Employee engagement & Employee satisfaction are not the same

What is Employee engagement?

Employee engagement is a good combination between peoples & Organization. It means someone might be happy at work, doesn’t mean that they are working hard, efficiently, productively, for the organization. Through employee engagement make employee feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work.

A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organization’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organizational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being.”

                                                                (MacLeod, 2009)

Emotional connection an employee feels toward his or her employment organization, which tends to influence his or her behaviors and level of effort in work related activities.

                                                                 (Business Dictionary)

For practitioners it has become an umbrella concept for capturing the various means by which employers can elicit additional or discretionary effort from employees.

                                                                (CIPD, 2012)

What is Employee satisfaction?

It means Employees are doing their jobs with more happy & content in work environment. These factors are directly effect for employee’s satisfactions which are compensation with privilege, workload, perception of management, flexibility, resources, work environment, etc. With a competition among companies job satisfaction is not felt by an employee it leads to turnover. Salary is a contributor to job satisfaction but not always. Above mentioned other factors which help in achieving job satisfaction.

Melvin (1993) stated that the environmental design of an organization plays a very important role in job satisfaction at the same time it also plays an important role in employee’s high job involvement. A good environmental design of an organization helps in resolving the conflicts and confusion. The author even cites that it is the responsibility of the management to design the environment in such a manner that it reduces the dissatisfaction where in the work tasks, working patterns are properly mentioned.

MacDermid(1999) studied the job satisfaction level of workaholics. He said there are six variables of workaholic patterns i.e. Workaholics, Enthusiastic Workaholics, Work Enthusiastic, Unengaged Workers, Relaxed Workers and Disenchanted Workers. The job satisfaction level and career satisfaction level was much more in Enthusiastic Workaholics , Work Enthusiastic, Relaxed Workers than Workaholics, Unengaged Workers and Disenchanted Workers because of the future career prospects, working involvement, drive and work enjoyment.

Why is employee engagement important?

1.    With most happiest of the employee who like to work in the organization continually. After employee retain will increase and cost of replacing an employee will reduce toward to company’s profitability.

2.    The employee would like to work hard with happy and they will keep best efficient when given their services for the company. Then can be seen highest productivity and Companies with engaged employees tend to have higher profitability rates. 

3.     With happiest of the employee who doing their jobs as natural interest. Without influence, they will often to be the first to make valuable suggestions for new methods & ways, innovative ideas, good dealing & higher satisfaction of the customers by like these advantages can be lead to business growth & success rapidly.

4.    Good attendance can keep of the employee. If have a good employee engagement within an organization, they will love their job and company. Absenteeism will decrease with engagement. 

Employee satisfaction Vs Employee engagement

If we are comparing with employee engagement and employee satisfaction, as survey results indicate, which are connected together. But they’re not synonymous. An employee can be satisfied with their salary & other benefits, working environment, workload, perception of management, flexibility, resources if they receive from their job. To be satisfied of employee satisfaction, should be offered suitable salary scale, to remove unnecessary workload, Pleasant & comfortable working environment, to provide required resources, to work with good team (etc) on these facilities when provided to the employee, satisfaction will increase in the organization.

Satisfaction involves personal happiness with one’s job, while engagement indicates an employee’s sense of connection and commitment to advancing organizational goals.

But, through employee engagement people who is deeply involved and invested in their work. The factors that drive employee engagement, however, are different than those that drive satisfaction. Engagement factors include Meaning, Autonomy, Growth, Impact, and Connection. Employee satisfaction is the foundation upon which employee engagement can grow and thrive.

Organizations with genuinely engaged employees have higher retention, productivity, customer satisfaction, innovation, and quality. They also require less training time, experience less illness, and have fewer accidents.

However, to be satisfied of employee some method should be implemented as individual employee. If we offer a suitable salary scale for the employee who will satisfy individual in his/her working life. Then he/she will give best service on the satisfaction.

But within an organization, if we doing something to engage of the employee in the company which method should be implemented and effect for more employees.

As an example, the company will arrange the annual get together with party for employees who all will be happy ultimately not only one person.

High levels of employee engagement can benefit an organization to a great extent. There are major benefits on employee engagement. So, Employee Satisfaction, Productivity will increase, Retention will increase, Innovative ideas, Profitability will increase are benefits of High levels of employee engagement. Employee satisfaction is one thing in employee engagement as a benefit.

How to improve job satisfaction and employee engagement

1.    Distribute job satisfaction surveys

2.    Allow flexible schedules

3.    Give credit where it’s due

4.    Conduct performance reviews

5.    Host team-building activities

6.    Take your time hiring employees

Conclusion

As above shown employee satisfaction and employee engagement are both critical to maintaining a happy and productive workforce, achieving satisfaction without engagement will have significantly less impact on business results. After all, engaged employees are emotionally committed to working hard, demonstrating initiative, and expending extra discretionary effort and doing so in alignment with strategic priorities to move the organization forward. It’s no wonder that employee engagement has been associated with higher workforce productivity and customer satisfaction as well as lower absenteeism and turnover. Finally, clear idea can be taken about employee satisfaction & engagement. So that further Employee satisfaction is the minimum entry fee that needs to be met in order for an employee to be fully engaged.

References

DecisionWise,LLC (US) 7 Definitions of Employee EngagementWarner.J , March 12, 2018

https://www.decision-wise.com/7-definitions-of-employee-engagement/

 EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE, India, 2014

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ipseeta_Satpathy/publication/271072808_Employee_Job_Satisfaction-_A_Review_of_Litreature/links/54bce6b30cf24e50e940b647/Employee-Job-Satisfaction-A-Review-of-Litreature.pdf

 tutorialspoint, (2018) Employee Engagement – Benefits

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/employee_engagement/employee_engagement_benefits.htm

 Rachel Blakely-Gray on October 20, 2017 in Employee Management, Productivity, Small Business, Employee Satisfaction vs. Employee Engagement

https://smallbusiness.patriotsoftware.com/difference-employee-satisfaction-vs-employee-engagement/

 www.custominsight.com/employee-engagement-survey/what-is-employee-engagement.asp