited and generally satisfied in their work environment.  It is said that engaged employees will be effective in their work if they are committed to the success of the organization and will generally go the extra mile and be fully engaged.  Research, however, shows that employee engagement is multi-faceted and does not function in isolation.

Recent research shows the impact that perceived organizational support has on employee wellbeing, psychological capital and levels of engagement.  This highlights the important role that organisations and their leaders play in the wellbeing and engagement of their employees.  How you engage with your employees is where it all begins.

OUR WORLD OF WORK AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Entering 2026 with the past challenges well behind us, we still continue to see changes taking place at a fast pace.  There is a definite sense that what worked in the past may not work as well now and our key stakeholders (our people) are wanting and needing more.  Employees are looking for organizational safety and a sense of belonging and we have seen an increase in levels of fear, a need for trust and an all-round change in mindset.  There is an increased focus on mental and emotional challenges being faced by employees and the need for much greater resilience than before.

WHAT DOES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT MEAN TO US TODAY

In the past we have linked employee engagement to rewards, recognition and retention.  We were quite reactive in our approach to events and people.  Our current and future engagement story looks very different with people having revisited their own lives and how work fits into that.  Work-life-balance is a thing of the past, and we now approaching an era of work-life-fit.  This means our employees are wanting to see how their lives fit into work and how work fits in with their lives.  Going to the gym in the middle of the day and working at night or watching your children’s sports match in the afternoon and working back those hours at night or early in the morning.  Your employees want that flexibility.

Employee engagement is not a one size fits all.  It requires an understanding of our work environment, what is needed to succeed and what our people value and need in order to be productive and really contribute to the future of the business. How you engage with your team looks different from one business to the next.  Sometimes as granular as between departments or business units. We need an understanding of what is required from people to work well and to ensure that we cultivate cultures and values in our work environments that speaks to our people and getting the best out of them by providing the best for them.

Current employee trends are showing an increase in levels of quiet quitting and disengagement in the workplace.  These are unseen challenges that we face if we are not fully engaged with our people.  Although they are present in the office and/or online, does not mean they are engagement and giving their best.  The key to unlock that engaged and productively happy workforce requires collaboration, communication, and understanding of your people.

REAPING THE REWARD OF EMPLOYEE ENAGEMENT

The statistics around your employee turnover show a 43% correlation with engagement.  The top 20% of engaged teams have a 50% lower turnover.  There are interesting statistics around employee engagement levels in the SA workforce with only 20% of employees being engaged, 60% are present but not engaged and 21% are disengaged. 

KNOWING 2026 TRENDS AND TAKEAWAYS

This year started with a sense of hope and a sense of new beginnings, where the impact of change will be felt in a positive way.  It is however up to us to be custodians of this change by actively engaging in courageous conversations, being willing to learn and grow in every experience and to create an environment that is safe to start building trust, and a sense of belonging and inclusivity, where everyone’s contribution matters.

Cultivating cultures of engagement starts with:

Trust:  start by creating an environment where your people trust you and each other.  Communication and walking the talk is what is required.  Mean what you say and reflect it in your actions.  Really take time to listen to what your teams are telling you.  Take small steps. 

Wellbeing:  The correlation between engagement, productivity and wellbeing is significant.  Become aware of what is going on in your work environment with your people.

Inclusion and Belonging:  Employees are engaged when they feel that they have a purpose and that their contribution matters.  They want to be appreciated for their contribution and they want to know that they have opportunities to contribute meaningfully.  Our new generation (Gen Alpha) place high value in equal and fair opportunities. 

Communication: Having open and honest discussions with your people really matters.  Knowing what is important to each individual and not being afraid to have healthy debate and discussions that may not always ‘sit well’ but that gets us thinking and growing as people and organisations.

Building engaged teams and having courageous conversation with your people starts with leaders committing to a culture that is open and inclusive.  Leaders are where engagement begins.