Why Staff Engagement is the Secret to a Successful Business
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, the one constant that can make or break your organisation is your people. Yet, across the UK and Ireland, employee engagement remains worryingly low — and the consequences are costly.
According to recent Gallup data, only 10% of employees in the UK and 13% in Ireland report being actively engaged in their work. That means the vast majority are either disengaged or worse, actively discontented. This has a knock-on effect on productivity, absenteeism, innovation, and — crucially — staff turnover. We need to better for our staff and our businesses., because whether disengaged staff stay or go, it has a huge detrimental effect!
The Hidden Cost of Disengagement
Let’s be clear: disengagement is expensive. Disengaged employees are more likely to leave, and replacing a single employee can cost anywhere from 30% to 200% of their annual salary, depending on the role. Add in the time required to hire, train, and bring a new person up to speed, and it’s no surprise that high attrition is often one of the biggest drains on a company’s resources.
By contrast, engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave their employer (Gallup), and more likely to recommend your organisation as a great place to work. When people are happy, they work harder, they are more engaged with those around them and the morale of the team is lifted high! Fewer resignations means fewer disruptions, lower recruitment costs, and more continuity across teams. When staff stick around, they build deeper relationships, stronger collaboration, and contribute to a more positive workplace culture.
Why Morale and Culture Matter
A revolving door of employees doesn’t just hit the bottom line — it chips away at morale. Constant change and instability can leave remaining staff feeling overworked, undervalued, and disillusioned. But when you prioritise engagement, you lay the foundation for a culture of trust, loyalty and shared purpose.
Staff who feel connected to their work and their workplace are more likely to go the extra mile, show initiative, and deliver better outcomes. This isn’t just good for your people; it’s good for business.
A Call for Forward-Thinking Leadership
So how do we turn the tide?
It starts with leadership. Leaders who embrace modern engagement strategies — not as a “nice to have” but as a core part of their business plan — are the ones who will succeed.
Forward-thinking leaders are now turning to structured, proactive approaches to engagement. One example is “Connect 4 Success” — a strategic programme that fosters continuous employee connection, recognition, development, and feedback. These initiatives go beyond superficial perks and instead focus on embedding engagement into the day-to-day rhythm of business.
“Connect 4 Success” is about listening and acting, not just surveying. It gives teams a voice, supports managers to lead better, and helps organisations measure what truly matters: how people feel about their work, and how empowered they are to succeed.
We Need to Do More
The reality is that UK and Irish businesses are behind the curve. With only a small percentage of employees feeling truly engaged, there’s huge untapped potential sitting within every organisation.
Now is the time to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive engagement. That means investing in leadership development, employee voice, career progression, wellbeing, and recognition — not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a central business priority.
Because when you engage your people, they stay. When they stay, they grow. And when they grow, so does your business.
Let’s connect. If you’re interested in exploring how “Connect 4 Success” or similar engagement programmes could support your people strategy, I’d love to share more insights.
Let’s build a culture where people thrive — and businesses do too.