Dive Brief:
- Ever since polls began to measure employee engagement, the needle never seems to move. But according to the latest survey on the issue, there just might be a way to move it.
- A comprehensive global study by the Hay Group division of Korn Ferry, the people and organizational advisory firm, reveals that more than 7,500 business and HR leaders in 107 countries report only an average 36% of employees are “highly engaged.”
- The good news is leveraging a social responsibility agenda to develop leaders can help reverse this trend, as 87% of respondents say that linking an organization’s social responsibility efforts to leadership development has a positive impact on overall engagement and performance. The bad news is only 59% of respondents say their organizations actually currently link the two.
Dive Insight:
Hay Group Senior Partner Keith Halperin explains that real leadership development doesn’t happen in the classroom. It just sets the stage. The real development happens on the job, and in today’s world, employees are looking for organizations that are giving back to the community. Opportunities to give back and serve are perfect places to develop leadership.
According to a separate Korn Ferry study, working for a company whose culture aligns with their values is the top factor that improves people’s feelings about their job. This is especially true for younger workers, as another Korn Ferry study shows the number one reason millennials choose one job over another is visibility and buy-in to the mission/vision of an organization.
Tapping into an organization’s social responsibility is critically important for attracting, developing and retaining top talent, says Noah Rabinowitz, senior partner and global head of Hay Group’s Leadership Development Practice, adding that it provides a source of "natural inspiration."
