Low employee engagement scores can be overwhelming for any company to face. Disconnected teams, declining performance, and rising turnover are clear signs that something’s missing. And let’s face it—when engagement is low, it affects everything from productivity to morale and even the success of the organization.
But here’s the good news! You have the power to change that. Careful and intentional actions can create an environment in which people feel valued, engaged, and truly connected. Simple activities such as open communication and rewarding accomplishments can significantly increase employee engagement scores. Ready to make a difference? Let’s look at 11 practical steps to learn how to increase employee engagement scores!
Why does employee engagement matter? It’s tempting to dismiss low engagement as a minor issue, but the truth is, its impact can be massive—and costly. Here’s how it can affect your organization:
- Decreased Productivity :Engaged employees are the engine of productivity. According to the Workplace Research Foundation employees who are extremely engaged perform 38% better than average. In contrast, disengaged employees can slow down progress and hurt overall performance.
- High Turnover Rates: Disengaged employees are more likely to leave—and replacing them isn't cheap. It can cost between half and twice an employee's annual salary to fill their role. Beyond the financial toll, high turnover disrupts workflows, weakens morale, and puts extra pressure on those who stay.
- Negative Work Environment: Low engagement doesn't just affect individuals; it creates ripples throughout your organization. Stress increases, morale dips and collaboration falters, often leading to a toxic environment that affects everyone.
- Poor Customer Satisfaction: Engaged employees are your best brand ambassadors. Gallup's meta-analysis found a clear link between employee engagement and customer loyalty. Low engagement, on the other hand, can damage customer relationships and your reputation.
- Innovation Stagnation: When employees are engaged, they're more likely to share new ideas and drive innovation. Disengaged employees tend to stick to the status quo, stifling progress and creativity
- Financial Impact: Disengagement is expensive. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace study reports that disengaged or actively disengaged employees cost the world $8.8 trillion in lost productivity. The good news? Investing in engagement has a tangible ROI, boosting retention, morale, and performance.
How to Increase Employee Engagement Score
Does your team feel like it is stagnated? It is time to turn things around! These 11 measures will help you increase engagement and boost productivity. You will create a workplace culture in which everyone feels appreciated and encouraged. Let us dig in and get started!
1. Measure Current Engagement Levels
Before initiating strategies to increase employee engagement scores, you need to know where things stand at the company. Conducting regular surveys, polls, and feedback sessions will provide significant information about how your employees perceive the work environment.
According to Gallup research, measuring and maintaining engagement in the workplace is crucial to the success of both people and the organization as a whole. Engaged employees are happier, more likely to stay, have lower absenteeism, and work harder. Advantage Pulse is your all-in-one DIY solution for gathering authentic feedback, generating valuable insights, and receiving advanced analytics. The platform makes the process easier by offering real-time surveys and actionable statistics to help you identify loyalty and advocacy tendencies.
2. Set Clear Goals and Expectations
Employees want clarity of information to feel engaged. When employees know exactly what’s expected of them and how their work contributes to the company’s mission, they feel naturally more invested.
Come up with SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) and keep everyone on track with regular updates and transparent communication. When employees realize how their efforts are aligned with larger goals, it boosts motivation and a sense of purpose.
3. Foster a Culture of Recognition
Employees want to feel appreciated for their efforts, and recognition is one of the simplest ways to motivate your team. According to a Gallup survey, acknowledgment can serve as a tool for personal reward and a means to reinforce the organization’s desirable culture among other employees.
Celebrate wins of all sizes—whether through public shoutouts, peer-to-peer recognition, or even a heartfelt thank-you note. AdvantageClub.ai’s recognition platform can help you digitize and personalize recognition and make the process easier. A little thanks can make employees feel recognized and valued and might help boost morale and engagement.
4. Implement Reward Systems
Recognition is powerful, but rewards add another layer of motivation. From incentives and gift cards to extra time off and professional development opportunities, smart rewards prove that the employees’ efforts are valued by the company.
Tailoring rewards to individual preferences makes them even more impactful. Some employees may value training opportunities more than material perks, while others might appreciate a voucher or gift. You can curate and deliver personalized rewards effortlessly with tools like Advantage Marketplace. Research in a Gallup survey found that exceptional workplaces incorporate engagement approaches into every phase of their employee and manager lifecycle. Thoughtful rewards are great at elevating engagement, creating a sense of belonging, and inspiring employees to give their best.
5. Create a Positive Work Environment
The workplace is more than just an office—it’s where ideas come to life, teamwork flourishes, and employees spend a large part of their day. A thoughtfully designed space can significantly impact motivation and overall job satisfaction. To create a positive work environment begin with the fundamentals. Ensure comfortable seats, plenty of natural light, and open areas that promote team spirit.
Team-building exercises, social events, and interactive workshops all build stronger connections and a sense of camaraderie. Advantage Communities features provide a common ground for like-minded coworkers to share hobbies, play thrilling games, and exchange sincere greetings.
A truly engaging workplace is also inclusive. Encouraging diversity and inclusion—through programs such as hobby clubs, workplace challenges, or casual meetups—makes everyone feel appreciated. When people can find common ground and connect, cooperation and innovation flourish.
6. Promote Work-Life Balance
According to a Gallup poll, the number of employees who believe their employer is concerned about their overall wellness reached a record low of 21% in early 2024. Work-life balance is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. Employees with flexible schedules and support for their well-being are more engaged, productive, and loyal.
Offering remote work options, flexible hours, and wellness initiatives shows your employees how important their time and health are. It’s not only about preventing burnout; it’s about enabling them to bring their best selves to work.
Yoga classes, mindfulness courses, and frequent health check-ins can all significantly improve general well-being. Advantage Wellness is a fully integrated, AI-powered platform that promotes employee well-being through a comprehensive strategy. It provides a full variety of services, including OPD, health examinations, fitness programs, and financial well-being, to ensure optimal corporate health.
7. Use Smart Tools to Strengthen Engagement
Companies can keep staff motivated and connected using the right technologies. Investing in engagement solutions such as feedback platforms, reward systems, and seamless communication technologies can boost employee attitudes toward their jobs. According to Deloitte Insights, making it easy to access and manage rewards programs can significantly impact the entire employee experience. Platforms that improve communication, simplify feedback and make recognition easier contribute to a more favourable work experience.
For example, tools that allow real-time feedback—like a mood tracker or pulse surveys—help leaders understand how their teams are feeling and respond quickly to concerns. Employees feel more valued and motivated when they know their voices are heard. Research shows that organizations that actively invest in engagement tools see a measurable increase in productivity and job satisfaction. Technology can improve communication, promote recognition, and foster professional relationships when used effectively.
8. Encourage Open Communication
Great organizations have one thing in common: open and honest communication. Employees want to be heard, not simply kept in the loop. That is why it is critical to provide several channels for people to communicate their ideas, such as team meetings, emails, an intranet, or even an old-school suggestion box.
Employees must understand that their voices matter. Regular town hall meetings, Q&A sessions with leaders, and open-door policy can all contribute to a culture of trust and transparency. And the impact is real—In a McKinsey poll, effective communication was identified as a crucial factor in transformation success, and it remains front of mind for respondents at all levels. Creating a culture of open dialogue isn’t just good for employees—it’s good for business.
9. Provide Professional Development Opportunities
No one wants to feel stuck in the same role forever. When employees see opportunities for growth, they stay engaged and put in their best efforts. Training programs, workshops, mentorships, and upskilling opportunities allow employees to learn new skills and advance in their jobs. Deloitte studies show that companies with a strong learning culture are 52% more productive and 17% more lucrative than their peers. Their engagement and retention rates are 30-50% greater. That’s a powerful statistic.
Support employees by helping them set career goals, pairing them with mentors, and offering learning stipends or access to online courses. When employees feel like their future matters to the company, they’re more motivated to contribute in meaningful ways.
10. Regularly Review and Adjust Strategies
Employee engagement is not something you can set up once and forget about; it takes continual monitoring and modifications. What worked last year may not be effective today, so obtain feedback on a regular basis and tweak techniques as needed. One approach to accomplish this is to conduct quarterly pulse surveys, one-on-one check-ins, and leadership accountability sessions. Advantage Pulse can help you collect real-time employee feedback, allowing managers to address concerns quickly, increase engagement, and drive continuous improvement projects.
If something isn’t working, be open to making changes. Leaders who take responsibility for engagement initiatives create a stronger sense of commitment across teams. Think of engagement as a living, breathing process. Maintain flexibility, listen to your people, and be willing to change. A workplace that evolves with its employees will always be a step ahead.
11. Celebrate Successes
People like being appreciated for their hard work. Whether it’s a major accomplishment or a little milestone, acknowledging employees’ achievements raises morale and reinforces loyalty. Project completions, job anniversaries, promotions, and personal victories deserve recognition. Advantage Incentive Automation leverages award automation to ensure you never miss any milestones in the employee lifecycle. A simple shoutout at a meeting, a thoughtful email, or a team celebration can all help employees feel valued.
Recognition has a long-term influence rather than just being fleeting. When employees perceive that their efforts are appreciated, they are driven to keep up the good work. So, don’t wait until the end of the year—celebrate successes as they happen!
Markers of Low Employee Engagement for Managers
As a leader, you want to see your team motivated, collaborating, and bringing their best to work. But sometimes, things start to shift—energy dips, enthusiasm fades, and before you know it, engagement takes a hit. The good news? If you catch these signs early, you can turn things around before disengagement becomes the norm. Here’s what to look for:
1. Decreased Initiative
If the go-getters who always volunteer for projects abruptly stop stepping forward and are only performing the bare minimum, something is wrong. A lack of initiative frequently indicates that they do not feel motivated or respected.
A thriving employee wants to develop new skills. But when someone stops signing up for training, shrugs off development opportunities, or seems uninterested in career growth, they might be checked out mentally.
2. Negativity Creeps In
A little venting now and then is normal, but when negativity becomes the default mode—constant complaining, resistance to change, or eye rolls in meetings—it’s a sign of deeper frustration. And that kind of attitude can spread fast.
3. Poor Team Interaction
Great teams thrive on collaboration. However, if people begin to withdraw, miss brainstorming sessions, or shun group initiatives, it may indicate that they are disengaged or uninterested in the team’s success.
4. Low Morale
You can usually feel when the energy in a room is off. If your once-engaged team now seems drained, unmotivated, or just plain indifferent, it’s time to dig deeper. Low morale can quickly turn into turnover if left unchecked.
5. Lack of Feedback
Engaged employees speak up—they share ideas, ask questions, and give feedback. If people stop participating in discussions or just nod along without contributing, they may feel like their voice doesn’t matter.
6. Increased Silo Mentality
Collaboration fuels innovation, so when employees start isolating themselves and focusing only on their own tasks, it’s a red flag. When teamwork fades, so does engagement.
7. Resistance to Training
A thriving employee wants to develop new skills. But when someone stops signing up for training, shrugs off development opportunities, or seems uninterested in career growth, they might be checked out mentally.
So, What Can You Do?
Noticing these signs is just the beginning—taking action is what really counts. Start by having open, honest conversations. Ask employees what’s on their minds, listen to their concerns, and find ways to reignite their passion for their work. A culture of recognition, growth, and meaningful communication can make all the difference.
Because when employees feel valued and supported, engagement isn’t just an expectation—it’s a natural outcome.
How Integrated Engagement Programs Can Help
Employee engagement isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about genuinely understanding what motivates your team and taking action that matters. This is where integrated engagement programs come in.
These solutions integrate seamlessly into your existing procedures, which makes participation a breeze rather than an added burden. The programs help you tap into real employee sentiment with tools like surveys, polls, and mood check-ins. These real-time insights enable you to discover patterns, identify problems early on, and make informed decisions. When you use technology to simplify feedback and recognition, you create a culture where employees feel heard, valued, and motivated—every single day.
Boost your Employee Engagement Score
Creating an engaged workforce isn’t about a one-time initiative—it’s about developing a workplace where employees feel connected, appreciated, and inspired to contribute. Regular check-ins through surveys and conversations and recognizing and rewarding efforts through a simple “thank you” or a structured rewards system reinforce motivation and commitment. Open communication builds trust, making employees feel valued and heard. Investing in career development opportunities keeps employees motivated while supporting work-life balance through flexibility and well-being initiatives to prevent burnout.
A positive workplace culture—rooted in trust, respect, and inclusion—fosters engagement and collaboration. Leveraging smart engagement tools streamlines feedback and recognition, making engagement efforts more effective.
Engagement is an Ongoing Effort
There’s no finish line when it comes to engagement—it’s something that evolves with your team. Create a workplace where employees don’t just show up—they show up excited to contribute.
