Employee engagement rises again in ANZ

Australian and New Zealand employers are making ongoing improvements in employee engagement, but must stay on their toes to adapt to evolving employee demands for a better technology experience, according to the latest Qualtrics Employee Experience Trends.

The global survey found that employee engagement in the two countries has improved 15 points since the beginning of 2020 to reach 68, exceeding the global average of 66 for the first time.

Employers’ responses to the challenges of COIVD-19 have had a positive effect on employee engagement and wellbeing, according to Crissa Sumner, Solution Strategist for Qualtrics in Australia and New Zealand.

“The changes introduced by employers since 2020 have fundamentally changed people’s expectations of how they work, and will have long lasting impacts on the psychological contract between employees and employers into the future,” she said.

“To survive and thrive in this context, coupled with the challenges of this year — from talent shortages through to ongoing responses to the pandemic — organisations will need to continue to evolve and innovate their employee experience.”

But despite the improvements to engagement, employees’ intent to stay with their employer for the next 12 months fell slightly to 55%, from 57% in 2021.

One reason for this could be that only 30% of employees believe the technology provided by their employer meets their expectations in terms of enabling hybrid work environments.

“Investing in improving technology in the hybrid workplace will pay off in many ways for employers. Beyond driving retention, the Qualtrics research shows employees who are satisfied with the technology available are three times more likely to be engaged and productive at work, as well as report higher levels of wellbeing,” Sumner said.

By contrast, the study suggests that the top drivers increasing employee intent to stay are a belief that the employee’s career goals can be met at the company, feelings of belonging and wellbeing, and confidence in the future of the company and its products or services.

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