WX trends: To get employee engagement right, leaders should do this

Our workplace experience (WX) trends series looks at recent news articles, videos, social media posts and thought leadership pieces on workplace experience. You’ll also hear from our experts on what’s trending.

This week in WX trends, we learn about how leaders can foster a purpose-driven culture. Next, we look at ways to engage younger workers. Finally, two views on employee engagement that are worth exploring.

Tips to create a purpose-driven culture

How can companies successfully integrate a sense of purpose into their culture, emphasizing the importance of aligning purpose with actions? An article in the Harvard Business Review explores just that.

While many organizations claim to prioritize social and environmental concerns, only some live up to these ideals, the article explains. The key factor distinguishing successful companies is organizational culture, which fosters the values and behaviors necessary to support a purpose-driven mission.

The article highlights three main strategies: First, leaders at all levels must authentically embody the company’s purpose, making it central to decision-making and operations. Second, employees should clearly understand how their roles contribute to the broader mission, encouraging autonomy and innovation. Lastly, companies need to recognize and reward purpose-driven behaviors through meaningful incentives.

Real-world examples like Airbnb, Netflix, and LUSH show how purpose can guide difficult decisions, influence performance metrics, and inspire employee engagement. Cultivating a purpose-driven culture requires commitment, resilience, and adaptability, resulting in long-term profitability and societal impact, the article concludes.

How to engage with younger employees

Younger employees — Millennials and Gen Z — are increasingly disengaged from their work, according to a Forbes article. Gallup reports that engagement among older Millennials has dropped by seven percentage points, and a similar trend is seen with younger Millennials and Gen Z. To counter this, managers need to adjust their approach to better meet the values and preferences of these workers.

These employees are looking for more than just a paycheck — they seek purpose-driven work, flexibility, and continuous learning opportunities, the article states. They want employers who align with their values, provide remote or hybrid options, and foster a diverse and inclusive environment. Additionally, they prioritize health insurance over non-financial perks and prefer friendly colleagues over managers.

To keep Millenial and Gen Z workers engaged, managers should focus on creating a culture of purpose, offering opportunities for growth and development, promoting teamwork, and providing meaningful feedback. Regular one-on-one meetings and a coaching approach can be particularly effective in maintaining their motivation, the article concludes.

By adopting some of these strategies, managers can foster a more engaged and dynamic workforce, adapting to the evolving expectations of younger employees, says Holly Grogan, Chief Experience Officer at Appspace.

Two views on employee engagement

Leaders can support employee engagement by combining insights from William Kahn’s psychological engagement theory and Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory, according to an article by Matt LeVeque on LinkedIn.

Kahn emphasizes three key psychological needs for engagement: meaningfulness, safety, and availability (autonomy). Employees need a sense of purpose in their work, a safe space to express themselves, and the autonomy to fully invest in their tasks, the article explains.

Herzberg’s theory complements Kahn’s by focusing on external factors that influence job satisfaction. Herzberg identifies “motivators” like recognition and achievement, which boost satisfaction, and “hygiene factors” like working conditions and job security, which prevent dissatisfaction.

To build a healthy work environment, leaders can take several actions, the article continues. First, they should regularly recognize and appreciate employees’ contributions, aligning with Herzberg’s motivators. Second, empowering employees with autonomy fosters a sense of ownership. Finally, promoting work-life balance addresses both Herzberg’s hygiene factors and Kahn’s safety needs, reducing burnout.

By addressing both internal and external factors, leaders can create a more engaging, fulfilling workplace that helps employees thrive, the article concludes.