Discover what employee engagement is, why it matters, and practical strategies — plus the best tools to boost connection, performance, and retention.
It can be difficult to know what to include in an employee survey. That’s why we have created a template that you can use for FREE to ensure your employee surveys are engaging. Get the responses that will help you understand your audience.
Access NowEmployee engagement, once regarded primarily as an HR focus, is now a core organizational priority for driving business and operational success. Modern definitions acknowledge both emotional and rational drivers, including enthusiasm, passion, confidence, and empowerment, which inspire individuals to bring their best selves to work.
At its core, engagement reflects a person’s active connection to their role, their colleagues, and the organization. It encompasses the energy, dedication, and focus that enable employees to fully immerse themselves in meaningful work, as well as the sense of professional achievement that follows.
True engagement is more than a feeling. It is demonstrated through proactive, value-adding behaviors. It flourishes when motivated and emotionally invested employees are supported by thoughtful people practices, empathetic leaders, and a clear, shared understanding of organizational goals.
The much-cited Gallup State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report tells the story of employee engagement faltering globally at a time when AI is transforming the full range of industries. This, says the report, “presents a defining challenge for leaders and managers.”
“The data show that employees — particularly managers — feel disconnected, which does not bode well for their preparedness for a future shaped by AI. And at the same time, the very tools that might boost engagement and performance are arriving with astonishing speed.”
Gallup
A major challenge, says Jon Clifton, Gallup’s CEO, is that “AI could diminish engagement by severing the vital human bonds — friendships at work, a sense of being heard and genuine care from colleagues — that keep teams thriving.”
In a workplace transformed by AI, employee engagement isn’t just about satisfaction. As AI accelerates change, organizations must find ways to preserve the human connections, trust, and purpose that drive commitment while harnessing innovation to enrich the employee experience. The organizations that thrive will pair technological progress with empathy and genuine collaboration.
An American multinational analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C., Gallup defines employee engagement as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.” It points out that “Highly engaged employees are emotionally connected and committed to their work, and they perform better.”
Effectory, which is based in Europe and operates in 110 countries, publishes The Global Employee Engagement Index every two years. What really drives employee engagement in 2025? highlights that understanding the difference between engagement and related concepts like satisfaction or motivation helps organizations create workplaces where employees feel truly invested. Here’s their definition:
“Employee engagement is more than job satisfaction; it’s about feeling valued, inspired, and deeply connected to one’s work and the organization’s success. While a satisfied employee may be content with their role, an engaged employee is motivated to contribute, perform at a high level, and stay committed long-term.”
Effectory
In its Employee Engagement Trends Report, HR Trends 2025, the Canada-based McLean & Company explains that satisfied employees feel comfortable and are generally happy their needs are being met. Engaged employees, on the other hand, feel energized, are passionate, and are dedicated. Because of this commitment, they are highly involved in their work and the organization they work for. This means they are more likely to exceed performance requirements and ultimately have a sense of purpose and pride in their work.
Regardless of location, these are all variations on a critical theme. Examining the difference between employee experience and employee engagement, we offered this definition:
“The engagement concept refers to the level of an employee’s passion and commitment towards their job and the organization. Engaged employees are emotionally invested in their work and the company’s success. They are proactive and go the extra mile to fulfill the company’s brand promise.”
Cerkl
Employee engagement thrives when both emotional and practical needs are met. While priorities differ across organizations, various core drivers consistently make a difference. When these drivers work together, rooted in trust, growth, recognition, and purpose, they create an environment where employees feel valued, invested, and motivated to contribute their best.
Ultimately, connecting employees to a bigger purpose through social responsibility alignment gives work deeper meaning, while supporting innovation keeps roles challenging and exciting.
Here are some of the most critical drivers:
Effective communication builds trust and alignment by ensuring employees understand their roles, goals, and how their work contributes to success. Paired with role clarity, it reduces confusion and supports confident performance.
By strengthening internal communications to boost employee engagement, companies foster greater confidence, agility, and efficiency in everyday operations.
A positive employee experience, from recruitment to exit, shapes satisfaction and loyalty, amplifying employee engagement and increasing the number of engaged employees. This includes growth opportunities through training, mentorship, and career pathways, as well as employee autonomy, where individuals have control over how they achieve results.
Motivation is sustained by meaningful work, fair compensation, and a supportive environment. Organizations can further strengthen employee engagement by fostering a learning culture and a collaborative environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
Recognition remains a powerful motivator. Regular acknowledgment, whether public or private, reinforces value and boosts morale. A strong sense of belonging is equally important. This is cultivated through inclusive culture, collaboration, and a genuine respect for diversity.
This integration is critical in today’s flexible workplace, helping employees maintain wellbeing and long-term productivity. It ties closely to health and wellness initiatives and wellbeing programs that address physical, mental, and financial needs.
Leadership drives engagement by making decisions transparently, providing ongoing feedback, and developing managers who can inspire and guide their teams effectively. The more engaged employees there are, the easier it is for managers.
Research coupled with company outcomes confirms there is a crucial link between performance and employee engagement. It proves that employee engagement is a measurable driver of retention, productivity, enhanced innovation, a positive workplace culture, better customer service, and organizational growth.
“It’s a need-to-have for a healthy workplace,” says Don Rheem, founder of CultureID, an employee engagement company that simplifies measuring and managing workplace cultures.
“At its core, employee engagement is about meeting the deeper, psychological needs that drive human motivation and performance.”
Don Rheem
An effective employee engagement strategy won’t only reduce the number of actively disengaged employees who undermine an organization. In a LinkedIn post, Employee Engagement: The Must-Have for Your Bottom Line in 2025, Rheem highlights the ripple effect engagement has. It improves the entire ecosystem of an organization, leading to higher customer satisfaction, better safety records, lower turnover, and higher profits.
We highlight the many benefits of employee engagement in the Cerkl post, Why is Employee Engagement Important for Organizations? stating that “engagement leads to better employee and business performance.”
Gallup provides more detail. Engaged employees are more likely to:
Therefore, by employing an effective employee engagement strategy, organizations will experience:
As we have said, employee engagement creates a positive work environment and is a measurable driver of business success. When employees are motivated, committed, and connected to their work, organizations see tangible gains in productivity, retention, performance, and customer satisfaction. Engaged teams work more efficiently, stay longer, deliver higher-quality results, and create exceptional customer experiences, all of which strengthen culture, boost profitability, and give companies a competitive edge.
We are highlighting four of the top benefits. There are, of course, many more.
Engaged employees are more focused, motivated, and efficient when it comes to work. They take initiative, manage their time more effectively, and seek ways to improve processes. All of this results in higher output and better use of resources. This sustained productivity directly contributes to organizational growth and profitability.
When employees feel valued, supported, and connected to their organization’s mission, they are more likely to stay. High employee engagement reduces turnover, saving on recruitment and training costs while preserving institutional knowledge and team stability. Improved employee retention also strengthens workplace culture and collaboration.
Engagement drives individuals to go beyond the minimum requirements of their roles. Engaged employees put in discretionary effort, produce higher-quality work, and contribute innovative ideas that improve business outcomes. This commitment elevates both individual and team performance across the organization.
Engaged employees are more attentive, proactive, and invested in delivering value to customers. Their enthusiasm and commitment create positive interactions, strengthen relationships, and encourage repeat business. Ultimately, engagement enhances brand reputation and fosters customer loyalty.
There are a myriad of challenges when it comes to engaging employees. The reality is that even with the best intentions, many organizations struggle to maintain high engagement levels. Common barriers, ranging from poor communication and unclear expectations to lack of recognition and limited growth opportunities, can erode motivation and connection. Identifying and understanding these challenges is the first step to addressing them and creating a more engaged, productive workforce.
Common challenges include:
All these challenges tend to result in disengagement, which kills enthusiasm, motivation, and commitment to the organization.
The New York-based, global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, warns that “Many workers are disengaged, and that’s destroying productivity and value.”
Pointing out that more than half of employees admit to being disengaged at work, McKinsey challenges managers to “imagine a scenario in which five employees on your ten-person team are dissatisfied and disengaged at work, either mildly or acutely. What if a few of those five are acting as cranky force multipliers, wreaking havoc with your best performers’ morale?”
The key is to “spur actions to improve engagement,” they say. Nobody can dispute this.
“Companies that prioritize engagement are building resilient, people-centered cultures that thrive — even in times of disruption.”
Don Rheem
This is not a challenge typically identified as a threat to employee engagement, so we’re examining it separately.
According to a Pew Research Center survey released in February 2025, more than half (52%) of workers are worried about AI’s future impact on the workplace, with many fearing job insecurity or reduced opportunities. Nearly one third (32%) believe it’s going to lead to fewer job opportunities in the long run. Fractionally more (33%) say they feel overwhelmed by AI.
At the same time, 36% of workers are hopeful about how AI will be used in the workplace in the future. Only 16% say they currently do at least some of their work with AI, while 63% say they don’t use it much, if at all.
A Pew Center article, U.S. Workers Are More Worried Than Hopeful About Future AI Use in the Workplace, states that most see “chatbots” as “more helpful for speeding up work than improving its quality.”
Incredibly, 17% of workers said they hadn’t heard about AI use in the workplace! These people weren’t asked if they were more worried than hopeful about AI use in the workplace.
David Grossman, CEO of The Grossman Group, highlights the challenges of AI impacting employee engagement in a post, 15 Employee Engagement Statistics That Matter in 2025.
“The Explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Causing Concern Among Employees, Impacting Engagement.”
David Grossman
Similarly, the Gallup State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report states that digital transformation and AI tools are one of the typical disruptions organizations have experienced in the past five years.
“The question is how to master AI in ways that spark growth: equipping managers and teams with the resources to excel, offering abundant opportunities for development, and reconnecting everyone to a shared mission.”
Jon Clifton
We can never underestimate the importance of tracking employee engagement statistics. Statistics are a vital component of any employee engagement strategy.
Gallagher’s Employee Communications Report, which features findings and insights from their State of the Sector 2024/25 survey, shows that the top business metric tracked by communicators is employee engagement. However, the metric (71%) doesn’t correlate with the fact that 92% of respondents have a degree of accountability for employee engagement.
Another issue the report raises is the way data is curated and presented to leaders. It states that one in five communicators submit reports to their leaders who “are likely scratching their heads and wondering, “so what?” This is a worry since the survey shows that 79% of businesses hold internal communicators accountable for employee engagement. Furthermore, only 46% say they have the right tools to create interaction and engagement, and only 32% have the tools to track engagement.
Nevertheless, as Don Rheem points out, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” And, when it comes to employee engagement, you cannot ignore it without risking serious financial repercussions.
“At CultureID, we’ve long emphasized the importance of applying the same data-driven rigor to culture as we do to finance, marketing, or operations. The numbers speak for themselves: companies that measure and act on engagement data achieve significant business benefits.”
Don Rheem
Keeping employees engaged requires more than routine check-ins. It calls for creative, inclusive, and adaptable strategies that fit both in-person and remote teams. Here are 10 practical ideas to help you build connection, motivation, and a sense of belonging across your organization:
You could also aim to spark energy with fun activities like icebreakers that break down barriers, collaborative puzzle challenges for team bonding, and outdoor team games for active participation.
This is a good way to build a culture where employees feel valued, connected, and inspired. But to know if your strategy is working, you need clear ways to measure engagement.
Engagement can’t be improved without first understanding its current state. Measuring it involves gathering feedback, tracking key indicators, and interpreting patterns that reveal how connected and motivated your workforce truly is.
Here are some useful strategies to help you measure employee engagement effectively, with purpose:
Collect direct feedback from employees via an annual employee engagement survey or short, frequent pulse surveys to understand sentiment, motivation drivers, and areas needing improvement.
Track indicators such as turnover rates, absenteeism, productivity, eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score), and participation in company initiatives to gauge engagement levels. You can read more about this topic in Cerkl’s 15 Employee Engagement Metrics That Bring the Best Insights.
Gain qualitative insights by having managers hold regular check-ins and stay interviews, designed to uncover issues before they lead to disengagement or turnover.
Use employee engagement software to analyze usage patterns from recognition tools, collaboration platforms, and internal communication channels to assess engagement in real time.
Look for visible signs such as participation in meetings, collaboration levels, and enthusiasm for new projects as part of ongoing engagement monitoring. If you do recognize negative signs, the key is communication!
Building and sustaining employee engagement isn’t a one-time initiative. It’s a long-term commitment that blends effective communication, recognition, leadership support, and opportunities for growth. When these elements work together, they create a workplace of engaged employees who feel valued, connected, and motivated to contribute their best.
In today’s evolving work environment, organizations must be intentional about removing barriers that impede engagement. This means not only encouraging positive behavior but also actively addressing the factors that lead to disengagement, such as poor communication, unclear expectations, and a lack of recognition.
The following employee engagement best practices can help foster a thriving, committed workforce.
Gallup’s 2025 report converts the negative impact of the global decline in employee engagement into dollars, stating that it has cost the world economy US$438 billion in lost productivity. It also indicates that disengagement has risen from 77% to 79%, with 62% of employees not engaged and 17% actively disengaged.
This is why it’s vital to identify and address the root causes of disengagement before they become entrenched. These include everything relating to the lack of recognition, unclear roles, and minimal growth opportunities. Regular feedback loops, transparent communication, and visible leadership support undoubtedly help keep motivation high and prevent the costly cycle of turnover and lost productivity.
Before you can avoid communication silos, you need to know what they are and how they form. A simple definition is that they are isolated groups or departments within a company that only communicate within themselves, neglecting to consider the broader objectives of the organization.
There are many factors that result in silos within organizations. These include hierarchical, top-down and highly departmentalized organizations, technological as well as cultural and language barriers, geographical distances, badly constituted reward systems, and more obviously, poor communication practices.
The solution is to break down barriers between teams and departments to ensure information flows freely and consistently. Encourage cross-functional collaboration, invest in unified communication tools, and make leadership updates accessible to everyone so employees feel connected to the bigger picture.
The Cerkl Customer Success team suggests:
Apathy is characterized by everything to do with disengagement, specifically a lack of interest, motivation, and enthusiasm. While boredom can lead to apathy, it’s not the same thing.
Typical causes of apathy include the lack of challenges and/or recognition, unclear expectations, and a feeling of being undervalued and unappreciated. So, it stands to reason that you can combat workplace apathy by providing meaningful work, recognizing contributions, and showing employees how their efforts impact organizational success. Leaders who demonstrate genuine interest in their employees’ wellbeing and development create a sense of purpose that reenergizes even disengaged employees.
A lack of growth opportunities is one cause of apathy, which is why it is crucial to encourage continuous growth. If an employee feels he or she is stuck in a job that offers no chance of advancement, they’re unlikely to feel motivated.
The solution is to provide all employees with ongoing learning opportunities, mentorship, and clear career progression paths. Of course, opportunities will vary dramatically depending on individuals, their positions, and their personal potential.
Remember that professional development, at any level, not only strengthens skills but also signals that the organization is invested in the long-term success of employees, which builds loyalty and engagement.
Make recognition part of everyday culture, from public shout-outs to personalized thank-you messages. Celebrating milestones, big and small, reinforces positive behavior, boosts morale, and motivates employees to continue contributing their best work.
Inclusion is the ability of organizations to embrace and include all employees, enabling every single one of them to make a meaningful contribution to the organization. An inclusive culture actively removes barriers to participation, celebrates diverse perspectives, and ensures fairness in opportunities and decision-making.
What you need to do is ensure all employees feel valued, respected, and able to contribute their perspectives. Inclusive policies, active listening, and equitable opportunities build a sense of belonging that strengthens both individual engagement and organizational culture.
In today’s workplace, employee engagement is focused on building consistent, meaningful connections between employees and the organization. The most effective strategies intertwine strong leadership, effective communication, inclusion, and support across the employee lifecycle to foster sustained motivation, purpose, and workplace satisfaction.
Here are several targeted strategies commonly used to elevate employee engagement. We have highlighted practical focus areas that can help organizations design interventions that truly connect with their people
Leaders who communicate openly, transparently, and frequently create alignment, trust, and clarity. When employees understand how their work contributes to broader objectives, they feel more connected and purposeful. Strong leadership also means listening actively and addressing concerns promptly, ensuring employees feel heard and valued.
Acknowledging achievements, whether big or small, reinforces positive behavior and nurtures a culture of appreciation. Whether through peer shout-outs, public acknowledgment, or tangible rewards, recognition directly bolsters morale and engagement. Consistent, personalized recognition shows employees that their contributions matter and encourages ongoing excellence.
Offering clear pathways for advancement, skill development, and learning sends a strong message that the organization invests in its people’s futures. Development opportunities strengthen loyalty and energize contributions. Providing mentorship, cross-training, and access to learning resources can further enhance career progression and satisfaction.
When people feel seen, respected, and valued, regardless of their background, they connect more deeply with their work and colleagues. Purpose-driven initiatives, such as alignment with organizational values and community involvement, further amplify this sense of belonging. Leaders who model inclusivity and celebrate diversity inspire employees to do the same.
Holistic wellbeing, covering physical, mental, social, financial, and career aspects, is essential for sustainable engagement. Supporting employees in their whole lives promotes resilience, satisfaction, and commitment. Programs such as flexible work options, wellness initiatives, and mental health support can have a lasting positive impact that results in an increase of engaged employees.
Inviting employees to contribute ideas, give feedback, or participate in initiatives increases a feeling of ownership and investment in organizational success. This fosters empowerment and innovative thinking. Providing structured opportunities, like brainstorming sessions, committees, or feedback forums, ensures employee voices are an integral part of shaping the company’s direction.
Craft effective surveys to measure employee sentiment and boost engagement
As workplaces evolve, engagement strategies must adapt too. In 2026, organizations will need to embrace new approaches that reflect technological advancements, shifting expectations, and a deeper understanding of employee wellbeing.
We scoured the internet to see what people in a cross-section of industries are thinking about forthcoming employee engagement trends.
For the record, a year ago, we identified 15 employee engagement trends for 2025. Now it’s time to focus on 2026, which is just around the corner.
With the continued decline in employee engagement, organizations will be forced to change their approach. Instead of examining how employees feel, they will need to question how people act and find out why.
In an April 2025 post, Understanding the Future of Employee Engagement, Renascence Consulting founder and CEO, Aslan Patov, examines how the definition of employee engagement is changing. Because it is increasingly linked to enablement and clarity, it is becoming more journey-based than moment-based. Instead of relying on annual reports for data, organizations have already started to track engagement at what they call “key inflection points.”
“It’s no longer about enthusiasm. It’s about psychological clarity, emotional energy, and behavioral alignment — all designed intentionally through employee experience (EX).”
Aslan Patov
This is another trend that Renascence predicts. In 2026, employee engagement won’t be something organizations can require in a survey or measure on a dashboard. Why not? Because you can’t mandate emotion, automate trust, or fake safety. But you can design all of them.
That’s why it’s going to be increasingly something that organizations will design into their systems and culture, from the ground up.
“The future of engagement lies in clarity over hype, empathy over slogans, and behavioral design over broad policy memos. It demands listening, iteration, and system-level insight — not just charisma.” Aslan Patov
The annual employee engagement survey will give way to continuous feedback loops at moments that matter. Organizations are already shifting toward real-time check-ins, instant feedback after key moments (like training or project completion), and dashboards that track team energy levels. This enables more agile responses and fosters a responsive culture.
The impetus behind this upcoming trend is continuous employee listening that aims to understand and continuously improve the employee experience with real-time insights into things like engagement levels and reasons for employees leaving.
“It goes far beyond a simple annual survey, integrating constant feedback throughout the employee’s journey within the company,” says Denis Descause, a New York-based board member of the European skills management company, NEOBRAIN.
The ongoing capture of feedback to understand and improve the employee experience is at the heart of listening, he says in The secrets of continuous employee listening.
“This uninterrupted feedback loop provides companies with invaluable insights, enabling them to achieve their objectives while continuously improving the workplace experience.”
Denis Descause
Recognition programs are becoming finely tailored to individual preferences, moving beyond generic gestures to meaningful, personalized rewards. This shift means acknowledging each employee in the way that resonates most with them, boosting authenticity and engagement.
In Top 10 Employee Recognition Trends to Watch in 2026, the CEO and Founder of GiftCard Partners, Inc., Deborah Merkin urges employees to forget one-size-fits-all rewards.
“In 2026, the best recognition will be tailored to individual preferences: how someone likes to be acknowledged, what motivates them, and what makes them feel seen.”
Deborah Merkin
Additionally, employees want rewards to reflect values, not only value. This means that recognition should be purpose-driven.
According to Optiiqi Analytics Hyper Personalization Market Report 2026-2033, released in July 2025, the hyper-personalization market is rapidly gaining global importance. They state that in 2024 the market was valued at US$3.91 billion, and forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.2% from 2026 to 2033, reaching US$23.99 billion by 2033.
While their focus is on customer engagement, the scenario applies equally well to employees who, like customers, “expect real-time, tailored experiences based on their unique behaviors, preferences, and interactions.” The report asserts that companies are moving beyond traditional personalization techniques and adopting hyper-personalization strategies powered by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics.
“The result is more dynamic customer engagement, higher conversion rates, and stronger brand loyalty.” For employees, this translates to dynamic employee engagement and stronger company loyalty.
Employers will place greater emphasis on mental health by embedding wellness support into everyday workflows through flexible schedules, wellbeing data tools, and resilient systems. These strategies will create healthier, more engaged teams.
In HR Trends: What Will HR Look Like in 2026?, GFoundry considers what the future holds for the full spectrum of business, including HR and employees. Because, “At the heart of every successful business is its people.”
A focus on total wellbeing is just one aspect of this. They point out that total wellbeing incorporates physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial health. By supporting employees’ wellbeing in all of these areas, organizations can improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and boost employee morale.
“By taking a holistic approach to employee wellbeing, organizations can create a more productive, engaged, and happy workforce.”
GFoundry
An article in The Guardian about work-life balance examines why quality data and personal development tools are crucial for employee wellbeing.
“In a hybrid working world, companies have stepped up their efforts to gather insights into workforce wellbeing. New tools and feedback technology are key to securing employee engagement.”
The Guardian
The question to ask yourself is, What makes a good software choice?
The right employee engagement software should fit your organization’s size, industry, and priorities, while staying within budget. Smaller companies may benefit from lean solutions focused on essentials like recognition and communication, while larger organizations may need comprehensive platforms with advanced functionality. Industry-specific requirements, such as HIPAA compliance for healthcare, should also guide your choice.
Before committing, explore free trials and demos to ensure the software’s features align with your engagement strategy. Typical requirements include personalized communication, robust survey tools, and performance management.
Cerkl Broadcast combines the essential elements of employee engagement with advanced personalization and omnichannel delivery. It enables communicators to reach employees through email, intranet, mobile, Slack, Teams, and more, ensuring messages are delivered where employees are most likely to engage. Dynamic segmentation personalizes communication to each employee’s role, location, or interests, making every message relevant.
The platform’s Content Hub streamlines creation, scheduling, and distribution, making it easy for internal communicators to focus on crafting meaningful messages. With its intuitive, no-code setup and omnichannel delivery, Cerkl Broadcast enables organizations to deliver the right message, to the right people, at the right time.
Beyond delivery, Broadcast offers real-time analytics and AI-powered insights so organizations can measure impact and continuously refine their strategy. With secure, no-code implementation and flexible integration options, it’s as easy to deploy as it is powerful to use, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to boost engagement across diverse teams boosting engagement at scale.
Now that we’ve highlighted the crucial importance of employee engagement, the question is, how much do you know about the levels of employee engagement in your organization?
We have created a template for a survey that is designed to gather feedback on employee engagement — and it’s absolutely free. With our employee engagement survey template, you can assess everything from satisfaction with compensation and benefits, confidence in the company's future, and alignment with company culture and goals.
Craft effective surveys to measure employee sentiment and boost engagement
As workplaces evolve, engagement strategies must adapt too. In 2026, organizations will need to embrace new approaches that reflect technological advancements, shifting expectations, and a deeper understanding of employee wellbeing.
We scoured the internet to see what people in a cross-section of industries are thinking about forthcoming employee engagement trends.
For the record, a year ago, we identified 15 employee engagement trends for 2025. Now it’s time to focus on 2026, which is just around the corner.
With the continued decline in employee engagement, organizations will be forced to change their approach. Instead of examining how employees feel, they will need to question how people act and find out why.
In an April 2025 post, Understanding the Future of Employee Engagement, Renascence Consulting founder and CEO, Aslan Patov, examines how the definition of employee engagement is changing. Because it is increasingly linked to enablement and clarity, it is becoming more journey-based than moment-based. Instead of relying on annual reports for data, organizations have already started to track engagement at what they call “key inflection points.”
“It’s no longer about enthusiasm. It’s about psychological clarity, emotional energy, and behavioral alignment — all designed intentionally through employee experience (EX).”
Aslan Patov
This is another trend that Renascence predicts. In 2026, employee engagement won’t be something organizations can require in a survey or measure on a dashboard. Why not? Because you can’t mandate emotion, automate trust, or fake safety. But you can design all of them.
That’s why it’s going to be increasingly something that organizations will design into their systems and culture, from the ground up.
“The future of engagement lies in clarity over hype, empathy over slogans, and behavioral design over broad policy memos. It demands listening, iteration, and system-level insight — not just charisma.” Aslan Patov
The annual employee engagement survey will give way to continuous feedback loops at moments that matter. Organizations are already shifting toward real-time check-ins, instant feedback after key moments (like training or project completion), and dashboards that track team energy levels. This enables more agile responses and fosters a responsive culture.
The impetus behind this upcoming trend is continuous employee listening that aims to understand and continuously improve the employee experience with real-time insights into things like engagement levels and reasons for employees leaving.
“It goes far beyond a simple annual survey, integrating constant feedback throughout the employee’s journey within the company,” says Denis Descause, a New York-based board member of the European skills management company, NEOBRAIN.
The ongoing capture of feedback to understand and improve the employee experience is at the heart of listening, he says in The secrets of continuous employee listening.
“This uninterrupted feedback loop provides companies with invaluable insights, enabling them to achieve their objectives while continuously improving the workplace experience.”
Denis Descause
Recognition programs are becoming finely tailored to individual preferences, moving beyond generic gestures to meaningful, personalized rewards. This shift means acknowledging each employee in the way that resonates most with them, boosting authenticity and engagement.
In Top 10 Employee Recognition Trends to Watch in 2026, the CEO and Founder of GiftCard Partners, Inc., Deborah Merkin urges employees to forget one-size-fits-all rewards.
“In 2026, the best recognition will be tailored to individual preferences: how someone likes to be acknowledged, what motivates them, and what makes them feel seen.”
Deborah Merkin
Additionally, employees want rewards to reflect values, not only value. This means that recognition should be purpose-driven.
According to Optiiqi Analytics Hyper Personalization Market Report 2026-2033, released in July 2025, the hyper-personalization market is rapidly gaining global importance. They state that in 2024 the market was valued at US$3.91 billion, and forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.2% from 2026 to 2033, reaching US$23.99 billion by 2033.
While their focus is on customer engagement, the scenario applies equally well to employees who, like customers, “expect real-time, tailored experiences based on their unique behaviors, preferences, and interactions.” The report asserts that companies are moving beyond traditional personalization techniques and adopting hyper-personalization strategies powered by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics.
“The result is more dynamic customer engagement, higher conversion rates, and stronger brand loyalty.” For employees, this translates to dynamic employee engagement and stronger company loyalty.
Employers will place greater emphasis on mental health by embedding wellness support into everyday workflows through flexible schedules, wellbeing data tools, and resilient systems. These strategies will create healthier, more engaged teams.
In HR Trends: What Will HR Look Like in 2026?, GFoundry considers what the future holds for the full spectrum of business, including HR and employees. Because, “At the heart of every successful business is its people.”
A focus on total wellbeing is just one aspect of this. They point out that total wellbeing incorporates physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial health. By supporting employees’ wellbeing in all of these areas, organizations can improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and boost employee morale.
“By taking a holistic approach to employee wellbeing, organizations can create a more productive, engaged, and happy workforce.”
GFoundry
An article in The Guardian about work-life balance examines why quality data and personal development tools are crucial for employee wellbeing.
“In a hybrid working world, companies have stepped up their efforts to gather insights into workforce wellbeing. New tools and feedback technology are key to securing employee engagement.”
The Guardian
The question to ask yourself is, What makes a good software choice?
The right employee engagement software should fit your organization’s size, industry, and priorities, while staying within budget. Smaller companies may benefit from lean solutions focused on essentials like recognition and communication, while larger organizations may need comprehensive platforms with advanced functionality. Industry-specific requirements, such as HIPAA compliance for healthcare, should also guide your choice.
Before committing, explore free trials and demos to ensure the software’s features align with your engagement strategy. Typical requirements include personalized communication, robust survey tools, and performance management.
Cerkl Broadcast combines the essential elements of employee engagement with advanced personalization and omnichannel delivery. It enables communicators to reach employees through email, intranet, mobile, Slack, Teams, and more, ensuring messages are delivered where employees are most likely to engage. Dynamic segmentation personalizes communication to each employee’s role, location, or interests, making every message relevant.
The platform’s Content Hub streamlines creation, scheduling, and distribution, making it easy for internal communicators to focus on crafting meaningful messages. With its intuitive, no-code setup and omnichannel delivery, Cerkl Broadcast enables organizations to deliver the right message, to the right people, at the right time.
Beyond delivery, Broadcast offers real-time analytics and AI-powered insights so organizations can measure impact and continuously refine their strategy. With secure, no-code implementation and flexible integration options, it’s as easy to deploy as it is powerful to use, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to boost engagement across diverse teams boosting engagement at scale.
Now that we’ve highlighted the crucial importance of employee engagement, the question is, how much do you know about the levels of employee engagement in your organization?
We have created a template for a survey that is designed to gather feedback on employee engagement — and it’s absolutely free. With our employee engagement survey template, you can assess everything from satisfaction with compensation and benefits, confidence in the company's future, and alignment with company culture and goals.
Craft effective surveys to measure employee sentiment and boost engagement
What is meant by employee engagement? Employee engagement is the emotional and cognitive commitment employees have to their work, their team, and their organization. It reflects the energy, focus, and dedication they bring to achieving both personal and organizational goals.
What are the 5 Cs of employee engagement? The 5 Cs commonly referred to are Clarity, Connection, Conveyance, Career, and Contribute. They represent key elements that foster engagement and ensure employees understand expectations, feel connected to purpose, receive effective communication, have career growth opportunities, and can contribute meaningfully.
Why does employee engagement matter? Engaged employees are more productive, innovative, and committed, which directly impacts organizational performance and retention. High engagement also strengthens workplace culture, improves customer satisfaction, and supports long-term business growth.
Craft effective surveys to measure employee sentiment and boost engagement
All Cerkl products are 100% built (and supported) with ❤️ in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Copyright 2025, all rights reserved
Want to boost employee engagement by at least another 23%? This white paper reveals the proven pathway to supercharge your internal communications and unlock the secrets to powerful, lasting employee engagement.
Claim your free copy now!
.webp)
.webp)