In 2015, global research firm ORC International released the Global Perspectives survey, examining worldwide trends in employee engagement. 

A survey of more than 7,000 employees across 20 countries saw the UK show considerable improvement over 2014, moving six places in the rankings to twelfth, with an engagement score of 58%.

The survey identified the biggest drivers for engagement in the UK being:

• the way we work
• job role
• wellbeing
• equality and feeling valued

Key areas identified as important to respondents in the UK were effective communication, being listened to, recognition, team spirit and being valued.

So while results were a significant improvement in the UK against 2014, the baseline was particularly low. All key areas identified had clear opportunity for improvement.

Further commentary was provided by Raconteur magazine which concluded “successful companies must invest in the workplace to engage with employees and get the most from company culture – or risk losing out in the war for talent.”

This was further backed up by Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends report in 2015 – “In an era of heightened corporate transparency, greater workforce mobility, and severe skills shortages, culture, engagement, and retention have emerged as top issues for business leaders.”

And for those of you who like their sporting references – how did Claudia Ranieri raise Leicester F.C. from 5,000-1 outsiders to Premier League Champions in 2015-16? Decent, well-grounded leadership and management no doubt, but firmly built on establishing the culture they wanted, and a teamship or togetherness based on camaraderie, spirit and energy. The result – trust, desire and buy-in.

And what was one of the areas all pundits agreed on that explained England’s premature exit from the Euros?

Lack of team spirit…