Using Employee Engagement Programs and Software To Retain Your Top Talent

Employee turnover is a challenge shared across organizations of all types, sizes and industries. Building a company culture that can retain talent and foster a supportive, productive work environment is a huge business differentiator in the era of quiet and not-so-quiet quitting.

A quarter of employees say they plan to change jobs in the next year – and that jumps up to 35% of Gen Z and 31% of Millennial survey respondents, according to research by PwC. That’s why HR leaders rank retention as a top business challenge right now. 

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Organizations have one powerful tool to combat turnover: employee engagement. 

Here’s how to leverage an employee engagement program with the right software to improve job satisfaction and retain top talent.

The Link Between Engagement and Retention

Over and over, research shows a strong correlation between employee engagement and lower turnover rates. 

Gallup’s most recent 2024 State of the Global Workplace, for instance, found that nearly 80% of workers are either not engaged or actively disengaged. That’s a significant portion of employees struggling to find meaning in their work. And that has serious implications for organizations.

Simply put, employees who are highly engaged have less reason to leave. That’s because the factors that improve engagement – like job satisfaction, a positive work culture, alignment with company culture and feeling valued – all reduce turnover. 

Strong employee recognition programs are estimated to reduce turnover rates by approximately 21% in high-turnover industries and 51% in low-turnover industries, according to Gallup's 2024 State of the Global Workplace Report. That’s on top of an increase in productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction and other markers of organizational success.

Prioritizing employee engagement is well worth the effort. Here’s what goes into an effective engagement strategy.

Designing Effective Employee Engagement Programs To Retain Talent 

Communication and Feedback Programs 

Communication is the cornerstone of any effective employee program. 

It’s a two way street. Of course, you need an internal communications strategy that helps employees feel energized by your mission and valued for their contributions. But listening is just as important. 

Employee feedback, whether through anonymous surveys or one-on-one meetings, is an invaluable way of making sure the teams feel heard and like their voices matter. And this goes a long way in improving job satisfaction and retention.

Recognition and Rewards Programs 

Recognition and rewards have a profound impact on employee engagement. Everyone wants to feel like what they are doing matters! 

From awards and bonuses to messages of appreciation and peer recognition, making sure employees feel valued is critical to keeping them from going elsewhere. For instance, look at how American Type Culture Connection boosted retention by 10 percent in just one year by implementing an appreciation program.

Professional Development and Growth Programs

Career stagnation is one of the many reasons why employees seek other options. Offering career development, continuing education and other learning opportunities are all key to retaining the most ambitious employees – and, when properly supported, they often become some of the most successful and productive!

Leveraging Employee Engagement Software To Enhance Retention

Employee engagement technology is the best way to streamline and scale engagement efforts. But it’s a powerful tool that can be overlooked. 

HR Research, for instance, found that enhancing the employee experience through technology is the top priority for the majority of HR professionals, but less than half of organizations currently have tools specifically designed for this purpose.

The right engagement software can improve everything from communication to recognition and rewards programs to feedback. 

When choosing a software solution, make sure it’s easy to use, integrates into your other tools and empowers you to scale. The Inspirus Connects platform does all this and more, making it easy for you to implement a seamless, effective employee engagement and recognition solution that drives real results.  

Actionable Tips for Enhancing Engagement and Retaining Top Talent

#1 Foster a Positive Work Culture

Start with the basics. Focus on promoting a culture that values inclusivity, consideration and collaboration. An environment where all employees feel valued and respected is non-negotiable.

And, of course, competitive compensation shouldn't be overlooked: a good salary won't engage employees; inadequate compensation, however, will quickly lead to dissatisfaction and higher turnover rates.

#2 Provide Autonomy and Empowerment 

Micromanagement is the antithesis of empowerment and autonomy, which ultimately leads to a decrease in job satisfaction. Feeling that your manager’s or colleagues don’t trust you is the biggest killer of engagement at work.

Instead, allow employees to have a say in decision-making processes where appropriate and trust them with growing responsibility with the right support in place to succeed. 

#3 Promote Work-Life Balance 

Happy life, happy employees. Encourage employees to recharge with work-life balance policies and paid time off. Especially in this era of hybrid and work-from-home roles, offering flexible hours is a key to staying competitive in the job market and signaling to your workforce that what they do outside the office matters to you, too.

#4 Enhance Career Development Opportunities 

Professional development opportunities, mentorship programs and a clear career progression path make sure employees know they can continue to grow with the organization – reducing the need to change companies. Organizations with a strong learning culture have between 30% and 50% higher engagement and retention rates, according to research from Deloitte.

#5 Implement Regular Recognition Programs 

Employees who are recognized at work are almost six times more likely to stay at their jobs than those who aren’t, Zippia reports. That’s huge! 

There are a few sides to successfully recognizing employees. Make sure to celebrate milestone moments and achievements. Offer a variety of different rewards, both monetary and non-monetary. And don’t overlook the importance of peer to peer recognition, which can be as powerful as managerial recognition.

#6 Conduct Regular Employee Surveys and Act on Feedback

Use surveys to gauge employee engagement and satisfaction, gathering insights that can lead to real change. Inspirus and The Happiness Index partnered to offer dozens of prebuilt survey templates that provide a holistic and comprehensive understanding of your organization's cultural health.

More Helpful Resources About Employee Retention

For more on how to better retain talent and improve engagement, visit our employee retention blog section for valuable tips, insights and strategies.