Why attend this conference
Employee engagement is a key issue for employers across all sectors of the UK economy. No matter what the financial climate, this is an effective way of measuring employee attitudes, managing the behaviours of management, developing human resources policies and building a good employer brand.
And this is not an optional extra. New research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) shows that employers with high levels of employee engagement are less likely to face industrial action. Union influence has declined as employee engagement has increased. Jackie Orme, CIPD chief executive commented:
“Those that have been successful in building engagement in better times will find themselves far less likely to be facing industrial unrest now.
“Motivation and commitment is greater in organisations where people fell well treated by their managers, and have trust in the senior leadership, and is far more likely to withstand the unrest that can be associated with pay restraint and the other challenges that tougher times bring.”
Far from being an “add on” issue, this is an aspect of people management which organisations ignore at their peril. Employee engagement is as crucial during times of economic downturn as it is during periods of stability. The financial performance of companies with highly engaged employees outstrips others on three key financial measures: operating income, net income growth and earnings per share.
But getting this right means embedding employee engagement strategies into management practices, and it means buy-in from the top.
Our case studies are from award-winning employers whose employee engagement schemes illustrate a best practice approach when aligning motivation to business goals, as well as forming a central part of an employer’s organisational brand. They are: British Gas, Cambridgeshire County Council and Clerical Medical.
Experts from the Holbeche Partnership, Towers Perrin, Henley Business school and business psychology consultancy YSC will consider some of the central issues now shaping the market, including the psychological contract, communication and staff surveys, career development, the role of line managers and how to build pride in a volatile market.
Partners
