The 4 influencers of employee engagement and commitment

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What’s the difference between engagement and commitment?

At Effectory International, we’re often asked to explain the difference between employee engagement and employee commitment. Engagement is an intrinsic attitude that denotes an employee’s enthusiasm for his or her job. Commitment, on the other hand, denotes an employee’s enthusiasm for the company he or she works for.

A simple metaphor for employee engagement

To provide insight into the level of engagement and commitment within an organisation, we categorise employees into four types: engaged and committed, engaged, committed and neither engaged nor committed. The four types differ in the following way:

• Engaged and committed employees are both engaged in their work and committed to the organisation. Employees love their work and the company they work for.
• Engaged employees are engaged in their work, but not committed to the organisation.
• Committed employees are committed to the organisation, but not engaged in their work.
• Employees that are neither engaged nor committed are neither engaged in their work, nor committed to the organisation.

We believe that the best case scenario is when an employee is engaged in the job and committed to the organisation. If an employee is only engaged, there is the distinct risk that they are not committed to the organisation, and vice versa.

Managing employee engagement

Based on extensive global research, Effectory’s free report examines the six key areas managers can focus on to improve employees’ engagement at work. 

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How we identified the influencers

From our Europe-wide employee survey, we collected vast data from employees in 31 different countries. Based on the employee survey responses, we were able to calculate the percentage of engaged and committed employees (as well as neither engaged nor committed). Calculating the percentages not only provided us with valuable insights, but also allowed us to rank the 31 countries from high to low.

After ranking the 31 countries, we then extracted the top and bottom ten countries in Europe, and using correlation analysis we were able to further extract the employee survey statements that had the most significant influence on employee engagement and commitment in the top and bottom ten countries.

Europe’s top 5 countries for employee engagement and commitment

The result gave us two important analyses:

•       One analysis for the ten countries with the highest employee engagement and commitment
•       A second analysis for the ten countries with the lowest employee engagement and commitment.

Within the two analyses (top and bottom ten) was contained the most significant positive and negative influencing survey statements.

Once we had the two analyses, we were able to cross reference the results. In short, if the same employee survey question or statement appeared as a positive influence for the top ten, and as a negative influence for the bottom ten, then the question or statement has one of the biggest influences on employee engagement and commitment in Europe.

The 4 influencers of employee engagement and commitment

Our research revealed that the four employee survey statements below have the biggest influence on employee engagement and commitment in Europe:

1. I feel that I fit in at my organisation
2. My manager motivates me in my work
3. I feel that I am appreciated by my organisation
4. The work of my team contributes to the success of the organisation

To find out how to increase the four statements above, download your free copy of our latest European report here

What happens when employees are neither engaged nor committed?