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Employee Engagement » Employee Engagement Case Study

25 Most Impactful Employee Engagement Case Studies for 2024

Introduction to employee engagement.

In today's highly competitive business environment, employee engagement has emerged as a critical driver of business success. It represents the level of commitment, passion, and investment employees have in their work and their organization. More than just job satisfaction, employee engagement is about employees feeling valued, involved, and connected to their work and workplace.

Engaged employees are not merely satisfied with their jobs; they are enthusiastic, motivated, and committed. They are the ones who are willing to go the extra mile, contribute their best ideas, and stay with their organizations in the long run. They are the backbone of any successful business, and their engagement is the key to unlocking a company's full potential.

Defining Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is a complex concept that encompasses a range of factors, from the emotional connection an employee feels towards their organization, to their level of satisfaction with their role and their motivation to perform to their best ability. It's about creating an environment where employees feel empowered, respected, and part of something bigger than themselves.

Why Employee Engagement Matters

Research has consistently shown that organizations with high levels of employee engagement are more profitable, have higher productivity levels, and experience lower turnover rates. Engaged employees are more likely to stay with their organization, reducing the costs associated with staff turnover. They are also more likely to be productive and deliver high-quality work, which can drive business growth and success.

Moreover, engaged employees are more likely to be advocates for their organizations, promoting their company's products and services to others and enhancing the company's reputation.

At its core, employee engagement is about creating a positive, inclusive, and inspiring workplace culture where employees feel valued, heard, and motivated to contribute their best. It's a win-win situation: employees are happier and more fulfilled, and businesses are more successful.

In this blog post, we will delve into 35 impactful case studies that illustrate the power of employee engagement in driving business success. From leveraging technology to fostering a culture of engagement in diverse workforces, these case studies will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for boosting employee engagement in your organization.

The Importance of Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is more than just a buzzword in the corporate world. It is a vital element that drives productivity, fosters innovation, and ultimately, contributes to a company's bottom line. In this section, we will delve into the significance of employee engagement and why it should be a priority in every organization.

1. Driving Productivity

Engaged employees are not just working. They are passionate, enthusiastic, and committed to their work. They strive to exceed expectations and continuously seek ways to improve their performance. As a result, their productivity levels are significantly higher than those of their disengaged counterparts. According to a study by Gallup, businesses with high employee engagement levels have 21% higher productivity.

2. Enhancing Employee Retention

Employee engagement is intrinsically linked to employee retention. When employees feel engaged, they are more likely to stay with the company. A sense of belonging, feeling valued, and being part of a purposeful mission can significantly reduce turnover rates. This not only saves costs associated with hiring and training new employees but also preserves the valuable knowledge and experience within the company.

3. Fostering Innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of a company's growth and sustainability. Engaged employees, with their high levels of commitment and enthusiasm, are often the source of innovative ideas. They are more likely to take the initiative, think outside the box, and contribute to the company's innovation efforts.

4. Improving Customer Satisfaction

Engaged employees are more likely to provide exceptional customer service. They understand that their role is crucial in shaping the customer's experience and perception of the company. Hence, they invest more effort in serving customers, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

5. Boosting Profitability

All of the above factors - increased productivity, improved retention, enhanced innovation, and better customer service - contribute to boosting a company's profitability. A study by Towers Perrin found that companies with engaged employees had a 19% increase in operating income over a 12-month period.

In conclusion, the importance of employee engagement cannot be overstated. It is a critical factor that influences a wide range of business outcomes. By prioritizing employee engagement, companies can reap substantial benefits, from increased productivity and innovation to improved customer satisfaction and profitability.

6 Case Studies on Boosting Employee Engagement with Technology

In this digital age, technology has become an integral part of our lives, influencing how we work, communicate, and engage with our surroundings. The same holds true for the corporate world, where technology has emerged as a powerful tool to boost employee engagement. Here, we present six compelling case studies that shed light on how various organizations have leveraged technology to enhance employee engagement.

1. Tech Titan: A Gamified Approach

Tech Titan, a leading technology company, used gamification to boost employee engagement. They developed an internal mobile app that transformed mundane tasks into exciting challenges. Employees could earn points, badges, and rewards for completing tasks, sparking competition and fostering a sense of achievement. This innovative approach led to a 25% increase in employee engagement within a year.

2. HealthCare Plus: Virtual Reality Training

HealthCare Plus, a renowned healthcare provider, introduced virtual reality (VR) for employee training. The VR simulations provided a realistic, immersive experience, allowing employees to practice procedures and protocols in a risk-free environment. This training method not only improved employee skills but also boosted engagement levels by making learning more interactive and enjoyable.

3. FinServ Corp: Harnessing AI for Personalized Learning

FinServ Corp, a financial services firm, used artificial intelligence (AI) to create personalized learning paths for its employees. The AI system analyzed each employee's skills, strengths, and areas for improvement to develop tailored training programs. This personalized approach made learning more relevant and engaging for employees, leading to increased participation in training programs.

4. EcoEnergy: IoT-Driven Employee Wellness Program

EcoEnergy, a sustainable energy company, launched an Internet of Things (IoT)-driven wellness program. They provided employees with wearable devices to monitor their health metrics, encouraging them to adopt healthier habits. The program created a sense of camaraderie among employees as they collectively worked towards their wellness goals, leading to higher engagement levels.

5. GlobalComm: Collaborative Tools for Remote Work

GlobalComm, a multinational communications company, implemented collaborative tools to engage its remote workforce. Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams facilitated seamless communication and collaboration, making remote employees feel more connected to their teams. This initiative resulted in a significant increase in engagement among remote workers.

6. Retail Giant: Augmented Reality for Employee Onboarding

A leading retail company used augmented reality (AR) for its employee onboarding process. New hires could use AR glasses to virtually explore the company's facilities and learn about its processes. This innovative onboarding experience made new employees feel welcomed and engaged from day one.

These case studies demonstrate the transformative power of technology in boosting employee engagement. By embracing digital tools and solutions, companies can create more engaging, rewarding, and meaningful work experiences for their employees.

8 Case Studies on Employee Engagement in Diverse Workforces

Diversity and inclusion have become a crucial part of organizational culture. A diverse workforce brings a variety of perspectives and approaches to the table, fostering innovation and creativity. However, managing a diverse workforce and ensuring high levels of employee engagement can be a challenge. Here, we present eight case studies that illustrate successful strategies for engaging diverse workforces.

1. IBM's Diversity Networking Groups

IBM, a multinational technology company, has implemented Diversity Networking Groups (DNGs), which are employee-led groups formed around common interests, backgrounds, or demographics. These groups have played a significant role in promoting diversity and inclusion, leading to higher employee engagement levels.

2. Johnson & Johnson's Employee Resource Groups

Johnson & Johnson, a multinational corporation, has leveraged Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to engage their diverse workforce. These ERGs, which include groups for women, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community, have fostered a sense of belonging, thereby enhancing employee engagement.

3. Coca Cola's Global Office of Diversity

Coca Cola established a Global Office of Diversity, which focuses on fostering an inclusive culture and promoting diversity. This initiative has led to increased engagement as employees feel valued and recognized for their unique contributions.

4. Accenture's Inclusion and Diversity Strategy

Accenture, a leading global professional services company, has implemented an inclusion and diversity strategy that focuses on creating a culture of equality. This strategy has resulted in increased employee engagement and a more innovative work environment.

5. Microsoft's Autism Hiring Program

Microsoft has introduced an Autism Hiring Program, which offers inclusive interview experiences for candidates with autism. This initiative has not only diversified their workforce but also increased engagement among these employees who feel valued and included.

6. Starbucks's Inclusion Academy

Starbucks has created an Inclusion Academy, a training program focused on providing people with disabilities with the skills they need for logistics roles within the company. This initiative has resulted in increased engagement among these employees.

7. Deloitte's ALL IN Diversity Strategy

Deloitte, a multinational professional services network, has implemented an ALL IN diversity strategy. This strategy focuses on fostering an inclusive culture where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, leading to higher levels of employee engagement.

8. Google's Employee Resource Groups

Google has leveraged Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to engage their diverse workforce. These ERGs, which include groups for women, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community, have fostered a sense of belonging, thereby enhancing employee engagement.

In conclusion, these case studies demonstrate that fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment can significantly boost employee engagement. By implementing appropriate strategies, organizations can ensure that every employee feels valued and included, leading to higher levels of productivity and innovation.

6 Case Studies on Employee Engagement through Team Building Activities

Employee engagement is not just about work; it's also about fostering a sense of camaraderie, trust, and mutual respect among team members. Team building activities are a tried-and-true method of achieving this. Here are six case studies that showcase the power of team building activities in boosting employee engagement.

1. A Tech Giant's Approach to Team Building: Google

Google, one of the world's leading technology companies, is renowned for its unique approach to team building. They've implemented a program called "gPause," which encourages employees to take part in mindfulness exercises together. This initiative has led to enhanced team cohesion, reduced stress levels, and improved productivity, proving that team building activities don't always have to be grandiose or expensive to be effective.

2. Building Trust through Adventure: Johnson & Johnson

Healthcare conglomerate Johnson & Johnson turned to adventure-based team building activities to foster trust and collaboration. They organized a series of outdoor challenges, including rock climbing and rafting. These activities required employees to rely on each other for success, thus strengthening their trust and rapport. The result? Improved team performance and higher employee engagement levels.

3. Creative Engagement: Pixar

Pixar, the renowned animation studio, uses creative exercises as team building activities. By encouraging their employees to take part in sketching sessions and storytelling workshops, Pixar fosters a culture of creativity and collaboration. This approach has not only resulted in some of the most successful animated movies of all time but also in a highly engaged workforce.

4. Team Building through Social Responsibility: Salesforce

Salesforce, a global leader in CRM, has integrated social responsibility into their team building initiatives. They offer their employees seven paid days off each year to volunteer for a cause of their choice. This unique approach to team building has fostered a sense of unity and purpose among employees, leading to increased engagement and job satisfaction.

5. Virtual Team Building: Scavify

In the era of remote work, Scavify has taken team building to the digital realm. Our interactive scavenger hunts not only foster team collaboration but also inject fun into the workday. These virtual activities have proven effective in maintaining high levels of employee engagement, even when teams are physically apart.

6. Physical Fitness as Team Building: Reebok

Reebok, a global athletic footwear and apparel company, uses fitness challenges as a team building activity. They offer CrossFit classes to their employees, promoting both physical health and team spirit. This approach has resulted in a more engaged, healthier, and more productive workforce.

These case studies illustrate the significant impact of team building activities on employee engagement. Whether it's through mindfulness exercises, adventure activities, creative workshops, social responsibility initiatives, virtual games, or fitness challenges, team building can effectively foster a sense of unity and engagement among employees.

8 Case Studies on Employee Engagement Initiatives in Large Corporations

As we delve deeper into the subject of employee engagement, it's essential to consider the unique challenges and opportunities presented by large corporations. These behemoths of the business world often have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of employees spread across multiple locations, sometimes even spanning continents. Given this, fostering a sense of engagement and connection amongst employees can be a daunting task. However, numerous large corporations have successfully implemented innovative engagement initiatives. Let's look at eight such case studies.

1. Google's '20% Time' Policy

Google, known for its innovative work culture, introduced a '20% Time' policy. This initiative allows engineers to spend 20% of their working hours on any project they choose. This policy has not only boosted engagement but also led to the creation of some of Google's most popular products, including Gmail and Google News.

2. Microsoft's 'Hackathon'

Microsoft hosts an annual Hackathon, where employees from all over the world come together to work on passion projects. This event fosters a sense of camaraderie and engagement amongst employees, while also promoting innovation and creativity.

3. Ford's 'Employee Resource Groups'

Ford has established multiple Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to promote diversity and inclusion. These groups, which include Women at Ford and Ford Employees Dealing with Disabilities, provide support, encourage engagement, and foster a sense of belonging amongst employees.

4. Apple's 'Blue Sky'

Apple introduced the 'Blue Sky' program, which allows a select group of employees to spend a few weeks on a project outside their usual work scope. This initiative boosts engagement by allowing employees to explore new areas and bring fresh ideas to the table.

5. Amazon's 'Peculiar Culture'

Amazon has created a 'peculiar culture' that encourages employees to be innovative and think outside the box. This culture, which includes practices like writing six-page memos and banning PowerPoints, keeps employees engaged and invested in the company's success.

6. Starbucks' 'Bean Stock'

Starbucks offers a program called 'Bean Stock', which gives eligible employees company shares. By making employees part-owners, Starbucks not only boosts engagement but also ensures that employees have a vested interest in the company's performance.

7. Salesforce's '1-1-1 Model'

Salesforce follows a unique '1-1-1 model', where it contributes 1% of its equity, 1% of its employee's time, and 1% of its products to philanthropic efforts. This initiative fosters a sense of purpose and engagement amongst employees, who take pride in their company's commitment to social responsibility.

8. Unilever's 'Sustainable Living Plan'

Unilever has implemented the 'Sustainable Living Plan', which aims to halve the environmental impact of its products by 2030. This initiative has boosted employee engagement by aligning the company's goals with the personal values of its employees.

In conclusion, these case studies highlight the innovative strategies large corporations are using to boost employee engagement. While the specifics vary, the underlying theme remains the same: when employees feel valued, supported, and part of something bigger, they are more likely to be engaged.

Conclusion on Employee Engagement Case Studies

In a rapidly evolving business landscape, these employee engagement case studies serve as a testament to the power of effective engagement strategies. They highlight how various organizations, regardless of their size or industry, have successfully harnessed the potential of their workforce by fostering a culture of engagement.

It's clear that employee engagement is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for businesses aiming for long-term success and sustainability. From leveraging technology to facilitating remote work, fostering diversity, and implementing team-building activities, businesses are exploring innovative ways to keep their employees engaged and motivated.

The case studies we've explored have demonstrated that employee engagement is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each organization has to consider its unique circumstances, workforce dynamics, and strategic objectives to shape its engagement initiatives. However, the common thread running through all these case studies is the positive impact of genuine and consistent employee engagement on overall organizational performance.

As we move into 2024, the importance of employee engagement is only set to increase. With the rise of remote work and the increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, businesses will need to continue innovating and adapting their engagement strategies to meet the changing expectations of their workforce.

In conclusion, these case studies underscore the transformative power of employee engagement. They serve as a powerful reminder that when employees feel valued, heard, and engaged, they are more likely to contribute their best work, leading to increased productivity, improved employee satisfaction, and ultimately, heightened business success. As such, employee engagement should be at the forefront of every business leader's strategy moving forward.

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How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now

• Daniel Stein,
• Nick Hobson,
• Jon M. Jachimowicz,
• Ashley Whillans

Start by connecting what people do to what they care about.

A year and a half into the pandemic, employees’ mental “surge capacity” is likely diminished. Managers must take proactive steps to increase employee engagement, or risk losing their workforce. Engaged employees perform better, experience less burnout, and stay in organizations longer. The authors created this Employee Engagement Checklist: a distilled, research-based resource that practitioners can execute on during this critical period of renewed uncertainty. Use this checklist to boost employee engagement by helping them connect what they do to what they care about, making the work itself less stressful and more enjoyable, and rewarding them with additional time off, in addition to financial incentives.

As the world stumbles toward a Covid-19 recovery, experts warn of a surge of voluntary employee departures, dubbed the “Great Resignation.” For instance, one study estimates that 55% of people in the workforce in August 2021 intend to look for a new job in the next 12 months. To counteract the incoming wave of employee turnover, organizations — more than ever — need to focus on cultivating employee engagement .

• DS Daniel Stein is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Management of Organizations (MORS) Group at UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business. He conducts research on groups and teams, focusing on commitment to one’s group. He studies commitment across multiple levels, ranging from teams to organizations.
• NH Nick Hobson is chief scientist and director of labs for  Emotive Technologies , a behavioral technology think tank that brings together leading academic researchers, technologists, and business strategists in order to create and share knowledge. A PhD-trained behavioral scientist and adjunct lecturer at the University of Toronto, Nick’s research and client practice specializes in employee experience (EX) and the influence of behavioral science as a tool for business success.
• Jon M. Jachimowicz is an assistant professor in the Organizational Behavior Unit at the Harvard Business School. He received his PhD in management from Columbia Business School. He studies how people pursue their passion for work, how they perceive passion in others, and how leaders and organizations seek to manage for passion.
• Ashley Whillans is an assistant professor in the negotiations, organizations, and markets unit at the Harvard Business School School and teaches the “Negotiations” and “Motivation and Incentives” courses to MBA students and executives. Her research focuses on the role of noncash rewards on engagement and the links between time, money, and happiness. She is the author of Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time & Live a Happier Life (Harvard Business Review, 2020).

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Impact case study

Improving employee engagement and performance.

  The resulting increase in the profile of employee engagement within the HR community undoubtedly helped to stimulate wider interest by business and within government. Mike Emmott CIPD's Advisor on Employee Relations

Research by

Dr Emma Soane

Department of management.

LSE's Emma Soane played a key role in research that helped to define and disseminate best practice in the area of employee engagement

What was the problem?

How people engage with their work affects both the individual satisfaction they derive from it and the contribution they make to an organisation's performance.

Without properly understanding the factors and processes involved, managers cannot hope to develop greater engagement among their staff.

In the UK little has been known about how individuals engage with their work. Filling this research gap has been vital on two counts: first, to develop effective measures of engagement, and second, to assess the contribution engagement makes to individual and organisational outcomes.

The results have wide-reaching implications for leadership practices and managing human resources in general.

What did we do?

In 2006 the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) commissioned Professor Katie Truss at Kingston University to investigate the processes through which individuals engage with their work. LSE Assistant Professor of Management Emma Soane was the project's Assistant Director and responsible for developing the theoretical foundations for its initial stages, which included a nationwide survey of 2,000 employees. (Soane did this work while at Kingston Business School and joined LSE in 2008.)

The following year Truss, now at the University of Kent, established a consortium of eight public- and private-sector organisations to take the research forward. Besides Truss and Soane, the team was composed of researchers at other UK and international universities, including: Rick Delbridge (University of Cardiff); Kerstin Alfes (Tilburg University, the Netherlands); Amanda Shantz (York University, Toronto); Mark Gatenby (University of Southampton); and Chris Rees (Royal Holloway, University of London).

The next stage of data collection and analysis involved 5,291 survey responses from employees and managers and 180 interviews with managers, and resulted in a CIPD report aimed at practitioners titled Creating an Engaged Workforce, findings from the Kingston Employee Engagement Consortium Project (2010).

A further phase of data collection took place between 2010 and 2012, involving responses from 2,173 employees and managers in five organisations, plus additional longitudinal data for 318 participants and a detailed study of the links between engagement, performance data and absenteeism for 264 participants.

At an individual level, the research demonstrated that employees' engagement with work stems from three factors: its perceived meaningfulness, their perceptions of line and senior managers, and opportunities for two-way dialogue with managers.

High levels of engagement were associated with enhanced performance, greater innovation, a stated intent to remain with the organisation, greater well-being and a belief that current workloads were sustainable. Low levels of engagement, on the other hand, were associated with higher levels of ‘deviance’, such as absenteeism.

At an organisational level, the research showed that policies and practices in human resource management (HRM) have a direct bearing on engagement, which then influences individual-level outcomes, notably performance.

What happened?

One of the outcomes of the research was a new measure of engagement: the ISA (Intellectual, Social, Affective) Engagement Scale. Soane and colleagues were responsible for devising and validating the measure and comparing it against other engagement scales. The paper outlining its development was published in a practitioner journal, Human Resource Development International (Soane et al, 2012), and made freely available to researchers and practitioners.

The early findings of the research influenced the UK Government when they were highlighted in a presentation made to No 10 Downing Street in July 2008. This led directly to the establishment of the MacLeod Review into employee engagement, which was commissioned by then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Right Honourable Lord Mandelson and published as Engaging for Success in July 2009.

The research had influence on the practitioner and human resources communities through its connection with CIPD. After commissioning the initial study, CIPD continued to work with the research team as part of an Employee Engagement Consortium involving organisations wishing to learn how to raise levels of engagement, and published a series of case studies between 2008 and 2011 analysing the engagement practices of employers in different sectors.

These case studies not only produced research findings, but also led to changes in policies and practices in participating organisations and, as a result, to concrete improvements in employee engagement and performance. For example, a manufacturing company reduced accident levels, labour turnover, product rejection rates, and overhead and direct costs while improving employee energy, enthusiasm and new product innovation, while a government department completely revised its approach to HR and a city council experienced significant increases in measures of employee engagement, motivation and pride. 

The research provided a forum for debate between academics and practitioners through a seminar series supported by a £15,000 grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Five free seminars were held between 2011 and 2013 at the Universities of Kent, Cardiff and LSE, attended by a total of 460 delegates. The seminars sought to explore the evidence and develop a theory to explain the links between employee engagement, organisational performance and individual well-being. Attached to the third seminar was a free doctoral symposium for 13 students.

The final seminar was run in conjunction with the 'Engage for Success' group, a movement launched by Prime Minister David Cameron in March 2011 based on the findings of the MacLeod Review and situated within BIS. The organisations involved in this movement accounted for more than two million employees. The 'Engage for Success' co-chairs, David MacLeod and Nita Clarke, said of the seminars: 'The programme brought together practitioners, experts, thinkers and consultants to share practice, shine a light on the importance of this topic, and offer best practice. The work has made a significant and critical contribution through developing the required insights for organisations…by creating networks to facilitate this.'

The seminar series resulted in the establishment of an Engagement Research Community subsection of the Engage for Success LinkedIn group, attracting 209 members within the first month and comprised of both academics and practitioners. It also yielded a special issue of the International Journal of Human Resource Management, published in July 2013. Members of the research team also co-edited and contributed chapters to a book for practitioners and researchers on Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice (Routledge, 2014).This brought together 29 leading scholars from the field, including William Kahn who published the original article on employee engagement in 1990.

Search all impact case studies.

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• The Movement
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Case Study: Increasing employee engagement through the HRM (Harrods)  

Increasing employee engagement through HRM

A Harrods case study

Harrods is a brand that is recognised all over the world. Its Knightsbridge store has 1 million square feet of selling space with over 330 different departments. Its global reputation and prestige is instilled through its brand values. Brand values represent what an organisation stands for. Harrods values are – British; Luxury; Service; Innovation and Sensation.

Harrods has been in business for over 160 years. It employs 4000 employees with an additional 3,500 agency and concession employees. In 2010 Qatar Holdings purchased Harrods from Mohamed Al-Fayed. The new owners are strongly committed to all of Harrods’ employees. They recognise that engaged employees are essential to the continuing success of the business. Such employees are likely to be happy and consistently high performers who want to progress their careers with Harrods. Managing employee relationships is the role of the Human Resources department.

Harrods carried out its first comprehensive employee survey to find out what they thought about working at Harrods. The employee survey has now become an integral aspect of Harrods’ Human Resource Management programme. The survey results were used to create strategic plans for change focused on improving employee engagement and trust. The four main elements were:

• Changing Organisational Structure
• Changing Leadership
• Improved communications
• Living brand values

Find out how the human resource management ensured these elements were implemented in the full case study.

There have now been four employee surveys. Each survey has seen a higher return from employees and an improvement in the indicators of employee engagement as a result of the actions the HRM team took. Significantly, 91% of employees have stated in the most recent survey that they are proud to work for Harrods and employee turnover has halved in the last five years.

This content is not owned by Engage for Success. And you can download a pdf of the report Employee Engagement at Harrods – Engage for success 2012 .

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Starbucks Employee Engagement with Starbucks

Employees are the very heart of the Starbucks brand- yet despite its strong culture of “serving up good” through a global offering of social impact opportunities, Starbucks employees were lacking in awareness of these opportunities. 

Aiming to better engage store employees in the social impact initiatives led at the corporate level, Starbucks partnered with Purpose to develop a bespoke engagement strategy. Through research, focus groups, interviews & landscape reviews, Purpose created a strategy that included core values to unite corporate & in-store employees, ownable roles for every employee to play in contributing to social impact & ideas for channels and resources that could make the experience enjoyable to all.

To activate this engagement strategy, Starbucks launched a neighborhood grants program which has now received over 8,000 grant nominations from 13,000 employees- and in June 2020, The Starbucks Foundation committed $1 million in Neighborhood Grants to promote racial equity and create more inclusive communities.

Despite Starbucks’ incredible offering of social impact opportunities across the world, initiatives rarely made it into the lives of store employees — the partners at the heart of the brand.

While Starbucks has a strong culture of “serving up good” through service and community connection initiatives, the company recognized that their employees lacked information about what work was happening and what engagement options were available to them. Only 1 in 30 baristas we spoke to had ever heard of Starbucks stores doing social impact work.

Starbucks aimed to make working at the company feel like the best job in retail by offering opportunities for store partners to live their values at work by taking part in global social impact initiatives.

By supporting store partners to serve their communities, Starbucks set out to supercharge the positive impact the company makes on the neighborhoods it serves, and make working at Starbucks feel like more than just a day job.

Theory of Change

Purpose partnered with Starbucks to unearth insights about what was holding store employees back from participating in global social impact initiatives, and determine what might motivate them to take part.

Through polling, focus groups, interviews and landscape reviews, Purpose developed a bespoke engagement strategy for Starbucks to utilize when creating and implementing impact initiatives that would touch the lives of store employees.

Interviews with Store Partners

To begin our research, Purpose conducted interviews with a number of store employees — from baristas to upper management — to understand what they knew about volunteering and service initiatives at Starbucks, and how they felt about getting involved.

Interviews illustrated the awareness gap — but also showed that without time, resources, and permission allocated to social impact activities, partners days were too busy to take time out for ‘extra work.’ Social impact opportunities at Starbucks sounded exciting, but were far from accessible.

Polling Store Managers

Purpose fielded an online survey via Workplace with a focus on Store Managers to further interrogate findings and assumptions that came to light during focus groups. The survey was fielded to over 130 employees, and gathered concrete perspectives on social impact from partners across geographies.

Survey results gave us insight into why Starbucks management chose Starbucks, and what they believed made the company special. We heard that of all the reasons people join Starbucks, it’s the community, connection, and teamwork a job at Starbucks offers that makes people stay.

Barista Focus Groups

To dig one foot deeper, we facilitated four focus groups in New York City, consisting mostly of Starbucks baristas. In conversations with 30+ employees, we learned more about the issues they cared about — which ranged from animals and the environment to advancing racial equity and justice in their own neighborhoods.

However, partners told us one thing loud and clear: in order to participate in social impact, they needed to feel a personal, local connection to the cause.

With insights in hand, Purpose created a strategy for engaging employees in global social impact work moving forward.

The strategy aimed to equip corporate leaders with the values store employees need to see reflected in social impact opportunities, and the roles they can play within those opportunities. It also outlined several meaningful programmatic options for corporate to deploy.

Combined with recommendations on tools and resources required as well as how to measure impact, the final product acted as a framework for partner participation.

After the rollout of the global social impact strategy, Starbucks approached Purpose for help with qualifying their current social impact employee engagement opportunities against the new framework.

Together, we ran each of Starbucks impact initiative through assessments to ensure the programmes delivered on the accessibility, valued-based, local experiences the strategy promised. Where gaps in initiatives were identified, Starbucks reworked programmes accordingly to ensure they were right for partner engagement.

The corporate team at Starbucks was particularly excited about applying an impact-centered approach to the core of their social impact offerings. To help colleagues across marketing, store relations, and global social impact understand the new methodology, Purpose facilitated a day-long workshop to train staff on how to use a theory of change to ensure programmes are designed strategically, audience first, and with impact at their core.

Starbucks activated their engagement strategy by refreshing their Neighborhood Grants program to make employees the driver of each grant. In the program, employees were invited to nominate the local  organizations that serve the communities where they live and work, to truly center the needs and opportunities employees observe as they interact with their communities in Starbucks stores every day. Since the launch, there have been over 8,000 grant nominations from 13,000 employees, which continues to grow.

The refreshed partner engagement strategy for global social impact changed the course of community investment and employee engagement at Starbucks, for good. By making all social impact programmes tailored to partners personal passions, Starbucks became more than a place to work — it became a place for partners to bring their authentic selves to work each day, serve the communities they love, and live their values.

When Black Lives Matter protests spread across the country in the summer of 2020, Starbucks was equipped to heed employee calls for action — committing $1M in grants to racial justice organisations nominated by store employees themselves. As COVID struck, they asked partners to lead the way in determining how the company could help.

The partnership has shown us that the impact a company can make when we meet employees where they are is boundless.

Engaging Employees to Bring Their Best to Work

Available for download pdf icon [PDF – 255 KB]

Today’s workplace is ever-changing. Modern organizations require the whole person to be engaged in the workplace intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Research has shown that increased work-related engagement results in improved employee and customer satisfaction, safety, and overall performance and profits. 1,2 Engaged employees are more willing to learn new skills and ways to be innovative, adaptable, resilient, team-oriented, and open to diverse perspectives. In addition, company performance and employee engagement are closely linked to employee health. 3,4,5

The changing workplace and workforce, along with the emergence of positive psychology and the need to connect work to the whole person, created the focus on employee engagement in the workplace. This approach is essential for overall employee productivity and organizational performance.

Employee Engagement in the Workplace

Although industry leaders define employee engagement differently, the term has been referred to as the intention of commitment with purpose and to “place in gear.” 6 William Kahn, an academician and recognized as the founding father of the concept of engagement, described “personal engagement” as “the harnessing of organization members’ selves to their work roles; in engagement, people employ and express themselves physically, cognitively, and emotionally during role performances.” 7 Kahn believed that employees become engaged when three psychological needs are met: (1) personal feelings of meaningfulness (one is valued and appreciated), (2) psychological safety (one can do and work without fear of negative consequences), and (3) availability (one has the physical and mental resources without distractions to engage at work). Varying terms, definitions, descriptions, measurement tools, and models have since been associated with employee engagement. From a review of over 200 published articles, four approaches emerge related to defining employee engagement. 8

• Personal Engagement. Kahn’s research laid the foundation for this term, which describes an intention by individuals to bring their best self to work, to grow personally and professionally through their work role, and to contribute to the organization through their full personal engagement of thoughts, feelings, and physical energies. This approach has become expressed more recently as the hands, head, and heart approach to employee engagement at work. 7

Work or Job Engagement. This approach focuses on greater satisfaction and involvement by achieving “a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind” that is characterized by:

• Vigor (high levels of mental resilience and energy, even while overcoming challenges).
• Dedication (intense effort and intention of work while benefiting from sensations of pride or significance).
• Absorption (intense focus and concentration with challenges of detaching). 9
• Individuals’ job satisfaction .
• Commitment to the organization.
• High performance .
• Multidimensional engagement . This approach views the unique and significant differences and psychological connections of the individual’s engagement with the workplace, including their job and position within the organization, compared with engagement with the work alone. 10 For example, research has demonstrated that engagement is a function of how employees are treated by their leaders. A stronger relationship predicts higher employee engagement. 2

Benefits of Employee Engagement

Employers continue to explore ways to gain optimal levels of performance from their employees. For businesses, successful employee engagement can provide numerous benefits to the organization. Although research related to evidence-based practices in the workplace is ongoing, research from the last three decades reveals a positive relationship among employee attitudes, engagement with safety, job satisfaction and employee retention, customer satisfaction, and financials. Better employee engagement is also associated with reduced absenteeism and merchandise shrinkage.

Below is a list of favorable outcomes for individuals and an organization. 2,9–13

Achieving Employee Engagement in the Workplace

Employee engagement actually begins before the employee is hired. Ensuring the right fit of individual, work, and organization is essential. High performers who excel at their craft may not fit well into the organizational culture. Evaluating this in advance of hiring is beneficial for all parties.

Once an employee is hired, organizational engagement is essential. This involves coworkers, managers, and executives, as well as the company’s culture and values. Below are five elements of a highly engaged employee workplace.

1. People and Relationships

The workplace allows for social connections that can either enhance employee engagement or diminish it. Working with individuals who respect, admire, and enjoy one another makes for a better work environment. Employees value a boss who appreciates them and shares this through simple or more involved recognition.

2. Empathetic Leaders

The best leaders and managers understand that their success and that of the organization rely on employees’ achievements. They seek to know not only the person’s job, but the whole person—including their strengths and goals. Great managers empower employees by recognizing and valuing employees’ contributions, and actively seeking their ideas and opinions. Employee expect leaders and managers to lead by example and demonstrate appreciation for employees.

3. Benefits Including Wellness Offerings

In addition to pay, employees are motivated to work for an employer because of the additional benefits, which may include health insurance, profit-sharing, flexible work schedules, and recognition and rewards for performance. More employees also are asking for wellness offerings such as on-site fitness centers, cafeterias or food access, and health coaching services.

4. Training and Development

Organizations and individuals benefit from personal and professional growth and development. It is important to train leaders and managers on how to retain talented employees. From career development and leadership courses to coordinated skill building, training is essential for all employees. Other engagement strategies include internal promotion, travel opportunities, and work exchanges.

5. Capture Timely Feedback and Take Action

Organizations can use existing tools to encourage employee input on the design or improvements to their program. Employers not only should invite employees to participate in a workplace experience survey, they should ask them to help modify or improve tools to make them relevant to their work and company culture. When a company invites its employees to share their feedback through regular surveys or focus groups, the employees’ expectation is that leadership will follow through and take action. Employers should use the data to monitor key performance metrics and identify needs or areas for improvement. In developing action plans, the steps should be realistic and include concrete examples of how those steps will enhance employee experience and engagement, while achieving company goals.

Opportunities and Resources

There are a rising number of tools for measuring employee engagement, from research instruments to commercial surveys. Gaining insight on employee engagement to include employee satisfaction, effect on client satisfaction, and overall engagement of the whole person at work is an opportunity for all employers.

Ultimately, employee engagement is a connection of intellectual, physical, and emotional energy—a state of mind, body, and spirit—at the workplace with favorable impact to both the individual and the organization. Below are a few tools and resources for employers interested in learning more about employee engagement.

Tools and Resources for Engaging Employees in the Workplace

• National Healthy Workplace (NHWP) Health and Safety Climate Survey pdf icon [PDF – 1 MB]
• Health Promotion in the Workplace: Improving Awareness, Enhancing Motivation, Building Skills, and Creating Opportunity (PDF of book is available at no cost), by the Art and Science of Health Promotion Institute
• What Great Managers Do to Engage Employees external icon
• The Impact of Employee Engagement on Performance pdf icon [PDF – 645 KB] external icon
• Gallup Q 12 Employee Engagement Survey external icon

The CDC Workplace Health Resource Center (WHRC) is a one-stop shop for organizations to find credible tools, guides, case studies, and other resources to design, develop, implement, evaluate, and sustain workplace health promotion programs. Visit the CDC Workplace Health Resource Center  to learn more about and strategies for employee engagement.

• Harter JK, Schmidt FL, Hayes TL. Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol . 2002; 87(2):268–279.
• Harter JK, Schmidt FL, Agrawal S, Plowman SK, Blue A. The Relationship Between Engagement at Work and Organizational Outcomes: 2016 Q12 Meta-Analysis. Omaha, NE: Gallup; 2016. Available from: http://www.gallup.com/services/191558/q12-meta-analysis-ninth-edition-2016.aspx external icon . Accessed July 20, 2018.
• Burton WN, Schultz AB. The Association of Employee Engagement at Work with Health Risks and Presenteeism webinar. https://hero-health.org/webinar/association-employee-engagement-work-health-risks-presenteeism external icon . Accessed July 20, 2018.
• Goetzel RZ, Fabius R, Fabius D, Roemer EC, Thornton N, Kelly RK, Pelletier KR. The stock performance of C. Everett Koop Award winners compared with the Standard & Poor’s 500 index. J Occup Environ Med . 2016;58(1):9–15.
• Harvard Business Review Analytic Services. The impact of employee engagement on performance. Harvard Business Review . 2013. https://hbr.org/resources/pdfs/comm/achievers/hbr_achievers_report_sep13.pdf pdf icon [PDF – 645 KB] external icon . Accessed July 20, 2018.
• Zinger D. The Saba Blog: William Kahn: Q&A with the Founding Father of Engagement (part 1) website. Accessed July 20, 2018.
• Kahn WA. Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal. 1990;33(4):692–724. https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/256287 external icon .
• Schaufeli WB. What is engagement? In: Truss C, Alfes K, Delbridge R, Shantz A, Soane E, editors. Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice . London: Routledge; 2013; p. 1–37.
• Rich BL, Lepine JA, Crawford ER. Job engagement: antecedents and effects on job performance. Academy of Management Journal . 2010;53:617–35. doi:10.5465/AMJ.2010.51468988
• Schaufeli WB, Salanova M, González-Romá V, Bakker AB. The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies . 2002;3(1):71–92. doi:10.1023/A:1015630930326.
• Schaufeli WB, Bakker AB. UWES: Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Preliminary Manual , The Netherlands: Department of Psychology, Utrecht University; 2003.
• Buckingham M, Coffman C. First, Break All the Rules . New York: Simon & Schuster; 1999.
• Truss C, Madden A, Alfes K, Fletcher L, Robinson D, Holmes J, Buzzeo J, Currie G. Employee Engagement: An Evidence Synthesis . United Kingdom: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); 2014.

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

The impact of engaging leadership on employee engagement and team effectiveness: A longitudinal, multi-level study on the mediating role of personal- and team resources

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing – original draft

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation Department of Education Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Roles Conceptualization, Investigation, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Research Unit Occupational & Organizational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Belgium, Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

• Greta Mazzetti, 
• Wilmar B. Schaufeli

• Published: June 29, 2022
• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433
• Reader Comments

Most research on the effect of leadership behavior on employees’ well-being and organizational outcomes is based on leadership frameworks that are not rooted in sound psychological theories of motivation and are limited to either an individual or organizational levels of analysis. The current paper investigates whether individual and team resources explain the impact of engaging leadership on work engagement and team effectiveness, respectively. Data were collected at two time points on N = 1,048 employees nested within 90 work teams. The Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling results revealed that personal resources (i.e., optimism, resiliency, self-efficacy, and flexibility) partially mediated the impact of T1 individual perceptions of engaging leadership on T2 work engagement. Furthermore, joint perceptions of engaging leadership among team members at T1 resulted in greater team effectiveness at T2. This association was fully mediated by team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making). Moreover, team resources had a significant cross-level effect on individual levels of engagement. In practical terms, training and supporting leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their subordinates could significantly improve employees’ motivation and involvement and enable teams to pursue their common goals successfully.

Citation: Mazzetti G, Schaufeli WB (2022) The impact of engaging leadership on employee engagement and team effectiveness: A longitudinal, multi-level study on the mediating role of personal- and team resources. PLoS ONE 17(6): e0269433. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433

Editor: Ender Senel, Mugla Sitki Kocman University: Mugla Sitki Kocman Universitesi, TURKEY

Received: December 29, 2021; Accepted: May 23, 2022; Published: June 29, 2022

Copyright: © 2022 Mazzetti, Schaufeli. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available on Open Science Framework (OSF) website at the following link: https://osf.io/yfwgt/?view_only=c838730fd7694a0ba32882c666e9f973 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/YFWGT .

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Multiple studies suggest that work engagement, which is defined as a positive, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption [ 1 ], is related to extremely positive outcomes, particularly in terms of employees’ well-being and job performance (for a narrative overview see [ 2 ]; for a meta-analysis see [ 3 ]).

Therefore, when work engagement is arguably beneficial for employees and organizations alike, the million-dollar question (quite literally, by the way) is: how can work engagement be increased? Schaufeli [ 4 ] has argued that operational leadership is critical for enhancing follower’s work engagement. Based on the logic of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model [ 5 ], he reasoned that team leaders may (or may not) monitor, manage, and allocate job demands and resources to increase their follower’s levels of work engagement. In doing so, team leaders boost the motivational process that is postulated in the JD-R model. This process assumes that job resources and challenging job demands are inherently motivating and will lead to a positive, affective-motivational state of fulfillment in employees known as work engagement.

The current study focuses on a specific leadership style, dubbed engaging leadership and rooted in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) [ 6 ]. Engaging leaders inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers, thereby satisfying their basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, respectively. In line with the motivational process of the JD-R model, cross-sectional evidence suggests that engaging leaders increase job resources [ 7 ] and personal resources [ 8 ], which, in their turn, are positively associated with work engagement. So far, the evidence for this mediation is exclusively based on cross-sectional studies. Hence, the first objective of our paper is to confirm the mediation effect of resources using a longitudinal design.

Scholars have emphasized that “the study of leadership is inherently multilevel in nature” (p. 4) [ 9 ]. This statement implies that, in addition to the individual level, the team level of analysis should also be included when investigating the impact of engaging leadership.

The current study makes two notable contributions to the literature. First, it investigates the impact, over time, of a novel, specific leadership style (i.e., engaging leadership) on team- and individual outcomes (i.e., team effectiveness and work engagement). Second, it investigates the mediating role of team resources and personal resources in an attempt to explain the impact of leadership on these outcomes. The research model, which is described in greater detail below, is displayed in Fig 1 .

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433.g001

Leadership and work engagement

Leadership is defined as the way in which particular individuals–leaders–purposefully influence other individuals–their followers–to obtain defined outcomes [ 10 ].

A systematic narrative review identified twenty articles on leadership and work engagement [ 11 ] and showed that work engagement is positively associated with various person-centered leadership styles. The most pervasively used framework was transformational leadership, whereas authentic, ethical, and charismatic leadership was used much less. The authors conclude that "most of the reviewed studies were consistent in arguing that leadership is significantly correlated with and is affecting employee’s work engagement directly or via mediation” (p. 18) [ 11 ]. Moreover, they also conclude that research findings and inferences on leadership and engagement remain narrowly focused and inconclusive due to the lack of longitudinal designs addressing this issue. A recent meta-analysis [ 12 ] identified 69 studies and found substantial positive relationships of work engagement with ethical (k = 9; ρ = .58), transformational (k = 36; ρ = .46) and servant leadership (k = 3; ρ = .43), and somewhat less strong associations with authentic (k = 17; ρ = .38) and empowering leadership (k = 4; ρ = .35). Besides, job resources (e.g., job autonomy, social support), organizational resources (e.g., organizational identification, trust), and personal resources (self-efficacy, creativity) mediated the effect of leadership on work engagement. Although transformational leadership is arguably the most popular leadership concept of the last decades [ 13 ], the validity of its conceptual definition has been heavily criticized, even to the extent that some authors suggest getting “back to the drawing board” [ 14 ]. It should be noted that three main criticisms are voiced: (1) the theoretical definition of the transformational leadership dimensions is meager (i.e., how are the four dimensions selected and how do they combine?); (2) no causal model is specified (i.e., how is each dimension related to mediating processes and outcomes?); (3) the most frequently used measurement tools are invalid (i.e., they fail to reproduce the dimensional structure and do not show empirical distinctiveness from other leadership concepts). Hence, it could be argued that the transformational leadership framework is not very well suited for exploring the impact of leadership on work engagement.

Schaufeli [ 7 ] introduced the concept of engaging leadership , which is firmly rooted in Self-Determination Theory. According to Deci and Ryan [ 6 ], three innate psychological needs are essential ‘nutrients’ for individuals to function optimally, also at the workplace: the needs for autonomy (i.e., feeling in control), competence (i.e., feeling effective), and relatedness (i.e., feeling loved and cared for). Moreover, SDT posits that employees are likely to be engaged (i.e., internalize their tasks and show high degrees of energy, concentration, and persistence) to the degree that their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are satisfied [ 15 ]. This is in line with Bormann and Rowold [ 16 ]. Based on a systematic review on construct proliferation in leadership research, these authors recommended that leadership concepts should use SDT because this motivational theory allows a more parsimonious description of the mechanisms underlying leadership behaviors. These authors posited that the core of "narrow" leadership constructs "bases on a single pillar" (p. 163), and therefore predict narrow outcomes. In contrast to broad leadership constructs, the concept of engaging leadership is narrow because it focuses on leadership behaviors to explicitly promote work engagement.

Schaufeli [ 7 ] reasoned that leaders, who are instrumental in satisfying their followers’ basic needs, are likely to increase their engagement levels. More specifically, engaging leaders are supposed to: (1) inspire (e.g., by enthusing their followers for their vision and plans, and by making them feel that they contribute to something important); (2) strengthen (e.g., by granting their followers freedom and responsibility, and by delegating tasks); and (3) connect (e.g., by encouraging collaboration and by promoting a high team spirit among their followers). Hence, by inspiring, strengthening, and connecting their followers, leaders stimulate the fulfillment of their follower’s basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, respectively, which, in turn, will foster work engagement.

The underlying mechanisms of the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement are a major focus of research, as the construct of engaging leadership was built upon the identification of the leadership behaviors that are capable of stimulating positive outcomes by satisfying needs. The literature on engaging leadership provides empirical evidence for its indirect impact on followers’ engagement by fulfilling followers’ basic needs. This finding is consistent across occupational sectors and cultural contexts [ 17 – 19 ]. Further, the observation of a partial mediation effect for need satisfaction suggests the presence of a direct relationship between engaging leadership and engagement [ 20 , 21 ]. In their behaviors, engaging leaders are likely to improve their job characteristics to the point of stimulating greater engagement among their employees. This assumption has been corroborated by a recent longitudinal study that delved deeper into the association between engaging leadership and needs satisfaction [ 22 ]. That study found that the relationship between engaging leadership and basic needs satisfaction is mediated by enhanced levels of job resources (among them were improved feedback and skill use and better person-job fit). The fulfilment of those needs, in turn, resulted in higher levels of work engagement. Therefore, perceived job resources seem to play a crucial role in the causal relationship between engaging leadership and basic needs satisfaction. This evidence found support in a later two-wave full panel design with a 1-year time lag, where engaging leadership promoted employees’ perception of autonomy and social support from colleagues [ 23 ]. In addition, a recent study by Van Tuin and colleagues [ 24 ] revealed that engaging leadership is associated with increased perceptions of intrinsic organizational values (e.g., providing a contribution to organizational and personal development) and satisfaction of the need for autonomy which, in turn, may boost employees’ level of engagement.

A recent study investigated the ways in which engaging leadership could boost the effects of human resource (HR) practices for promoting employees’ psychological, physical, and social well-being over time [ 25 ]. Teams led by an engaging leader reported higher levels of happiness at work and trust in leadership, combined with lower levels of burnout than their colleagues who were led by poorly engaging leaders. Happiness and trust played a key role in improving team member performance. These findings indicate that engaged leaders provide a thoughtful implementation of HR practices focused on promoting employee well-being, being constantly driven by their employees’ flourishing.

Another line of studies may reveal the causality between engaging leadership and work-related outcomes. A multilevel longitudinal study provided cross-level and team-level effects of engaging leadership [ 26 ]. Engaging leadership at T1 explained team learning, innovation, and individual performance through increased teamwork engagement at T2. Interventions targeting engaging leadership created positive work outcomes for leaders (e.g., autonomy satisfaction and intrinsic motivation) and decreased employee absenteeism [ 27 ]. However, cross-lagged longitudinal analyses indicate that employees’ current level of work engagement predicts their leaders’ level of engaging leadership rather than the other way around [ 23 ]. These findings imply that the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement cannot be narrowed to a simple unidirectional causal relationship but rather exhibits a dynamic nature, where engaging leadership and work engagement mutually influence each other. The dynamic nature of engaging leadership has also been investigated through a diary study. The results suggest that employees enacted job crafting strategies more frequently on days when leaders were more successful in satisfying their need for connectivity [ 28 ]. Hence, leaders who satisfy the need for connectedness among their followers will not only encourage higher levels of engagement among their followers but also an increased ability to proactively adapt tasks to their interests and preferences.

Since transformational leadership is currently the most frequently studied leadership style, a summary of the similarities and differences in the proposed new conceptualization of leadership proposed (i.e., engaging leadership) must be provided.

A key difference between transformational and engaging leadership originates from their foundation. Whereas transformational leadership is primarily a change-oriented style, engaging leadership encourages employees’ well-being through the promotion of supportive relationships and is defined as a relationship-oriented leadership style [ 29 ].

Further similarities entail the combination of behaviors meant to foster employees’ well-being and growth. Transformational leaders act as role models admired and emulated by followers (idealized influence), encourage a reconsideration of prevailing assumptions and work practices to promote stronger innovation (intellectual stimulation), identify and build on the unique characteristics and strengths of each follower (individualized consideration), and provides a stimulating view of the future and meaning of their work (inspirational motivation) [ 30 ]. A considerable resemblance involves the dimensions of inspirational motivation and inspiring, which are, respectively, included in transformational and engaging leadership. They both entail recognizing the leader as a guiding light to a specific mission and vision, where individual inputs are credited as essential ingredients in achieving the shared goal. Thus, they both fulfill the individual need for meaningfulness. In a similar vein, transformational and engaged leaders are both committed to promote followers’ growth in terms of innovation and creativity. In other words, the intellectual stimulation offered by transformational leadership and the strengthening component of engaging leadership are both aimed at meeting the need for competence among followers.

Alternatively, it is also possible to detect decisive differences between the dimensions underlying these leadership styles. Transformational leadership entails the provision of personal mentorship (i.e., individualized consideration), while engaging leadership is primarily focused on enhancing the interdependence and cohesion among team members (i.e., team consideration). Furthermore, engaging leadership disregards the notion of idealized influence covered by transformational leadership: an engaging leader is not merely identified as a model whose behavior is admired and mirrored, but rather proactively meets followers’ need for autonomy through the allocation of tasks and responsibilities.

Empirical results lent further support to the distinctiveness between transformational and engaging leadership. The analysis of the factor structure of both constructs revealed that measures of engaging and transformational leadership load on separate dimensions instead of being explained by a single latent factor [ 31 ]. More recently, additional research findings pointed out that engaging and transformational leadership independently account for comparable portions of variance in work engagement [ 32 ]. However, this does not alter the fact that a certain overlap exists between both leadership concepts; thus, it is not surprising that a consistent, positive relationship is found between transformational leadership and work engagement [ 11 ].

In sum: a positive link appears to exist between person-centered leadership styles and work engagement. Moreover, this relationship seems to be mediated by (job and personal) resources. However, virtually all studies used cross-sectional designs, and the causal direction remains unclear. We followed the call to go back to the drawing board by choosing an alternative, deductive approach by introducing the theory-grounded concept of engaging leadership and investigate its impact on individual and team outcomes (see Fig 1 ).

Engaging leadership, personal resources, and employee engagement (individual level)

Serrano and Reichard [ 33 ], who posit that leaders may pursue four pathways to increase their follower’s work engagement: (1) design meaningful and motivating work; (2) support and coach their employees; (3 ) facilitate rewarding and supportive coworker relations, and (4) enhancing personal resources. In the present study, we focus on the fourth pathway. Accordingly, a cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling [ 8 ] showed that psychological capital (i.e., self-efficacy, optimism, resiliency, and flexibility) fully mediated the relationship between perceived engaging leadership and follower’s work engagement. Consistent with findings on job resources, this study indicated that personal resources also mediate the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement. In a nutshel, when employees feel autonomous, competent, and connected to their colleagues, their own personal resources benefit, and this fuels their level of engagement.

In the current study, we use the same conceptualization of psychological capital (PsyCap) as Schaufeli [ 7 , 8 ], which slightly differs from the original concept. Originally, PsyCap was defined as a higher-order construct that is based on the shared commonalities of four first-order personal resources: “(1) having confidence (self-efficacy) to take on and put in the necessary effort to succeed at challenging tasks; (2) making a positive attribution (optimism) about succeeding now and in the future; (3) persevering toward goals and, when necessary, redirecting paths to goals (hope) to succeed; and (4) when beset by problems and adversity, sustaining and bouncing back and even beyond (resiliency) to attain success” (p. 10) [ 34 ]. Instead of hope, flexibility is included; that is, the capability of employees to adapt to new, different, and changing requirements at work. Previous research showed a high correlation ( r > .70) between hope and optimism, thus increasing the risk of multicollinearity [ 35 ]. This strong relationship points at conceptual overlap: hope is defined as the perception that goals can be set and achieved, whereas optimism is the belief that one will experience good outcomes. Hence, trust in achieving goals (hope) implies optimism. Additionally, hope includes "when necessary, redirecting paths to goals", which refers to flexibility. Finally, in organizational practice, the flexibility of employees is considered an essential resource because organizations are continuously changing, which requires permanent adaption and hence employee flexibility. In short, there are psychometric, conceptual, and pragmatic arguments for replacing hope by flexibility.

According to Luthans and colleagues [ 36 ], PsyCap is a state-like resource representing an employee’s motivational propensity and perseverance towards goals. PsyCap is malleable and open to development, thus it can be enhanced through positive leadership [ 37 ]. Indeed, it was found that transformational leadership enhances PsyCap, which, in turn, increases in-role performance and organizational citizenship behavior [ 38 ]. In a similar vein, PsyCap mediates the relationships between authentic leadership and employee’s creative behavior [ 39 ].

We argue that engaging leadership may promote PsyCap as well. After all, by inspiring followers with a clear, powerful and compelling vision, engaging leaders: (1) create the belief in their ability to perform tasks that tie in with that vision successfully, thereby fostering follower’s self-efficacy ; (2) generate a positive appraisal of the future, thereby fostering follower’s optimism ; (3) trigger the ability to bounce back from adversity because a favorable future is within reach, thereby fostering follower’s resiliency ; (4) set goals and induce the belief that these can be achieved, if necessary by redirecting paths to those goals, thereby fostering follower’s flexibility [ 38 ].

Furthermore, engaging leaders strengthen their followers and unleash their potential by setting challenging goals. This helps to build followers’ confidence in task-specific skills, thereby increasing their self-efficacy levels, mainly via mastery experiences that occur after challenging goals have been achieved [ 40 ]. Setting high-performance expectations also elevates follower’s sense of self-worth, thereby leading to a positive appraisal of their current and future circumstances (i.e., optimism ). Moreover, a strengthening leader acts as a powerful contextual resource that augments followers’ self-confidence and, hence, increases their ability to bounce back from adversity (i.e., resiliency ) and adapt to changing requirements at work (i.e., flexibility ).

Finally, by connecting their followers, engaging leaders promote good interpersonal relationships and build a supportive team climate characterized by collaboration and psychological safety. Connecting leaders also foster commitment to team goals by inducing a sense of purpose, which energizes team members to contribute toward the same, shared goal. This means that in tightly knit, supportive and collaborative teams, followers: (1) experience positive emotions when team goals are met, which, in turn, fosters their level of self-efficacy [ 40 ]; (2) feel valued and acknowledged by others, which increases their self-worth and promotes a positive and optimistic outlook; (3) can draw upon their colleagues for help and support, which enables to face problems and adversities with resiliency ; (4) can use the abilities, skills, and knowledge of their teammates to adapt to changing job and team requirements (i.e., flexibility ).

In sum, when perceived as such by followers, engaging leadership acts as a sturdy contextual condition that enhances their PsyCap. We continue to argue that, in its turn, high levels of PsyCap are predictive for work engagement; or in other words, PsyCap mediates the relationship between engaging leadership and work engagement.

How to explain the relationship between PsyCap and work engagement? Sweetman and Luthans [ 41 ] presented a conceptual model, which relates PsyCap to work engagement through positive emotions. They argue that all four elements of PsyCap may have a direct and state-like relationship with each of the three dimensions of work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption). Furthermore, an upward spiral of PsyCap and work engagement may be a source of positive emotion and subsequently broaden an employee’s growth mindset, leading to higher energy and engagement [ 42 , 43 ]. In short, PsyCap prompts and maintains a motivational process that leads to higher work engagement and may ultimately result in positive outcomes, such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment [ 44 ].

Psychological capital is a valuable resource to individuals [ 45 ] that fosters work engagement, as demonstrated in past research [ 46 ]. Hence, following the reasoning above, we formulate the following hypothesis:

• Hypothesis 1: Psychological capital (self-efficacy , optimism , resiliency , and flexibility) mediates the relationship between T1 employee’s perceptions of engaging leadership and T2 work engagement .

Engaging leadership, team resources, and work team effectiveness (team level)

So far, we focused on individual-level mediation, but an equivalent mediation process is expected at the aggregated team level as well. We assume that leaders display a comparable leadership style toward the entire team, resulting in a similar relationship with each of the team members. This model of leader-follower interactions is known as the average leadership style (ALS) [ 47 ]. This means that homogeneous leader-follower interactions exist within teams, but relationships of leaders with followers may differ between teams. The relationships between leadership and team effectiveness might be based on an analogous, team-based ALS-approach as well [ 48 ]. Following this lead, we posit that team members share their perceptions of engaging leadership, while this shared perception differs across teams. Moreover, we assume that these shared perceptions are positively related to team effectiveness.

An essential role for leaders is to build team resources, which motivate team members and enable them to perform. Indeed, the influence of leader behaviors on team mediators and outcomes has been extensively documented [ 49 , 50 ].

Most studies use the heuristic input-process-output (IPO) framework [ 51 ] to explain the relationship between leadership (input) and team effectiveness (output), whereby the intermediate processes describe how team inputs are transformed into outputs. It is widely acknowledged that two types of team processes play a significant role: “taskwork” (i.e., functions that team members must perform to achieve the team’s task) and “teamwork” (i.e., the interaction between team members, necessary to achieve the team’s task). Taskwork is encouraged by task-oriented leadership behaviors that focus on task accomplishment. In contrast, teamwork is encouraged by person-oriented leadership behaviors that focus on developing team members and promoting interactions between them [ 49 ]. The current paper focuses on teamwork and person-oriented (i.e., engaging) leadership.

Collectively, team resources such as performance feedback, trust in management, communication between team members, and participation in decision-making constitute a supportive team climate that is conducive for employee growth and development, and hence fosters team effectiveness, as well as individual work engagement. This also meshes with Serrano and Reichard [ 33 ], who argue that for employees to flourish, leaders should design meaningful and motivating work (e.g., through feedback and participation in decision making) and facilitate rewarding and supportive coworker relations (e.g., through communication and trust in management).

To date, engaging leadership has not been studied at the team level and concerning team resources and team effectiveness. How should the association between engaging leadership and team resources be conceived? By strengthening, engaging leaders provide their team members with performance feedback; by inspiring, they grant their team members participate in decision making; and by connecting, they foster communication between team members and install trust. Please note that team resources refer to shared, individual perceptions of team members, which are indicated by within-team consensus. Therefore, taken as a whole, the team-level resources that are included in the present study constitute a supportive team climate that is characterized by receiving feedback, trust in management, communication amongst team members, and participating in decision-making. We have seen above that engaging leaders foster team resources, but how are these resources, in their turn, related to team effectiveness?

The multi-goal, multi-level model of feedback effects of DeShon and colleagues [ 52 ] posits that individual and team regulatory processes govern the allocation of effort invested in achieving individual and team goals, resulting in individual and team effectiveness. We posit that the shared experience of receiving the team leader’s feedback prompts team members to invest efforts in achieving team tasks, presumably through team regulatory processes, as postulated in the multi-goal, multi-level model.

Trust has been defined as: “the willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party based on the expectation that the other party will perform a particular action to the trustor, irrespective of the ability to monitor or control that other party” (p. 712) [ 53 ]. Using a multilevel mediation model, Braun and colleagues [ 54 ] showed that trust mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and performance at the team level. They reasoned that transformational leaders take into account a team member’s needs, goals, and interests, making them more willing to be vulnerable to their supervisor. This would apply even more for engaging leaders, which is defined in terms of satisfying basic follower’s needs. It is plausible that a team’s shared trust in its leader enhances the trust of team members in each other. That means that team members interact and communicate trustfully and rely on each other’s abilities, which, in turn, is conducive for team effectiveness [ 55 ].

Communication is a crucial element of effective teamwork [ 56 ]. Team members must exchange information to ascertain other members’ competence and intentions, and they must engage in communication to develop a strategy and plan their work. Several studies have shown that effectively gathering and exchanging information is essential for team effectiveness [ 57 , 58 ]. Furthermore, participation in decision-making is defined as joint decision-making [ 59 ] and involves sharing influence between team leaders and team members. By participating in decision-making, team members create work situations that are more favorable to their effectiveness. Team members utilize participating in decision-making for achieving what they desire for themselves and their team. Generally speaking, shared mental models are defined as organized knowledge structures that allow employees to interact successfully with their environment, and therefore lead to superior team performance [ 60 ]. That is, team members with a shared mental model about decision-making are ‘in sync’ and will easily coordinate their actions, whereas the absence of a shared mental model will result in process loss and ineffective team processes.

Taken together and based on the previous reasoning, we formulate the second hypothesis as follows:

• Hypothesis 2: Team resources (performance feedback , trust in management , team communication , and participation in decision-making) mediate the relationship between T1 team member’s shared perceptions of engaging leadership and T2 team effectiveness .

Engaging leadership, team resources, and work engagement (cross-level)

Engaging leaders build team resources (see above). Or put differently, the team member’s shared perceptions of engaging leadership are positively related to team resources. Besides, we also assume that these team resources positively impact work engagement at the individual level. A plethora of research has shown that various job resources are positively related to work engagement, including feedback, trust, communication, and participation in decision- making (for a narrative overview see [ 61 ]; for a meta-analysis see [ 62 , 63 ]). Most research that found this positive relationship between job resources and work engagement used the Job-Demands Resources model [ 5 ] that assumes that job resources are inherently motivating because they enhance personal growth and development and are instrumental in achieving work goals. Typically, these resources are assessed as perceived by the individual employee. Yet, as we have seen above, perceptions of resources might also be shared amongst team members. It is plausible that these shared resources, which collectively constitute a supportive, collaborative team climate, positively impact employee’s individual work engagement. Teams that receive feedback, have trust in management, whose members amply interact and communicate, and participate in decision-making are likely to produce work engagement. This reasoning agrees with Schaufeli [ 64 ], who showed that organizational growth climate is positively associated with work engagement, also after controlling for personality. When employee growth is deemed relevant by the organization this is likely to translate, via engaging leaders, into a supportive team environment, which provides feedback, trust, communication, and participative decision-making. Hence, we formulate:

• Hypothesis 3: Team resources (performance feedback , trust in management , team communication , and participation in decision-making) mediate the relationship between team shared perceptions of engaging leadership at T1 and individual team member’s work engagement at T2 .

Sample and procedure

In collaboration with the HR department, data were collected among all employees of a business unit of a large Dutch public service agency. This agency is responsible for the administration of unemployment benefits and work incapacitation claims, as well as for the rehabilitation and return to work of unemployed and incapacitated employees. A one-year time-lagged design was applied to minimize the likelihood of common method variance effects and to explore causal relationships among the study variables [ 65 ]. The questionnaire included a cover letter reporting the aims and contents of the study. The letter also stated that participation in the study was completely voluntary, and that one can withdraw from the study at any time without having to give explanations and without this involving any disadvantage or prejudice. Participants’ consent was concluded by conduct, through ticking the consent checkbox as a prerequisite to access the questionnaire. This research was conducted in 2015, thus before the publication of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and complied with the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki. Thus, ethics approval was not compulsory, as per applicable institutional and national Dutch guidelines. Additionally, the current study did not involve any treatment, medical diagnostics, or procedures generating psychological or social discomfort among participants.

In the first survey at Time 1 ( N = 2,304; response rate 63%), employees were asked about their socio-demographic background, engaging leadership, team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making), team effectiveness, personal resources (i.e., resiliency, optimism, and flexibility), and work engagement. At Time 2 ( N = 2,183; response rate 51%), participants filled out the same survey, which included an additional self-efficacy scale. At both measurement points, participants received an email from the HR department containing a link that allowed them to fill out the online survey. This introductory email provided background information about the study’s general aim and guaranteed that participants’ responses would be treated confidentiality. A sample of N = 1,048 employees filled out the questionnaire twice, with an interval of one year between T1 and T2.

The estimation of multilevel models with at least 50 teams of at least 5 members per group is strongly recommended to avoid underestimating standard errors and variances for random effects [ 66 , 67 ]. Therefore, participants being part of teams with less than 5 employees were excluded from the analyses. Accordingly, the data of 1,048 participants, who completed both questionnaires, could be linked and constitute the current study sample. Employees were nested within 90 work teams, with an average of 13.7 ( SD = 5.72) employees per team. Slightly more women (51.8%) as men were included (48.2%), the average age of the sample was 49.70 years ( SD = 7.46), and the mean organization tenure was 12.02 years ( SD = 9.56).

All measures described below were rated using five-point scales that either ranged from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), or from never (1) to always (5). The internal consistencies (Cronbach’s α) of the measures are displayed on the diagonal of Table 2 .

Engaging Leadership was measured using a scale developed by Schaufeli [ 64 ] including nine items. This questionnaire contains three subscales of three items each: Inspiring, Strengthening, and Connecting. Sample items are: “My supervisor is able to enthuse others for his/her plans” (inspiring); “My supervisor delegates tasks and responsibilities” (strengthening); and “My supervisor encourages team members to cooperate” (connecting).

Individual-level measures.

Optimism was measured with three items from the Optimism scale of the PsyCap Questionnaire developed by Luthans and colleagues [ 36 ], which is aimed at assessing employees’ expectations about future success at work because of a positive view of their job. A sample item is: “I always look on the bright side of things regarding my job”.

Resiliency was assessed using three items from the Resiliency scale of the PsyCap Questionnaire [ 36 ]. These items refer to employees’ beliefs about their ability to recover from uncertainty and failure and to react successfully to setbacks that can occur at work. A sample item is: "I usually take stressful things at work in stride”.

Self-efficacy referred to the perceived capability to efficiently plan and implement courses of action required to attain a specific work goal and was measured using three items from Mazzetti, Schaufeli, and Guglielmi [ 68 ]. A sample item is: "At work, I reach my goal even when unexpected situations arise".

Flexibility refers to the individual ability to adapt to changes in the workplace and to modify one’s schedules and plans to meet job requirements. It was assessed by using three items: "If the job requires, I am willing to change my schedule”; “I do not have problems changing the way I work” and “I adapt easily to changes at work”.

Work engagement was assessed using a three-item scale developed by Schaufeli and colleagues [ 69 ]. This ultra-short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale has similar psychometric properties as the nine-item version. A sample item is: "At my work, I feel bursting with energy”.

Team-level measures.

Performance feedback was assessed by the three-item scale from the Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work (QEEW) [ 70 ]. A sample item is: “Do you get enough information about the result of your work?”.

Trust in Management of team members was assessed using two items from Schaufeli [ 7 ]: “I trust the way my organization is managed”, and “I have confidence in my immediate supervisor”. Following the recommendations from Eisinga and colleagues [ 71 ] we computed the Spearman-Brown coefficient, since it represents the most appropriate reliability coefficient for a two-item scale ( r s = .43, p < .001).

Communication , meaning the perception of an efficient and prompt circulation of information at the team level was measured using the three-item Communication scale taken from the QEEW [ 70 ]. A sample item is: "I am sufficiently informed about the developments within my team”.

Participation in decision-making was measured by a single item (i.e., “Can you participate in decision making about work-related issues?”) from the QEEW [ 70 ].

Team effectiveness . The team-level criterion variable was assessed with a three-item scale [ 8 ]. A sample item is: “Do you cooperate effectively with others in your team?”.

In order to check for systematic dropout, the social-demographic background, as well as the scores on the study variables were compared of those employees in the panel who filled out the questionnaire twice at T1 and T2 ( N = 1,142) and those who dropped out and filled out the questionnaire only once at T1 ( N = 1,161). It appeared that compared to the group who dropped out, the panel group was slightly younger (t (2301) = -2.21; p < .05) and had less organizational tenure (t (2301) = -4.05; p < .001). No gender differences were observed between both groups (χ 2 = .88; n . s .). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) that included all study variables revealed a significant between-groups effect: F (12,2291) = 3.54, p < .001. Subsequent univariate tests showed that compared to the dropouts, the panel group scored higher on inspiring (F (1,2302) = 14.90, p < .001), strengthening (F (1,2302) = 9.39, p < .01), and connecting leadership (F (1,2302) = 14.90, p < .05), as well as on optimism (F (1,2302) = 5.59, p < .05), flexibility (F (1,2302) = 12.56, p < .001), work engagement (F (1,2302) = 9.16, p < .05), performance feedback (F (1,2302) = 11.68, p < .01), and participation in decision making (F (1,2302) = 8.83, p < .05). No significant differences were found for resiliency, trust in management, communication, and team effectiveness.

It seems that, taken together, the panel group is slightly younger and less tenured, and scores more favorable than the dropouts on most study variables. However, the differences between both groups are relatively small and vary between 0 and .13 on a 5-point scale. Therefore, it is not likely that systematic dropout has influenced the results of the current study.

Control variables.

At the individual level, we controlled for the potential confounding effects of gender, age, and tenure by including these variables as covariates in our analyses. More specifically, the impact of age was controlled for because previous research suggested that older employees report higher levels of personal resources [ 72 ] and work engagement [ 73 ]. Gender was also included as a control variable because previous research suggested that compared to women, men score lower on work engagement [ 74 ] and higher on personal resources, such as optimism and self-efficacy [ 75 ]. Finally, previous investigations also revealed that job tenure may affect employees’ level and stability of work engagement, with tenured employees reporting higher and more stable levels of work engagement compared to newcomers [ 76 ]. Besides, Barbier and colleagues [ 77 ] suggested that job tenure might affect employees’ personal resources (i.e., self-esteem and optimism). Considering this empirical evidence, job tenure was also included as a covariate in our model.

Data aggregation.

Our research model includes the three dimensions of engaging leadership (i.e., inspiring, strengthening, and connecting) three team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication and participation in decision-making), and one outcome (i.e., team effectiveness) at the team level of analysis. To check the reliability and validity of aggregated scores at the team level, four indices were computed [ 78 ]: (1) ICC [1] , which indicates the proportion of variance in ratings due to team membership; (2) ICC [2] , representing the reliability of between-groups differences; (3) r wg(j) , that measures the level of agreement within work teams; (4) deff , that measures the effect of independence violations on the estimation of standard errors through the formula 1+(average cluster size-1)*ICC [ 79 ]. Generally speaking, values greater than .05 for ICC [1] [ 80 ] and .40 for ICC [2] [ 81 ] an r wg(j) higher than .70, and a deff- index exceeding 2 are considered a prerequisite for aggregating data [ 78 ]. Moreover, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to explore whether participants’ scores on the Level 2 constructs differed significantly among work teams. The results of the aggregation tests are displayed in Table 1 . Taken together, these results justify the aggregation of the team-level variables.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433.t001

Strategy of analysis

To test our hypotheses, a multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) was tested using the Mplus 7 statistical modeling software [ 82 ]. The application of this procedure allows the inclusion of latent variables that take measurement errors into account and permits the simultaneous estimation of mediation effects at the individual and team levels; therefore, it is superior to stepwise approaches [ 83 ]. As suggested by Zhang and colleagues [ 84 ], predictors at the individual level (i.e., engaging leadership dimensions and personal resources) were team-mean centered using a centering within context – CWC approach [ 85 ]. This procedure was aimed at preventing the confounding effect of mediation within and between work teams. In other words, predictors at the individual level for subject i were centered around the mean of the cluster j to which case i belongs (i.e., predictor ij —M predictor j ). Accordingly, the latent engaging leadership factor at within-level was indicated by the CWC means of the three dimensions of engaging leadership (i.e., inspiring cwc , strengthening cwc , and connecting cwc ) at T1. In a similar vein, personal resources were included as a latent variable indicated by the observed levels of optimism cwc , reisliency cwc , self-efficacy cwc , and flexibility cwc at T2. Finally, T2 work engagement was included as an observed variable equal to the mean score of the corresponding scale. As previously stated, gender, age, and organizational tenure were included as covariates at the individual level of the MSEM model.

At the team level, the latent measure of engaging leadership at T1 was assessed through the observed scores on the three dimensions of inspiring, strengthening, and connecting leadership. T2 team resources were modeled as a single latent factor indicated by the observed scores on performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making. The observed mean score on T2 team effectiveness was modeled as the team level criterion variable.

At the individual level, the mediation was tested by considering path a , from T1 individual perceptions of engaging leadership (X) to T2 personal resources (M) and path b , from T2 personal resources to T2 work engagement (Y), controlling for X → Y. At the team level, the same procedure was applied considering path c , linking team perceptions of T1 engaging leadership (X) and T2 team resources (M) and path d , from T2 team resources to T2 team effectiveness (Y).

The individual and team-level perceptions of engaging leadership were assessed at T1. In contrast, the mediating variables (i.e., psychological capital and team resources), and the outcomes (i.e., work engagement and team effectiveness) were measured at T2.

Preliminary analysis

Before testing our hypotheses, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using the maximum likelihood method of estimation using the software package AMOS 21.0 [ 86 ]. This preliminary analysis was aimed at assessing redundancy between the constructs under investigation. For the team level, engaging leadership was included as a latent factor indicated by the observed team levels of inspiring, strengthening, and connecting leadership dimensions. The measured performance feedback levels indicated the latent team resources factor, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making. Team effectiveness, assessed as a criterion variable at the team level, was indicated by a single corresponding item. At the individual level, the group-mean centered scores on inspiring, strengthening, and connecting dimensions were considered indicators of the latent engaging leadership factor. Besides, optimism, resiliency, self-efficacy, and flexibility were included as indicators for the single personal resources latent factor; the observed average score on work engagement was used for assessing the corresponding latent variable. The model fit was assessed by considering the comparative fit index (CFI) and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) ≥ .95, Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) ≤ .06, and Standardized Root-Mean-Square Residual (SRMR) ≤ .08 [ 87 , 88 ]. According to these criteria, the hypothesized measurement model showed a good fit to the data, with χ 2 (91) = 465.09, CFI = .96, TLI = .95, RMSEA = .06, and SRMR = .03. Moreover, all indicators showed significant factor loadings on their respective latent factors ( p < .001) with λ values ranging from .51 to .95, thus exceeding the commonly accepted criterion of .50 [ 89 ]. Hence, these results support the assumption that the study variables were non-redundant and adequately distinct from each other.

Model testing

The means, standard deviations, correlations, and internal consistencies for all study variables are displayed in Table 2 . As expected, the constructs under investigation showed significant relationships in the hypothesized direction.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433.t002

The hypothesized MSEM showed a good fit to data: χ 2 (60) = 155.38, CFI = .97, TLI = .96, RMSEA = .04, SRMR = 0.03 (within teams) and .08 (between teams). As displayed in Fig 2 , at the individual level the three indicators of engaging leadership loaded significantly on their intended latent factor, with λ = .83 ( p = .000, 95% CI = [.79, .87]) for inspiring, λ = .77 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.73, .81]) for strengthening, and λ = .81 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.78, .85]) for connecting. Similarly, the standardized factor loadings for the indicators of personal resources were all significant as well: λ = .74 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.68, .79]) for optimism, λ = .68 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.63, .72]) for resiliency λ = .68 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.62, .74]) for self-efficacy, and λ = .64 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.59, .69]) for flexibility.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433.g002

The direct relationship between T1 engaging leadership and T2 work engagement was significant β = .16 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.10, .22]). Moreover, results indicated that engaging leadership at T1 had a positive impact on personal resources at T2: γ = .27 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.18, .37]). T2 personal resources, in turn, were positively associated with T2 work engagement: β = .55 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.49, .62]). The estimated indirect effect of T1 engaging leadership on T2 work engagement via personal resources (i.e., a*b) was statistically significant: B (SE) = .19 (.04), p < .001, 95% CI [.11, .27]. Hence, personal resources (i.e., optimism, resiliency, self-efficacy, and flexibility) at T2 partially mediated the impact of T1 engaging leadership on employees’ engagement within work teams at T2. These findings provide partial support for Hypothesis 1 . Among the covariates included at the individual level, only gender and age showed a significant association with work engagement, with γ = -.10 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [-.15, -.05]) and γ = .10 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.04, .16]), respectively.

At the team level, all factor loadings for the three indicators of engaging leadership on their corresponding latent variable were significant: λ = .95 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.93, .99]) for inspiring, λ = .86 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.80, .91]) for strengthening, and λ = .94 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.90, .97]) for connecting. Additionally, the observed measure of each team resource loaded significantly on its intended latent variable: λ = .69 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.56, .82]) for performance feedback, λ = .86 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.78, .94]) for trust in management, λ = .89 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.81, .97]) for communication, and λ = .71 ( p = .000, 95% CI = [.60, .82]) for participation in decision-making. Moreover, engaging leadership at T1 had a nonsignificant direct impact on team effectiveness at T2, with β = -.06 ( p = .641, 95% CI = [-.30, .19]). In contrast, team perception of engaging leadership at T1 had a positive impact on team resources at T2: γ = .59 ( p < .001, 95% CI = [.42, .75]). Team resources at T2 were, in turn, positively related to T2 team effectiveness, β = .38 ( p = .003, 95% CI = [.13, .62]). These results suggest full mediation and were supported by the estimation of the indirect effect of T1 engaging leadership on T2 team effectiveness via team resources at T2 (i.e., c*d): B (SE) = .18 (.07), p = .013, 95% CI [.04, .32]. Thus, Hypothesis 2 was fully supported.

Hence, in the current study team resources at T2 (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making) fully mediated the effect of T1 engaging leadership on T2 team effectiveness across different work teams. Moreover, T2 team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, team communication, and participation in decision-making) showed a significant cross-level effect on T2 individual team member’s level of engagement: β = .57 (p < .001, 195% CI = [.27, .87]). This result provided evidence for Hypothesis 3 .

The current study aimed to explore the role of individual and collective perceptions of engaging leadership in predicting team effectivity and work engagement. To this purpose, we developed a two-level research model using a two time-point design.

Main results

At the individual level, the obtained results suggest that psychological capital (i.e., the combination of self-efficacy, optimism, resiliency, and flexibility) partly mediated the longitudinal relationship between employees’ perceptions of engaging leadership and their levels of work engagement. In other words, team leaders perceived as inspiring, strengthening, and connecting could enhance their followers’ engagement directly and indirectly through an increase in psychological capital. Thus, engaging leaders could make their followers feel more optimistic, resilient, self-efficacious, and flexible. At the team level, a shared perception of engaging leadership was associated with a greater pool of team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making), which contribute to define an open and supportive team climate that is conducive for employee growth and development. In their turn, these collective resources were positively related to the perceived effectiveness of work teams.

Hence, team resources at the team level fully mediated the relationship between engaging leadership and team effectiveness. That means that teams in which the leader is considered to be inspiring, strengthening, and connecting can draw upon more team resources, and could feel, in turn, more effective. Simultaneously, a significant cross-level mediation effect was found for team resources, meaning that they mediate the relationship between engaging leadership at team level and individual level work engagement. In other words, teams with engaging leaders are not only more effective at the team level, but they also report higher levels of work engagement among their members. These leaders create a team climate that fosters employee growth and development by providing performance feedback, installing trust, and stimulating communication and participation in decision-making.

Three different contributions.

Thus, three major conclusions can be drawn for the current study, which signifies its contribution to the literature. First, engaging leadership can be considered an individual-level construct (i.e., the perception of particular leadership behaviors by individual followers) and a collective, team-level construct (i.e., the shared perception of specific leadership behaviors among team members). As far as the latter is concerned, our results support the notion of an average leadership style (ALS) [ 47 ]; namely, that homogeneous leader-follower interactions exist within teams, but relationships of leaders with followers differ between teams.

Secondly, Individual-level engaging leadership predicts individual work engagement through increasing follower’s PsyCap. Previous research suggested a positive relationship between person-focused leadership styles and follower’s work engagement, albeit that virtually all studies were cross-sectional in nature (for an overview see [ 11 , 33 ]). Our study added longitudinal evidence for that relationship and hinted at an underlying psychological process by suggesting that psychological capital might play a mediating role. As such, the current study corroborates and extends a previous cross-sectional study that obtained similar results [ 8 ]. However, it should be noted that the present study used a slightly different operationalization of PsyCap as is usually employed [ 36 ]. In addition to the three core elements of optimism, resiliency, and self-efficacy, flexibility instead of hope was used as a constituting fourth element of PsyCap. The reason was that hope and optimism overlap both theoretically as well as empirically [ 35 ] and that flexibility–defined as the ability to readapt, divert from unsuccessful paths, and tackle unpredictable conditions that hinder employees’ goal attainment [ 8 ]–was deemed particularly relevant for public service agencies that are plagued by red tape. Our results indicate that engaging leaders strengthen followers’ sense of proficiency when developing a task-specific skill to reach challenging objectives (i.e., self-efficacy). They also encourage a favorable appraisal of the prevailing conditions and future goal achievement (i.e., optimism).

Furthermore, they enhance subordinates’ abilities to recover from failures and move beyond setbacks effectively (i.e., resiliency) through supporting an increased aptitude for adaption to unfamiliar work circumstances (i.e., flexibility). These results corroborate the assumption that leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers provide a stimulating work environment that enhances employees’ personal resources. In their turn, elevated levels of PsyCap mobilize employees’ energy and intrinsic motivation to perform, expressed by a high level of work engagement. This result concurs with previous evidence that PsyCap can be framed as a critical component of the motivational process of the JD-R model, namely as a mediator of the relationship between contextual resources (i.e., engaging leadership) and work engagement [ 46 ]. However, this mediation was only partial because a direct effect of engaging leadership on follower’s work engagement was also observed in the current study. This evidence is not surprising since previous research showed that other mediating factors (which were not included in the present study) played a role in explaining the relationship between leadership and work engagement. Among them, innovative work behaviors, meaningful work, role clarity, positive emotions, identification with the organization, and psychological ownership [ 11 ]. Thus, increasing their follower’s PsyCap is not the whole story as far as the impact of engaging leadership is concerned. It is likely that engaging leaders also impact these alternative mediating factors. If this is the case, this might explain why the additional variance in follower’s work engagement is explained by engaging leadership, as indicated by the direct effect.

Thirdly, team-level engaging leadership predicts work engagement of individual team members and team effectiveness through increasing team resources. An earlier cross-sectional study found that engaging leadership, as perceived by their followers, showed an indirect, positive effect on their work engagement level through an increase in job resources [ 7 ]. However, in that study, engaging leadership and job resources, including performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making, were assessed at the individual and not at the aggregated team level. This means that the current study corroborates previous findings at the aggregated team level, using a longitudinal design. It is important to note that employees’ level of work engagement not only depends on individual-level processes (through the increase in PsyCap) but also on collective processes (trough the rise in team resources). Finally, our findings concur with research on team climate, showing that leaders who endorse supportive relations between team members and create an open, empowering team climate enable employees to succeed [ 33 ]. Simultaneously, a team climate like that is also likely to foster personal growth and development, which, in turn, translates into greater work engagement [ 63 ].

Practical implications

Our study shows that engaging leadership matters, and therefore organizations are well-advised to stimulate their managers to lead by the principles of engaging leadership. To that end, organizations may implement leadership development programs [ 90 ], leadership coaching [ 91 ], or leadership workshops [ 92 ]. Previous research has shown that leadership behaviors are malleable and subject to change using professional training [ 93 – 95 ]. Furthermore, leaders may want to establish and promote an open and trusting team climate in which employees feel free to express their needs and preferences [ 96 , 97 ].

Accordingly, our study shows that this climate is conducive not only for work engagement but also for team effectiveness. Finally, our results also suggest that psychological capital is positively associated with work engagement, so that it would make sense to increase this personal resource, mainly because PsyCap is state-like and open to development through instructional programs [ 45 ]. For instance, a short PsyCap Intervention (PCI) has been developed by Luthans and colleagues, which is also available as a web-based version for employees [ 98 ]. PCI focuses on: (a) acquiring and modifying self–efficacy beliefs; (b) developing realistic, constructive, and accurate beliefs; (c) designing goals, pathway generation, and strategies for overcoming obstacles; and (d) identifying risk factors, and positively influencing processes.

Strengths, limitations, and directions for future research

A significant strength of the current study is its design that combines a multilevel investigation of engaging leadership with mediating processes at the individual and team levels. This is in line with the claim that leadership research suffers from a lack of theoretical and empirical differentiation between levels of analysis [ 99 ]. However, leadership is an inherently multilevel construct in nature [ 9 ]. Although the current findings shed light on the role of the emergent construct of engaging leadership, both regarding individuals and teams, an exciting venue for future research involves exploring its predictive validity in comparison with traditional leadership models. This concurrent validation would adhere to the recommendations accompanying the introduction of new leadership constructs in the face of the risk of construct proliferation [ 16 ].

A further strength of the current study is its large sample size, including 1,048 employees nested within 90 work teams. Moreover, data were collected at two time points with a one-year time lag that was considered long enough for the effects of engaging leadership to occur. In contrast with widespread cross-sectional studies that sometimes draw unjustified conclusions on the corollaries of leadership [ 100 ], the current research relied on a longitudinal design to better understand the consequences of engaging leadership at the individual and team level of analysis. According to our results, engaging leadership indeed shows a positive effect across time on outcomes at the individual (i.e., work engagement) and team level (i.e., team effectiveness).

Along with its strengths, the current study also has some limitations that should be acknowledged. The main weakness of the current study lies in the homogeneity of the sample, which consisted of employees working in a Dutch public service agency. This specific work setting prevents us from generalizing the findings of our research with other occupational groups. However, focusing on an organization where most activities are conducted in teams permits independent but simultaneous assessment of the impact of (engaging) leadership on the perceived pool of resources among teams and workers, as suggested by current trends in leadership literature [ 101 , 102 ].

Furthermore, the collection of data at different time points overcomes the inherent weakness of a cross-sectional design, yet a design including at least three data waves would have provided superior support for the hypothesized mediated relationships. Based on within-group diary studies [ 103 , 104 ], it can, on the one hand, be argued that leadership might impact the team and personal resources within a much shorter time frame. On the other hand, work engagement represents a persistent psychological state that is not susceptible to sudden changes in the short term [ 1 ]. Thus, the chosen one-year time lag can be considered reasonable for a between-group study to detect the impact of engaging leadership accurately. This impact needs some time to unfold. An additional limitation of this study entails measuring individual and team resources with only a few items. Nevertheless, all scales had an internal consistency value that met the threshold of .65 [ 105 ] with an average Cronbach’s alpha value equal to .81.

Concluding remark

Despite the novelty of the construct, the emerging research on engaging leadership suggests the potential value of a theoretically sound leadership model that could foster followers’ engagement. While earlier findings showed that engaging leadership is positively associated with the employee’s level of engagement [ 7 , 8 ], the current study suggested that engaging leadership could predict work engagement and team effectiveness. More specifically, being exposed to a leader who inspires, strengthens and connects team members may foster a shared perception of greater availability of team resources (i.e., performance feedback, trust in management, communication, and participation in decision-making), as well as greater psychological capital (i.e., self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, and flexibility). Hence, engaging leadership could play a significant role in the processes leading to work engagement at both the team and the individual levels.

Supporting information

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433.s001

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Employee Engagement Best Practices and Case Studies

Delivered june 7th, 2021 . contributors: bahri s., key takeaways.

• Employee engagement is essential in the workplace; a study found that employee engagement decreased turnover by 14.9% and increased productivity by 69% in workplaces.
• BKD had used Quantum Workplace's platform to promote continuous coaching to employees as well as build "an inclusive feedback culture for more frequent and meaningful conversations."
• Internal c o m m s play a key role in "ensuring a good mutual understanding and cooperation within the workforce." According to a survey by Harris Poll, over 70% of employees were engaged when their organization provided clear internal communication regarding information of value.

Introduction

B e s t practice: employees' ideas.

• The program should be developed around employees' ideas. This can be done through employee suggestion programs and by replacing the old suggestion box.

• Similar to customer feedback programs, employee suggestion programs ( ESP ) invites employees to voice their concerns and share ideas for solutions. While many companies already offer ESP's, many of them don't utilize technology to ensure that it's as effective as possible. And although a wooden suggestion box placed on the wall is a good start, suggestions aren't always checked regularly; this risks resentment and confusion. Switching to a digital solution can increase accountability and improve the process for listening to employees' suggestions.
• According to a study conducted by the Employee Involvement Association, organizations can expect to save almost $350 annually per employee through the implementation of an employee suggestion system.
• According to Charles Martin, the author of Employee Suggestion Systems : Boosting Productivity and Profits, "companies that set up effective "suggestion systems are finding that employees have great ideas that can lower costs, increase revenues, improve efficiency, or produce greater quality."

B e s t Practice: Internal C o m m s

• The company should ensure that good internal c o m m s are part of their employee engagement solution.
• Internal c o m m s play a key role in "ensuring a good mutual understanding and cooperation within the workforce."
• According to a survey by Harris Poll, over 70% of employees were engaged when their organization provided clear internal communication regarding information of value.
• According to Forbes , "when employees are kept in the loop of what’s happening internally, their loyalty and satisfaction increase ultimately improving the annual revenue and reputation of the company."
• Gallup found that companies with a highly engaged workforce outperform their competitors by 147%.
• The Holmes Report revealed that companies with strong internal comm strategies gave shareholders 47% higher returns.
• Trade Press Services posted an article regarding the importance of using internal c o m m s to enhance business growth. They revealed that "85% of employees said they’re most motivated when management offers regular updates on company news."
• An example of good internal communications leading to positive outcomes can be seen in the case of Thomson Reuters. When Thomson Reuters improved its internal c o m m s , they were able to address their problem regarding how their employees are not placing enough importance on innovation. After implementing good internal c o m m s , Thomson Reuters saw "an upturn in the number of requested innovation projects."

Case Study: Microsoft

• Microsoft is a multinational tech company that sells computer hardware, software, and related services; they are an example of a company that's successfully developed an employee engagement program for their employees. Microsoft had invested heavily in internal c o m m s and the improvement of employee experience in various departments.
• For example, Microsoft had teamed up with Centrical to make their contact center service agents be more productive, responsible, and engaged.
• Microsoft had implemented Centrical in its call centers for its "ability to fuel engagement through advanced g a m i f i c a t i o n , while combining learning and performance data into one platform."
• The program would reward call center agents intrinsically as well as give them personalized goals. Using Centrical, agents are given a visual reminder showing them how every activity they do matters and would get them closer towards their goals. Microsoft would offer employee points and badges to those who exhibit positive behaviors such as adherence to schedule.
• Soon after this program was implemented, 78% of Microsoft's call center agents expressed that they felt more empowered and ready to do better at their work, and absenteeism dropped by 12% overall.
• Microsoft had utilized its own products (e.g. Microsoft 365 ) in order to improve communications and employee engagement.
• The programs had resulted in more interconnected and personalized employee experiences; it has also enabled Microsoft employees to innovate, create, and collaborate seamlessly among the teams that they belong to and work with.
• Eighty-five percent of Microsoft employees say that they are proud to be part of the company.

Case Study: BKD + Quantum Workplace

• BKD is in the professional/scientific/tech services industry , and they are one of the largest U.S. advisory and accounting firms; they have between 2,501 to 5,000 employees.
• According to Julie Cummings, the managing director and chief human resources officer ( HRO ) at BKD, they built their programs by listening to the themes and feedback gathered through their annual engagement survey as well as other feedback tools, and then generating action plans to support improvement." She also added that the company had identified a direct link between engagement and employee performance.
• BKD utilized Quantum Workplace to provide a solution for performance management transformation. BKD knew that it was imperative to implement an effective solution that would drive frequent and meaningful coaching conversations. By implementing this solution , BKD could "drive employee engagement, increase performance, and help with employees' goal achievement."
• Through their employee engagement survey data , BKD was able to identify what would most efficiently engage employees. And based on the findings, BKD implemented "one-on-ones". Within this tool, templates were created to efficiently "drive quarterly conversations between career coaches and employees, encouraging regular touchpoints and more meaningful discussion about goals and development."
• BKD also used the same approach with feedback by providing employees with a tool they could use to request and give real-time feedback to ensure that employees were on the right path for success.
• Through this tool , "employees could gather input from different perspectives, including from a 360° view, to provide them with a deeper self-awareness, better relationships, and professional development acceleration."
• Key Performance Successes:
• Eighty-six percent of employees are "proud to work with BKD."
• Seventy-six percent of employees believe that "BKD’s people-first culture drives their overall success."

Case Study: M o l s o n Coors Beverage Company

• M o l s o n Coors operates as a brewing company that brews and produces beer. M o l s o n Coors is an example of a company that has successfully executed an engagement plan amongst its employees.
• Their employee engagement initiatives have produced engaged employees that were five times less likely than non-engaged employees "to have a safety incident and seven times less likely to have a lost-time safety incident."
• Engagement had also improved sales performance at M o l s o n Coors. And as a result of the initiatives , the company had saved over $1.7 million in just one year.

Research Strategy

Did this report spark your curiosity, how to use employee motivations to increase employee engagement - emergenetics, employee suggestion systems - benefits, cost, elements of a successful suggestion system, microsoft unveils new employee experience platform — microsoft viva — to help people thrive at work - stories, microsoft engagement case study - centrical, microsoft employee engagement, reinventing the employee experience at microsoft, 7 reasons why internal communication is important in the workplace, how internal communications methods are used to enhance employee engagement -vibons, 3 effective ways to improve your internal communication to boost employee engagement, the companies nailing internal communication today: 11 inspiring examples • blink, 7 companies with great internal communications, 17 must follow employee engagement best practices for hr managers, using internal communications to enhance business growth - trade press services, internal communication is changing. are you keeping up • blink, bloomberg - are you a robot.

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4 Team Building Experiences to Create a Harmonizing Team

Team building experience helps organizations create a positive company culture, align employees with shared values, and improve communication among employees.

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A report suggests that the number of companies investing in virtual team building has risen by 2,500, and why wouldn't it? A Gallup study has reported that an engaged team can show immense productivity and record a 23% in profitability showcasing the need to invest in generating team building experience. Take the Bills and Gates Melinda Organization for example. 

They aim to enhance the well-being of billions of people globally and they achieve this by supporting initiatives in healthcare, education, and poverty reduction.  

So, as a philanthropic organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has a long history of charitable and philanthropic work. Therefore, to come up with a unique team building experience that resonates with the employees in a meaningful way, they collaborated with Outback. 

They quickly came up with an activity called 'the Bookworm Builders' for this event. There were small teams of two or three, and the group members collaboratively constructed bookshelves for underprivileged children. Each team designed and built a unique shelf, which was then donated by the organization to Treehouse, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting the education of foster youth.  

This initiative provided a valuable opportunity for each team to work together, express their creativity, and contribute to the educational development of local children in a meaningful way. This small event helped them collaborate, communicate, and be understanding of each other. 

With the Gallup research showing that “concentrating on employee engagement can help companies withstand, and possibly even thrive, in tough economic times,” it is important to create an engaging team-building experience. This article will explain different types of team building experiences, how to create a good one, and more for your better understanding.  

What is a team building experience? 

A team building experience is a planned activity or program that helps a group of colleagues work together more effectively. These activities can involve games, challenges, or discussions designed to improve communication, trust, and problem-solving skills among team members. 

Team building experiences play a valuable role in shaping a positive corporate culture. When elicited rightly, these activities provide opportunities for employees to, 

• Collaborate outside the pressures of everyday work. 
• Fosters better communication, trust, and understanding among colleagues.  
• Improve their problem-solving skills and develop a stronger sense of camaraderie.  

Ultimately, these positive team dynamics contribute to a more productive and enjoyable work environment for everyone. 

What are the different types of team-building experiences? 

Team-building experiences can take a variety of formats to enhance collaboration and communication within a group. These include: 

• Outdoor activities : Engaging in physical activities outside the workplace fosters teamwork in a new environment. 
• Indoor challenges : Problem-solving exercises conducted indoors can encourage creative thinking and communication within a team. 
• Workshops and seminars: Educational sessions focused on teamwork and communication skills can provide valuable knowledge and tools. 
• Volunteering and community service: Working together for a charitable cause can build camaraderie and social responsibility within a team. 
• Team Retreats: Spending dedicated time away from the usual work environment allows teams to focus on collaboration and team development. 

How to create a team-building experience? 

Effective teamwork is essential for any organization's success. Following is how you can create a successful team-building experience: 

1. Identify your objectives 

Begin by defining the desired outcome of the team-building activity. Are you aiming to improve communication? Strengthen problem-solving skills? Or perhaps boost overall team morale? A clearly defined objective will guide your selection of activities and ensure the experience is focused and productive. 

2. Know your team 

Consider the size, personalities, and interests of your team members. This will help you choose an activity that is both engaging and accessible to everyone.  For instance, an introverted team might benefit more from a collaborative problem-solving challenge, while an extroverted group might enjoy a high-energy activity that encourages active participation. 

3. Plan the timeline 

Determine the timeframe for the team-building experience. Will it be a short activity integrated into a regular meeting, a dedicated half-day event to allow for in-depth exploration or a multi-day retreat for a more immersive experience? The ideal timeframe depends on your goals and your team's availability. 

4. Select the best activity 

Choose an activity that aligns with your goals and is suitable for your team. There are numerous options available, from creative brainstorming sessions to strategic escape rooms or collaborative games. Consider activities that encourage interaction and communication, while also providing opportunities for team members to discover and utilize each other's strengths. 

5. Align with team values 

Ensure the chosen activity reflects the team's core values and fosters a sense of shared purpose.  For example, if your team prioritizes innovation, consider a design thinking challenge.  A team focused on client satisfaction might benefit from a role-playing exercise that simulates client interactions. Aligning the activity with team values reinforces these values and strengthens the team's identity. 

6. Promote inclusivity 

Make sure everyone feels comfortable participating, regardless of background or skill level. Offer options for different abilities and encourage open communication. This might involve providing clear instructions, breaking down complex tasks into smaller steps, or offering alternative ways to contribute. An inclusive environment ensures everyone feels valued and fosters a stronger sense of team spirit. 

7. Reflection is key 

After the activity, hold a discussion to reflect on the experience.  What were the key takeaways? How can these learnings be applied to future teamwork?  Encourage honest feedback and open discussion to solidify the learnings and translate them into actionable steps for improved collaboration within the team. By reflecting on the experience, you can ensure that the team-building activity has a lasting positive impact. 

What are a few team-building experience ideas? 

Some effective team-building experience ideas include: 

1. Volunteer activity: Organize an opportunity for team members to work together for a social cause. This will build camaraderie and a sense of shared purpose. 

2. Collaborative scavenger hunt: Plan a scavenger hunt that requires teamwork and problem-solving skills. This will encourage communication and collaboration among team members. 

3. Professional development workshops: Host workshops or seminars on skill development, industry trends, or leadership. These sessions will allow team members to learn from each other and build relationships. 

4. Group sporting event : Organize a sporting event or activity for the team, such as a tournament or a casual game. This can help to break the ice and promote bonding among team members. 

Case studies

Following are the two case studies to showcase the significance of generating team building experience. 

1. Amazon organize a thrilling scavenger hunt for 30 employees in Milan for enhanced employee engagement 

Amazon needs no introduction, and its approach to establishing employee engagement has always remained unique. Amazon recently was planning a conference in Milan and desired a "fun Scavenger Hunt" for their 30 employees.  

Since these employees didn't frequently work together, the goal was to create a team-building activity that would encourage exploration of the new city. Meanwhile, they wanted to foster camaraderie and connections within the group. Considering budget constraints for the conference's social events, a cost-effective solution was also a key factor. So, they collaborated with Wildgoose. 

Wildgoose proposed a perfect team-building activity for Amazon in Milan. They designed a Self-Managed Milan City Explorer Challenge; a high-tech scavenger hunts accessible through a mobile app on attendees' smartphones. 

The content creators at Wildgoose crafted unique challenges around Milan's history, culture, and landmarks. Teams navigated the city centre using the app, encountering trivia questions, photo opportunities, and interactions with locals.  

This activity fostered team bonding while allowing participants to experience the beauty of Milan. The teams used the app to form groups, download the software, and access the challenges. A live map guided them throughout the city.  An event manager monitored the activity online, scoring photos and videos, and keeping teams engaged. 

Nearing the end, the manager prompted teams to return to a designated finish point. A countdown timer added excitement as teams raced to complete final challenges.  Afterward, the client received links to a photo/video presentation and final scores to celebrate the winning team.

Clients thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city through our engaging and interactive team challenge. The user-friendly app, accessible on personal devices, allowed Wildgoose to offer a flexible and cost-effective solution that maintained high attendee participation.  Furthermore, the remote support team ensured the client's confidence and provided the necessary guidance for a smooth, self-managed experience.

2. Deloitte holds exceptional team building experience to encourage a shared sense of community 

Deloitte , a multinational professional services network wanted to hold a thrilling event. They aimed to create a fun and engaging experience for all 140 employees, including a significant number of recent additions to their team.  The ideal event would encourage participation from everyone and provide a refreshing change of scenery by taking place outside of the office environment.

Deloitte sought The Big Smoke's assistance in planning a celebratory event for their summer party. The scavenger hunt proved to be the ideal solution for Deloitte's summer celebration. The Big Smoke designed a personalized hunt featuring challenging cryptic clues, puzzles tailored to their company, and activities that resulted in humorous video footage. This experience served as the perfect way to initiate their summer festivities. 

This event provided a fun and engaging experience that fostered creativity and teamwork. More importantly, it allowed colleagues who may not have had prior opportunities for social interaction, gel properly with each other. It successfully removed participants from their usual work environment and encouraged collaboration, laughter, and a shared sense of enjoyment. 

Conclusion 

Team building experiences significantly contribute to employee engagement as it helps foster a sense of friendship, trust, and collaboration among coworkers. These activities help employees develop stronger relationships, which in turn leads to improved communication, problem-solving, and overall job satisfaction. However, to maximize the experience, try implementing Empuls . It helps organizations create a positive company culture, align employees with shared values, and drive multiple people initiatives from a single platform by: 

• Running employee engagement surveys . Analyze engagement metrics and identify areas for improvement after each team-building experience.  
• Running employee satisfaction and loyalty survey, namely the Pulse survey , by analyzing employee behavior and providing real-time actionable insights to improve company culture. 
• Allowing for open communication and collaboration through one-on-one feedback and peer recognition.  

Enable continuous feedback and improvement throughout the employee lifecycle through real-time surveys, allow peer-to-peer recognition, and drive multiple people initiatives from Empuls. 

Employee Reward Program: 5 Unique Ideas with Examples to Breed Engagement & Satisfaction

14 team building ideas in a budget to strengthen team unity, learn to build and sustain a culture that connects, engages, and motivates your people..

-->Nagma Nasim -->

Nagma is a content writer who creates informative articles, blogs & other engaging content. In her free time, you can find her immersed in academic papers, novels, or movie marathons.

Make culture your biggest competitive advantage!

Cultivate your company culture through continuous feedback, connection, and motivation.

Let's begin this new year with an engaged workforce!

Empuls is the employee engagement platform for small and mid-sized businesses to help engage employees and improve company culture.

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Employee Retention Case Studies: How 5 Companies Leverage Our Employee Success Tech

Table of Contents

Briggs Industrial Solutions & Frontline Worker Retention

Twin Cities Manufacturing Company & Targeted Engagement Analysis

Meritrust Credit Union & Retention Drivers

Mutual of Omaha & Pulse Survey Insights

Sammons Financial Group & Employee Listening Strategy

Quantum Workplace Can Help You See, Sense, and Stop Costly Turnover 

Employee retention is a top 3 priority for 77% of HR leaders and 62% of senior leaders going into 2023. This is no surprise as the Great Resignation persists and another period of economic uncertainty looms.  

But while retention is top of mind , many leaders admit their employee retention strategies aren’t very effective . Most say their organization’s approach is at the intermediate or beginner level.   

Is your retention strategy effective? Take our quiz to find out >>>

If you’re not taking time to strategically address retention and turnover, you’re leaving a lot on the line. The good news is that a lot of unwanted turnover is predictable and preventable.

These employee retention case studies will give you hope. You’ll learn how these Quantum Workplace customers have optimized their employee listening strategies for employee retention. And how they’ve leveraged our employee success platform to uncover insights, build better workplaces, and retain their best talent.  

Briggs Industrial Solutions Digs Deep with Frontline Workers to I mprove Engagement & Retention

Briggs Industrial Solutions began partnering with Quantum Workplace on their engagement survey in 2020, wrapping up their third engagement survey in 2022.   

By taking feedback from the surveys and diving deep into targeted areas of the company via focus groups, Briggs has uncovered solutions and strategies to move the needle on areas that are impacting engagement and retention.   

In 2021, Briggs was struggling to retain their technicians, who make up the majority of the company’s workforce. These technicians spend their days out in the field, traveling to customers and repairing equipment. They are critical to the success of the company. But most were leaving the company before they hit 3-5 years of tenure.     

The leadership team at Briggs knew they needed to take a good look at what might be causing disengagement and turnover. Their engagement survey shed light on specific and actionable challenges to overcome:     

• Technician “intent to stay” dropped 5% 
• Perceptions of fair pay dropped 4% 
• Perceptions of recognition dropped 11% 
• Value of the ESOP dropped 11% 

With the feedback received from engagement surveys, Briggs continued to evaluate benefits, compensation, and team structure across the board. They also worked to understand why techs were not feeling recognized for their contributions.   

Leaders uncovered multiple areas to review. There was frustration around pay gaps between tenured and incoming employees. Work assignments weren’t always aligned with technicians’ strengths and skill level. And there weren’t clear guidelines on increased compensation for new skills and training assistance.     

As a result, Briggs implemented profit sharing in 2022, in addition to ESOP. They created a career path for technicians, providing clarity on what they needed to do to grow, develop, and advance in their career. And finally, they provided more internal classroom training, rather than solely relying on senior technicians.   

The changes the Briggs leadership team made led to impressive results on their next engagement survey:   

• Perceptions of recognition increased 17 points 
• “Senior leaders value people as their most important resource” increased 16 points 
• Perceptions of trust and fairness increased 14 points 
• Perceptions of fair pay increased 14 points  

“Our industry is very competitive. It’s tough to hire skilled technicians,” says Perez, HR Manager at Briggs. “But we’re now hearing that Briggs is becoming the employer of choice in our industry. Our techs are talking and we’re seeing a ton of referrals now.”  

When it comes to acting on survey results, Perez has this advice:   

“Don’t try to boil the ocean,” she says. “You’re going to get a ton of feedback and a lot of things you want to act on–but you can’t do it all at once. You need to focus on what matters most. On what you can give your full attention to.”  

Twin Cities Manufacturing Company Uses Targeted Analysis to Tackle Employee Turnover  

As one of the largest privately held companies in the Midwest, this Twin Cities manufacturer has experienced exponential growth over the last several decades.   

Coinciding with that growth, the company has evolved its employee listening strategy to capture and understand the employee experience. They partner with Quantum Workplace to implement engagement, pulse, and lifecycle surveys .   

• Engagement. The growing manufacturer deploys an employee engagement survey to uncover areas in which the company can move the needle. Leaders pay close attention to what is happening within specific business units and regions.   
• Pulse. The company uses pulse surveys to hear from employees at locations where acquisitions have happened. The goal is to make sure that new employee onboarding is effective, and employees have what they need to succeed.   
• Lifecycle. The company uses exit surveys to get a more holistic view of turnover.  

With data from these surveys, the company can understand macro and micro turnover trends. They can also see how turnover affects different employee demographics and pinpoint reasons for turnover within specific groups. Exit survey analytics have helped the company uncover areas of misalignment and opportunity, including:   

• Creating more clarity on manager/employee workload expectations to help prevent unwanted turnover early in the employee journey 
• Better understanding compensation expectations in a competitive market 

Survey analytics have also helped shed light on why critical roles and skill sets have left the company, and to uncover trends in areas of the business experiencing higher turnover.   

“The labor market is really tight right now, and we get a lot of great intel from the surveys to help us improve the employee experience and understand why people might be leaving,” said the company’s Organization Effectiveness Leader. “In an industry where turnover is pretty high right now, it’s important for us to have this intel in order to stay competitive.”  

Read more about this Twin Cities Manufacturing Company’s success here >>>  

Meritrust Credit Union Use s Surveys to Understand Employee Retention Drivers  

HR leaders at Meritrust Credit Union were focused on retention and turnover in 2022. They wanted to take a deeper dive into the reasons employees leave–and why they stay. Partnering with the People Insights Team at Quantum Workplace, they were able to uncover key information that shed light on just how critical company culture is to their retention strategy.   

When asked to rate “it would take a lot to get me to leave this organization,” Meritrust followed up with a logic-based response based on how employees answered the question.   

• If they responded favorably, they were asked “what makes you stay at this organization?”  
• If they responded unfavorably, they were asked “what would make you leave this organization.”  

Meritrust asked every employee a variation of the question and then turned the responses into a custom survey demographic. What did they find? The primary reasons people stay at Meritrust were:   

• Workplace culture (90%) 
• Career advancement opportunities (89%) 
• Relationship with their manager (84%) 

This proved that culture and career growth are imperative for retention and engagement–something leaders at Meritrust had been trying to improve all along.  

Mutual of Omaha Leverages Pulse Surveys to Un cover Insights and Retain Talent  

A Fortune 500 insurance company, Mutual of Omaha was founded on a simple but powerful principle: to help people in their time of need and protect those they love the most.   

In recent years, the insurance and financial services industries have become increasingly competitive for talent. Mutual of Omaha was having a hard time recruiting for technology roles—and was seeing high turnover within the first two years of employee tenure.   

The company knew that having the right insights would help them understand and troubleshoot turnover effectively—so they turned to Quantum Workplace’s employee engagement platform .     

Mutual of Omaha utilized a broad range of employee surveys to capture feedback at various stages of the employee journey. In addition to leveraging an annual engagement survey, Mutual of Omaha also launches regular pulse surveys to capture critical feedback on important topics.   

• In 2021, they launched a pulse to understand employee perceptions and preferences related to post-pandemic work arrangements. 
• In 2022, they launched a “War for Talent” pulse to get a feel for how equipped the company was (or wasn’t) to attract, engage, and retain top talent.

A strategic employee listening strategy has empowered Mutual of Omaha to gain clarity around what is driving people to stay, what is driving them to leave, and what leaders can do to improve retention and engagement. The company has seen measurable improvements:  

• 94% favorability ratings from new hires after 30 days of employment  
• 93% of associates making progress on a learning and growth plan (a key magnet in the company’s retention strategy)  
• 86% employee retention rate  

Read more about Mutual of Omaha’s success here >>> 

Sammons Financial Group Increases Frequency of Employee Listening to Drive Change  

Sammons Financial Group (SFG) is heavily focused on establishing a “workforce of the future” and best-in-class workplace culture. The company feels both are necessary to retain top talent in a competitive market. To support its retention and talent management efforts, SFG uses employee listening tools from Quantum Workplace.   

Initially, SFG’s survey implementations were infrequent, happening only every 2-3 years. Years later, they had a big question:   

“What are we actually doing to understand employee voice?”   

The company realized employee voices needed to be captured more frequently to achieve a more accurate, timely view. After shortening their engagement survey cadence to 18 months, SFG’s employee engagement efforts started gaining momentum. The company saw an increase in engagement and a stronger organizational commitment to action. The progress led to leadership buying into an annual survey.     

With a regular cadence of employee listening, SFG gains a true year-over-year understanding of employee voices—and can design annual commitments around this timing to better align with opportunities uncovered in the survey data.   

Prior to moving to an annual survey cadence, one of the challenges SFG faced was understanding how to best utilize their data. Now, SFG can equip organizational leaders with the data they need, on a more frequent basis, and understand where to act. They have the potential to activate real, meaningful change when it comes to engagement and retention.  

Read more about Sammons Financial Group’s success here >>>  

Quantum Workplace Can Help You See, Sense, and Stop Costly Turnover  

With the right intel, insights, and a roadmap for change, you can build a culture that draws in and retains your best talent. Quantum Workplace offers employee retention solutions to help keep your top talent engaged and on the path to success—making them more likely to stay.  

Learn How to Keep Your Best Talent by approaching retention with intention in this eBook.

Published December 9, 2022 | Written By Kristin Ryba

Related Content

The Best Employee Retention Survey Questions

Employee Retention Quiz: Retention with Intention

4 Types of Employee Turnover You Need to Analyze

15 Employee Turnover Statistics To Shape Your Retention Strategy

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Survey: ESG Strategies Rank High with Gen Z, Millennials

75% of U.S. executives say ESGs have positive impact on employee engagement

​Environmental, social and governance (ESG)—an employer's use of its financial resources to improve the environment and effect social and corporate governance change—is important to Millennials and members of Generation Z. And while ESG initiatives factor into many individuals' decisions to join and stay with an employer, they especially matter to younger generations, according to new findings from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) . ESG is used by organizations as a framework for initiatives such as:

• Reducing waste and pollution, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing climate change (environment).
• Ensuring human rights, improving employees' health and safety, and providing training and education programs (social).
• Ensuring board diversity, following ethical protocols and addressing executive compensation (governance).

A Focus on the Environment

What executives said.

• Among organizations with ESG-related goals, social objectives led the list, followed by environmental and governance (77 percent, 58 percent and 44 percent, respectively).
• If executives had to choose only one ESG factor for their organization to work on, social would lead the way (63 percent), followed by environmental (21 percent) and governance (16 percent). This differed from employees, who would choose the environment.
• 48 percent of executives have ESG-related goals, and 12 percent were unsure. Among the 40 percent who do not have ESG goals, the two reasons they most frequently cited were other organizational priorities and the size of their organization—they thought their companies were too small.

Impact on Organizations

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