Employee Engagement for C-Suite Executives

9 Transformational Insights that will

Generate Positive Business Outcomes

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS 1

Employee Engagement for C-Suite Executives
9 Transformational Insights that will
Generate Positive Business Outcomes

The ‘new normal.’ There is no unified definition, but many C-suite executives
agree that scaling and profitable growth is the key to sustainability. The Loyalty..................................................Page 3
ongoing conflict in Europe, price increases in energy and food, and materials
shortages are all contributing to a slowdown in the world’s economic growth. Retention...........................................Page 4
Worse, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) expects the GDP to be scaled-back to 2.2% in 2023, compared with Listening............................................Page 5
the previous forecast of 2.8%.
Performance..................................Page 6
According to the McKinsey Economic Conditions Outlook (September 2022),
executives in North America cite inflation as the top threat to economic Return to Office.......................... Page 7
stability in the next 12 months. However, where those rising costs are expected
to originate from vary greatly by region. In the U.S. the top three areas of Anxiety.................................................Page 8
concern are wages (37%), materials (17%) and energy (16%).
Flexibility...........................................Page 9
Finding and retaining the right talent has driven wages and onboarding costs
up. But the good news is that rising salary and turnover expenditures can Resilience........................................Page 10
be mitigated through employee engagement. Yes, you heard that right. But
don’t take my word for it: Gallup data shows that organizations who improve Technology....................................Page 11
their employee experience see positive business results: a 14% increase
productivity, a 23% increase in profitability and a 43% reduction in turnover.
When the cost of replacing employees can range from one-half to two times
their annual salary, those figures can be in the millions.

In these uncertain times, your HR team needs creative ways to reduce turnover,
so that your organization, and your employees, can thrive. Dive into the
insights in the pages that follow — each of which have an executive summary
of “Quick Takes” at the top for skimming — to find creative ways to reduce
turnover and improve the employee experience. You can also talk with a
specialist by clicking the button below and choosing the meeting time that
works for you.

Yours in profitability,

Tatiana Frierson
CEO
Inspirus | Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, USA

Talk to a Specialist

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS 2

Quick Takes
• In this ‘new normal,’ leaders must learn to navigate, lead,
and inspire in a changing workplace and within changing
economic climate
• “The Great Resignation” is still affecting retention rates
• Building alignment amongst senior leaders reassures
employees everyone is moving in the same direction
• Be authentic: acknowledge the uncertainty that is
happening now; lead with empathy and from the heart
How Leaders can Cultivate Community and Inspire Loyalty
Since the reality of COVID-19, many leaders have accepted
the likely reality that business will never be ‘normal.’ They’ve
realized they will need to learn to navigate, lead, and inspire in a
changing workplace —with employees on-site and remote — and
a changing economic climate. With businesses still experiencing
the “great resignation,” here are seven things leadership can do to
navigate within this ever changing environment:
Build alignment within executive leadership team
Employees need to hear consistent messages from the
organization, and that starts at the top with alignment in the
executive leadership team. This alignment has always been
important for a strong team culture but has become even more
so in a dispersed work world where communication can be
challenging. It’s important for employees to understand that they,
their team members, and their managers are all moving in the
same direction, with the same voice, to achieve the same goals.
Acknowledge the uncertainty
Never has the environment been more uncertain for all of us than
it has been since the pandemic emerged. There’s no reason to
hide from that uncertainty. Employees don’t expect organizational
leaders to have all the answers in this uncertain environment. They
do expect them to set a good example by acknowledging that
uncertainty and the stress it may be causing.
Ensure alignment with mission, vision, and values
Now is a good time to revisit your company’s mission, vision, and
values to confirm that they are still a relevant and an accurate
reflection of the way your company operates. Further, executives
need to hold senior leaders and everyone throughout the
organization accountable to upholding these values.
Balance head with heart
The workforce today requires more empathy from leadership
than ever before. Effective leaders know they need to lead with
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• Provide your workforce with tools which allow them to
connect with one another and it will foster community
• Companies who are going to win the talent war are the
ones who recognize employees holistically
• Communicate to the entire workforce: Leadership must
speak equally to a multigenerational workforce
• Continuously groom the leadership pipeline, with an eye on
diversity
empathy, and balance head with heart.“ The companies of the
future that are going to win the talent war are going to be those
who recognize that there is a work life divide — and treat people
and their lives holistically,” says Jennifer Petriglieri, Associate
Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. Companies
that don’t, she says, “are going to bleed talent.”
Provide a place of community
While a dispersed workforce has created some collaborative
challenges, it’s also given us a new definition of ‘community’
that is no longer geophysically dependent. Technology tools
like Inspirus® Connects, for example, provide a shared place for
employees to come together to connect, interact, collaborate, and
celebrate each other’s accomplishments. It’s the responsibility of
the executive leadership to encourage a positive company culture,
and foster a sense of community where everyone feels they
belong and can contribute no matter where they sit.
Communicate in a multigenerational manner
With five generations in the workplace, each with varying levels
of communication preferences, organizations need to move
beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to communication. Executives
must ensure organizational communications connect with a
multigenerational workforce and meet the needs of both on-site
and remote employees. Leadership needs to make sure managers
have the tools they need to deploy company information, and
make sure everyone has equal access to it.
Hire with an eye toward grooming future leaders
Leaders need to have clear insights into the knowledge, skills, and
abilities that are a hallmark of effective leaders, and look for those
attributes in new hires. Building bench strength should occur at all
levels and areas of the organization. The ability to build a strong
workforce, and leadership team, that reflects the diversity of the
communities served starts at the leadership level.
3
Quick Takes
• The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
reported that on average it costs a company 6 to 9 months
of an employee’s salary to replace him or her
• Recognition is an effective, budget-friendly solution to
reduce employee turnover
• When organizations make recognition and engagement
a priority within the workplace, employee absenteeism is
reduced by 81% and turnover decreases
Boost Employee Retention Using Recognition
Turnover is costly
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
reported that on average it costs a company 6 to 9 months of an
employee’s salary to replace him or her. For an employee making
$60,000 per year, that takes $30,000 - $45,000 out of a
company’s budget, per individual, for recruiting and training costs.
Recognition is an effective, budget-friendly solution to reduce
employee turnover. “Recognition, applied in the right ways, can tip
the balance towards why an employee will stay with a company,”
says Inspirus Senior Solutions Architect, Jennifer Disco. “When
an employee leaves, an organization doesn’t just lose a trained
employee. An organization can also lose customers — depending
on the relationships — as well as intellectual capital.”
Organizations can create an inclusive environment that attracts
and retains top talent by continuously engaging employees —
especially top performers — and acknowledging their work
efforts.
When the C-suite makes recognition and engagement a priority in
the organization, employee absenteeism is reduced by 81% and
turnover decreases up to 43%.
Here are four ways recognition impacts retention rates, to play
a pivotal role in your organization.
Leadership buy-in
In order for recognition to gain authority within an organization
among employees, it’s essential that leadership believe in the
process and its benefits to the company. When executives are
committed to making recognition and appreciation a priority, it
sets a standard that others will follow and continue throughout
their daily interactions. In order for recognition to develop into
a cultural value, this process can’t be treated like just another
initiative that may eventually lose steam. It needs to be seen,
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• It is essential that leadership believes in the recognition process
and its benefits to the company
• Managers set the tone for the overall experience that
employees have within an organization, make sure their actions
are aligned with with the organization’s values
• Recognition creates a workplace where employees remain
engaged, productive and will refer new talent
experienced and practiced every day by all leadership (not just
the HR department) in order for employees to understand that
recognition is truly valued by the organization.
Address the importance of manager effectiveness
Managers are often the first impression employees have with
a company and set the tone for the overall experience that
employees have within an organization. This makes it all the
more important that the C-suite ensures its managers’ actions
are aligned with the organization’s values. When employees
produce great work, go above and beyond in their role, or
positively impact the organization, managers should provide
timely recognition that includes specific examples of how those
employees provided value to the organization.
Develop a culture of appreciation
Taking the time to develop a culture that recognizes employees
for their efforts (and behaviors) is a way for an organization to
show their commitment to creating a space where employees can
thrive. In turn, employees will be less likely to leave for another
organization if they know they will be adding value when they do
a good job. The proof: organizations that implement recognition
programs have 31% less employee turnover.
Create consistency in recognition
To ensure that employee recognition maintains momentum and
positively impacts your workforce, structure and consistency are
key. By developing a standardized, enterprise-wide structure to
implement recognition, all managers and employees will have
the same opportunity to recognize one another for the value and
efforts they bring to the organization.
Making sure employees feel recognized and appreciated for
their work creates a workplace where high performers remain
engaged, productive and will be more likely to recommend the
company to other talent.
4
Quick Takes
• One of the keys to keeping a talented and loyal workforce
is making sure that employee communication and
engagement is a priority from the top down
• Hearing is passive; listening involves giving your complete
focus and attention
• Listening fully to another person demonstrates the highest
level of respect towards them
• Empathy is the single greatest skill a leader can possess
The Difference Between Listening and Hearing Employees
It’s no secret that attracting and keeping great employees
has become a major post-pandemic challenge for many
organizations. Just turn on the evening news or open your local
newspaper. You’re bound to see story after story about the “Great
Resignation” and how people are quitting or changing their jobs in
droves. One of the keys to keeping a talented and loyal workforce
is making sure that employee communication and engagement
is a priority from the top down. A trend we’ve been seeing in
the last year is a push to re-train management in the simple, yet
transformational, art of listening.
Hearing vs. listening
Hearing is passive. You hear people all the time, but you’re usually
focused on yourself and are thinking about how you’re going to
respond or even talking over them before they’ve finished. You
don’t really hear what they say because you’re not truly listening.
Listening requires giving complete focus and your full attention to
another person.
Hearing involves only the ears, whereas listening involves the
whole person. When you are actively listening, you’re making
eye contact, you’re nodding, you might even be taking notes.
You’re not only trying to hear what the other person is saying,
you’re actually trying to understand why they are saying it. You’re
holding your response until you have all of the information, have
processed the information, and then after listening and processing,
you are able to form a thoughtful response and seek even further
clarification.
Actively listening is key to hearing
Listening fully to another person demonstrates the highest level
of respect towards them. It makes that person feel validated,
important, and understood. Understanding is the whole entire
point of listening. By letting go of your need to control or dominate
the conversation, you establish a bond of trust, which increases
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• When leadership really listens to its employees, they not
only feel heard, but also feel seen. This makes them feel
appreciated and more like a true part of the company
• Listen to understand the meaning of what your employees
are trying to say, so they feel both seen and heard
• The goal of listening is to make people feel comfortable
enough to communicate honestly
your capacity for real communication and leads to higher levels
of respect among your employees and teammates.
Empathetic listening is the holy grail of communication. A study
conducted by Development Dimension International (DDI)
determined that empathy is the single greatest skill a leader can
possess.
When leadership really listens to its employees, they not only
feel heard, but also feel seen. This makes them feel appreciated
and more like a true part of the company. According to the EY
Belonging Barometer Report, employees who feel a strong sense
of belonging are 3.5X more productive and motivated
to contribute to their full potential.
How executives can become better listeners
If you want to become a better listener and provide a better
experience for your mangers and employees, you’re going to
have to learn to be quiet. The goal is to make people feel safe
enough to communicate honestly with you. You do that by showing
respect, empathy and patience. Here are a few tips…
• Don’t multitask - Give the person you’re listening to your full
attention and make eye contact.
• Don’t interrupt - Don’t talk over the person while they are
speaking.
• Listen for the “why” - Try to understand the actual meaning
of what the person is trying to convey. Pay attention to non-
verbal cues, such as body language and tone of voice.
• Ask thoughtful questions - Take the conversation to the next
level by asking insightful, open-ended questions that give the
person an opportunity to explain their feelings even more
clearly.
• Avoid using the word “but” - When people hear the word
“but,” they feel negated. Try replacing it with the word “and”
instead when presenting another point of view.
5
Quick Takes
• High levels of employee engagement are linked with
improved employee retention, increased revenue, higher
productivity and lower operational costs
• Employee engagement levels began slumping at the end of
2021, and that slump continues
• Ignoring engagement costs the global economy $8.1 trillion
each year
How Rewards and Recognition Improve Business Performance
High employee engagement is linked with improved employee
retention, increased revenue, higher productivity and lower
operational costs. Unfortunately, Gallup reports that employee
engagement began lagging at the end of 2021 and the slump
continues. Leadership needs to work even harder (or rather,
smarter) to put employee engagement strategies into action if they
want to see improved business performance.
The high cost of disengagement
If employees are disengaged — or even not engaged enough
— business can suffer. Gallup found that ignoring engagement
costs the global economy 8.1 trillion dollars each year. Improving
employee engagement and job satisfaction can boost profitability,
improve customer satisfaction, and even encourage a safer
workplace and more inclusive work culture.
Performance outcomes linked to employee engagement
• Higher retention - A Gallup survey found that organizations
that make employee recognition a priority have workers who
are 56% less likely to be looking for a new job.
• Increased productivity and profitability - Gallup reports
that organizations with the highest levels of employee
engagement are 17% more productive and 21% more
profitable than those with a disengaged workforce.
• Improved workplace safety - Organizations with the highest
employee engagement report 70% fewer employee safety
incidents than those with the lowest engagement.
Ignoring or underestimating the importance of employee
engagement could mean your organization misses out on these
gains. This will make it more difficult to compete in your industry,
both in terms of talent acquisition and profitability.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• Employee recognition reduces turnover and its associated
expenses
• Organizations with recognition programs outperform those without
• Collecting and using data is key to optimizing programs and
determining ROI
• Doesn’t matter if HR pushes for programs to increase employee
engagement, if support doesn’t come from the top leadership team,
they will fail
Employee recognition impacts the bottom line
1) Employee recognition curbs expenses. Gallup calculates that
an organization with 10K employees can save $16.1 million in
turnover costs annually when recognition is included as part of
the culture.
2) Great employee recognition practices and tools make
employees feel valued, and elevate employee engagement.
Deloitte research shows that employee productivity, performance,
and engagement are 14% higher in organizations with formal
recognition programs, compared with those without them.
3) Effective recognition programs are linked with lower voluntary
turnover (by as much as 31% less according to Bersin &
Associates). Investing in rewards and recognition is less costly than
hiring to backfill vacant positions and frees up staff to concentrate
on building your organizational culture.
Using real data to drive decisions
One of the keys to putting your company data to work is having
a reliable, accurate way to measure employee engagement.
Collecting and using real data to make infomed decisions and
assess ROI allows the numbers to do the talking. Hubspot outlines
how HR leaders can measure engagement in both quantitative
and qualitative ways. This will provide the best possible mix of
data on which to base your important strategies around the
employee experience, productivity, and organizational health.
Typically, HR is closest to employee engagement levels, with
individual business units generally feeling the impacts (positive
and negative). This means it is crucial for the C-suite to prioritize
employee engagement as part of the organization’s broader
strategies around business health, sustainability, and competitive
advantage. Businesses perform better when employee rewards
and recognition are an integral part of organizational culture —
and that’s only possible with support from executive leadership.
6
Quick Takes
• To determine if and how a hybrid work environment will
work for your organization, start by forming a cross-
functional planning team to address the needs of various
departments
• Be sure to craft a formal extension of your work policy to
address remote work
• Seek employee input and create an action plan to
implement it
Best Practices for Employees Return to Office
The last few years have been tumultuous to say the least. Many of
us have changed how and where we work, and how we interact
and connect with one another. As we emerge from this life-altering
pandemic, HR leaders are asking Inspirus for workplace strategies
and best practices to ensure their returning employees are safe,
happy, and productive, and that their employee engagement
levels ramp back up to pre-pandemic levels and beyond.
A Deloitte survey revealed there was no indication of a permanent
shift to full-time virtual work in the ‘new normal.’ Many remote
workers claim they would consider leaving their job if they were
forced to go back to an office before they were ready.
So, how can C-suite executives shift their mindset from survive to
thrive and prepare their organization for other potential disasters?
Some of our best practices will give you a starting point.
Consider a hybrid approach
Zoom polled over 1,500 U.S.-based remote workers to better
understand what they feel about their work future and returning to
the office. Of those who worked remotely in 2021, roughly two-
thirds (65%) said that a hybrid work environment was ideal.
To determine if and how a hybrid model will work for your
organization, start by forming a cross-functional planning team
to address the needs of various departments, workforce segments
and geographical locations. Then, solicit feedback from all
employees via a survey. Once intel and requirements have been
gathered, your leadership team will be ready to develop and
implement a return-to-work plan.
If your organization adopts a hybrid working approach (or
continues with a remote workforce), be sure to craft an extension
of your formal work policy that covers remote work. This will
provide crystal-clear guidelines and set expectations of when
employees need to be at their desk, wherever they sit.
Seek employee feedback
Now is a great time to conduct a survey to gain insight into how
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• 58% of employees said they would look for a new position
if they weren’t allowed to continue working remotely
• In order to retain valuable employees, you must make their
happiness a priority
• Task your managers with creating opportunities to connect
on-site workers with those who are still remote
your employees are feeling, what challenges they are facing
and what they need to manage change and to perform better,
both at work and at home. Inspirus has an employee feedback
tool directly integrated within its technology platform, Connects.
Employee Voice allows organizations to anonymously collect
feedback, analyze the results, and take the best course of action
to address employee sentiment and adjust their people strategy.
A dedicated email address could suffice, but may not be adopted
as widely. Anonymity is critical to providing employees with the
freedom to speak honestly without repercussion.
Managers should share any feedback collected with employees
and create an action plan to implement some of their suggestions
as soon as possible.
Monitor employee retention levels
According to Pew Research Center, 58% of employees said they
would look for a new position if they weren’t allowed to continue
working remotely in their current position. So how can you retain
valuable employees? Make employees’ happiness a priority —
which is why we recently partnered with The Happiness Index.
Here are some common ways your managers can retain high
performers and encourage a happy team:
• Small gestures of appreciation (meals, treats, cards)
• Recognition of a job well done
• Gratitude for their time and hard work
• Pay raises/promotions based on achievement and knowledge
Connect on-site and remote workers
Hosting company-wide meetings and social events on video
platforms will allow everyone to participate and feel connected
to the larger organization. In order to boost morale and keep
your workforce connected through shared experiences, host a
weekly social event, like a trivia game where all employees can
look forward to participating and have fun conversing with their
colleagues.
Get more best practices in our latest eBook.
7
Quick Takes
• It is important that management understand the anxiety their
workforce is feeling and do everything they can to make
them feel comfortable returning to the workplace
• Let your employees know you really want to know how
they’re feeling about coming back to the office and their
major concerns
• Listen to your employees and practice empathy
How to Address Employee Anxiety about Office Safety
Employees are nervous about being back in the office. In a recent
study from UpCity, 53% of employees said they would feel some
or a high level of stress about going back to work in an office.
Some reasons for this anxiety include continued concern about the
COVID-19 virus and its variants, unvaccinated co-workers, and
a reluctance to change after finally settling into a ‘new normal’ of
working remotely.
Given the fact that it’s much easier and cost-effective to keep
employees than hire new ones (especially now), it’s important that
management understand the anxiety their staff is feeling and do
everything they can to make them feel comfortable returning to the
workplace. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Create a safe space for discussion
Let your employees know you really want to know how they’re
feeling about coming back to the office and their major concerns.
This could be done through a corporate-wide confidential survey,
individual department meetings, or one-on-one meetings between
a manager and their direct reports.
2. Listen to your employees
Truly listening to people makes them feel validated (see page 5).
Some people may still be concerned about being exposed to the
virus if they live with an elderly or vulnerable person. Listening to
their specific concerns not only makes them feel better, but it gives
you a roadmap to address the issues that are holding them back
and perhaps even causing them to consider seeking employment
elsewhere.
3. Practice empathy
In a recent report from Businessolver, 1/3 of employees said
they would switch companies for more empathy, 40% would
work longer hours and 56% said they would stay with a company
if they felt valued. What this tells us is that making empathy a part
of your overall corporate mission statement could be one of the
highest impact changes the C-suite could make to keep valuable
employees motivated and loyal.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• Address safety issues clearly and without delay
• Explain why your company feels it’s important to have
employees back in the office and be completely transparent
with your messaging
• The best thing you can do as a leader to help your employees
feel comfortable coming back is to create a strong team culture
through a new office routine
4. Address safety issues
For those employees with continuing concerns about future
pandemics and global crises, you need to clearly communicate
all the steps you’re taking as a company to protect them and their
families.
5. Be transparent
Explain why your company feels it’s important to have employees
back in the office and be completely transparent with your
messaging. Transparency, flexibility and communication can go a
long way in quelling anxious feelings and motivating employees
to stay.
6. Create a routine
Asking your employees to come back into the office after almost
two years of working from home is asking them to step outside
of their comfort zone. The best thing you can do as a leader to
help your employees feel comfortable coming back is to create a
strong team culture through a new office routine. Capitalize on the
camaraderie that so many people enjoy about being in the office
by implementing an employee recognition program. The key is to
create a positive and rewarding routine that makes your staff look
forward to coming into the office every day.
7. Prioritize employee appreciation
Given the “Great Resignation” and current state of the job market,
it is now more important than ever to emphasize employee
appreciation so your employees feel appreciated (and get
rewarded) for a job well done.
8. Be flexible
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s to be flexible. Be flexible
with your employees, your protocols, and your overall business
plan. Demonstrating flexibility as a leader and as an organization
can have a huge impact on employee morale and employee
willingness to return to the office.
8
Quick Takes
• 33% of CEOs think the pandemic will stretch into late 2023
• Employees need purpose, and it’s your job to define what
that looks like within your organization
• Recognition works: behavior that is rewarded, gets
repeated
• When they experienced empathy from their leaders, 76%
of employees reported a higher level of engagement, and
61% said they were able to be more innovate
The ‘New Normal’ Includes Engagement, Empathy & Flexibility
A ‘new normal.’ That’s the phrase everyone is using when
discussing post-pandemic life. The reality is, anything resembling
“normal” in the workplace might not happen for quite some time.
In a survey conducted by Deloitte and Fortune, only 1 in 10 CEOs
(11%) were confident that the effects of the pandemic would be
over by mid-2022. More than 1 in 3 (35%) believes that won’t
happen until the end of 2023.
Now is the time for leaders to re-imagine everything. The
pandemic has forced employees to think differently about how
they work, and even why they work. In order to survive in a post-
COVID world and excel as a leader, your ‘new normal’ will need
to be all about engagement, empathy, and fully embracing the
hybrid work model. Here’s why:
A clear purpose will re-egnite
The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) reported
that recruiting is the number one challenge companies are
currently facing. In the wake of the “Great Resignation,” leaders
are struggling to keep employees engaged. Here are two ways:
• Engagement starts with purpose, and everyone is craving
meaningful purpose in all aspects of their lives. It’s your job as
a leader to define what that looks like at work. You need to
have a clear and meaningful corporate purpose and mission,
and ensure that sense of purpose resonates throughout the
entire organization.
• Engagement is also about recognition and rewards. Part of
building a team culture is communicating to your employees
how much they matter. It’s a good idea to have a recognition
program that rewards high performing employees for
outstanding performance. Recognize your employees. Promote
them. Re-skill them. Do whatever it takes to keep them happy
and productive as part of your overall purpose. If you don’t,
rest assured another company will.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• Put yourself in your employees’ shoes; once you get where
your employees are coming from, you can lead by example
more authentically
• Be open to the different ways employees want to work, and
then treat employees like adults
• If you force employees back into the office after they’ve
proven they can be productive remotely, they’ll leave
• Use pandemic learnings to transform your business
Leading with empathy will be required
According to a Catalyst study, 76% of employees reported a
higher level of engagement when they experienced empathy from
their leaders, and 61% said they were able to be more innovative.
Leading with empathy requires you to drop your executive hat at
the door, and put yourself in your employees’ shoes. Once you
get where your employees are coming from, you will then be able
to lead by example and embody the behavior they want to see.
Embrace hybrid work or lose talent
Be open to the different ways employees want to work and then
implement a flexible work arrangement that allows people to work
remotely, in the office, or a combination of both. Treat employees
like the adults they are — they can make their own decisions on
what type of schedules work best for them. If you don’t allow
remote or hybrid options, you will risk losing your best talent.
A recent McKinsey report found that almost 90% of employees
who took new jobs did not have to relocate because more
companies are now “location agnostic.” They got used to being
able to do their jobs from home and enjoyed better work-life
balance. If you try to force them to come back into the office after
they’ve proven they can be productive remotely, you’re going to
lose them to another company who can and will accommodate
their wishes.
Business transformation
A post-pandemic ‘new normal’ will mean different things to
different organizations. It’s up to each leader to take everything
they’ve learned over the last two years and use that knowledge
to transform the future of their business. Transformation begins and
ends with your employees. Leadership must find new ways to
engage their staff, lead with empathy, and give people the
freedom to work the way they want. It’s the only way companies
will be able to survive this and any future pandemics.
9
Quick Takes
• Leaders must make the workplace itself more resilient if it
wants to survive another pandemic
• Encourage your leadership team to find ‘lessons learned’
and use those shared experiences to spur innovation
• It doesn’t matter where your employees sit these days,
technology is the glue that holds them together
• Use employee engagement technology to keep everyone
connected — it’s vital to overall morale and productivity
Why is Workplace Resilience so Important?
One of the many things we learned from COVID-19 was just how
truly unprepared most companies were for a pandemic and the
overall effect it would have on employees, office culture, and the
bottom line. C-suite leaders are now tasked with how to make
the workplace itself more resilient if it wants to survive another
pandemic or natural disaster. Here are a few suggestions for how
leaders can create a more resilient workplace.
Make resilience a part of your mission
Shared experiences spur process innovation. Nothing strengthens
culture more than diversity and the experiences that people of
different backgrounds bring to the table. Poll your leadership team
to drill down and find ‘lessons learned’ during the pandemic.
Find out how managers and employees practiced resilience
as they were forced out of their comfort zones, and had to
adjust to working from home and deal with loss and anxiety. By
incorporating these shared experiences and lessons into your
business plan going forward, you will motivate and inspire your
employees, as they will feel part of something greater than just
collecting a paycheck.
Leverage technology
Technology has changed the way we communicate. It doesn’t
matter where your employees sit these days, technology is the glue
that holds them together.
Providing new ways for your staff to interact, appreciate each
other, and share daily wins is critical to overall morale and
productivity. It is now vital to include technology as part of the new
office culture. Investing in technology that’s faster, more secure,
and that helps keep your employees connected and engaged will
be an important part of any resilience plan going forward.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• Community is about people, not location
• A leader shapes what ‘”community” and “culture” looks like in
an organization
• Workplace resilience is about identifying employee sentiment
and behavior and managing change
• Gathering employee feedback creates a comfortable
environment where everyone feels heard
• Resilient workplaces empower employees to do their best work
Build a resilient community
Creating an inclusive culture and community is not about
a location, it’s about people. The typical nine-to-five office
environment is no more, and it’s time the C-suite embraces all
the different ways people like to work in order to create a more
inclusive workplace. Use employee engagement technology, like
Inspirus® Connects, to keep everyone connected. Be the leader
that reshapes what “community” and “culture” looks like in your
organization.
Ask for regular feedback
Workplace resilience is about identifying employee sentiment and
behavior and managing change. To keep your finger on the pulse
of how healthy your culture is, give your employees a voice.
One way to do that is with Employee Voice — an “always on,”
anonymous feedback tool integrated into the Connects employee
engagement technology platform.
Organizations that encourage employees to share their
opinions and ideas, and then incorporate that feedback into
their engagement strategy will create a comfortable, inclusive
environment where everyone feels heard.
A culture of resilience
Creating a new office culture doesn’t happen overnight. It will
take time, commitment from the C-suite and a continuous feedback
loop in order to fine tune the ‘new normal’. By leveraging what
we’ve learned over the past few years, leaders can create a much
more resilient and inclusive workplace in which employees are
empowered to do their best work and perform at their highest
levels.
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Quick Takes
• Employee engagement is important to the most successful
companies; they view it as a central strategy, and executives see
it as one of the top issues they’re facing
• Nearly three out of every four business executives cite employee
engagement as very important to achieving business success
• An easy-to-use engagement platform keeps employees engaged
over the long term, increasing performance and boosting
retention
How to Unify Employee Engagement and Technology
With so many companies in HR technology talking about
employee engagement, it’s easy to be skeptical — you may even
be sick of hearing about it. Regardless of your personal opinions,
employee engagement is no longer just a HR concern, it is now
on the radar of C-suite executives. Consulting giants like Aon are
positioning employee engagement at the center of an emerging
talent imperative for organizations. Nearly three out of every four
business executives cite employee engagement as very important
to achieving business success.
But as organizations look at operationalizing employee
engagement, they’re running into some inevitable barriers.
Programs specifically designed to engage employees — like
safety, recognition or wellness — are spread across disparate
technology solutions and departmental responsibilities.
Understanding the current state of engagement is challenging
enough, but designing employee engagement strategies that work
together toward a common goal have been challenging, to say
the least.
Individually, recognition, enterprise communication, well-being,
community involvement, and surveys and analytics are all
important. But they can be even more powerful when they work
together.
Opportunities when consolidating
engagement technology
Until just a few years ago, organizations didn’t have a choice:
they had to manage these different technologies separately. Even
if the goal was to break down silos, create alignment and have
employee engagement strategies operate in a seamless platform,
it simply wasn’t possible.
Today, that’s changed. The ability to have engagement solutions
under a single platform is here. But what is the benefit of unifying
engagement solutions under one platform? Where do we start?!
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR C-SUITE EXECUTIVES | INSPIRUS
• With a unified engagement platform, managers and executives
can see the impact across multiple programs and initiatives
• Your goals and strategies are the key to making an engagement
platform work for everyone in your organization — and you need
a system that takes that into consideration
• Analytics can truly measure the full picture of your engagement
programs: get insights across all areas — all in one place, without
having to use multiple systems or pull out a spreadsheet
Consistency - Having consistency — a single login and a consistent
navigation and user experience — is an enormous benefit, not just for
the organization but also for employees, managers, executives, HR, IT
and system administrators.
Simplicity - A single platform is simple to use and provides one
destination for employees to remember. Whether they want to
recognize a peer, provide feedback on how they are feeling or learn
about a company initiative, they can do it all from a single destination.
Experience - A modern engagement platform, like Inspirus
Connects, is easily adopted and provides a positive overall user
experience that keeps employees engaged and coming back. By
keeping employees engaged, organizations see higher performance
levels and retention rates, which add to the bottom line. .
Performance - Get the most out of your platform, and employees,
using a unified technology that provides a holistic view of your
engagement programs. Companies can use employee surveys, like
those integrated within Connects, to gather data that can improve the
performance of programs in place and and the people who use them.
Flexibility - While a single platform unites programs, there should
still be opportunities to tailor programs to the unique needs of the
organization. Having specific goals and strategies are the key to
making each program work for everyone in the organization —
and you need a system that takes that into consideration.
Insights - Finally, analytics can truly measure the full picture of each
program. Get insights about recognition, culture, well-being and more
— all in one place, without having to log into multiple systems
or pull out a spreadsheet.
When employee engagement comes together under a single
technology umbrella, it creates a better experience for employees
and a whole host of benefits for organizations looking to get the most
out of their engagement programs. All it takes is the right technology
partner to make it a reality.
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About Inspirus
Employees play a large part in defining a company’s culture: their everyday experiences create the foundational structure that drives an
organization to be strong, high-performing, and ultimately successful. Inspirus helps organizations harness the full potential of their greatest
resource — their people — ensuring they feel valued and connected, fostering greater loyalty, performance, productivity and success.
Through our technology, integrated solutions and award-winning customer service, we elevate the employee experience and optimize
organizational culture by providing a holistic approach throughout the entire employee journey.

As a vital part of the multinational Sodexo Group, our efforts are strengthened by Sodexo’s global reach, and something more: a guiding
principle for positive change — improving quality of life for everyone. Inspirus aims to bring joy to work, one experience at a time.

Visit Inspirus.com for more information.

Inspirus is part of the Sodexo Group. Visit us.sodexo.com to learn more.

About Sodexo
Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor
in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 55 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its
integrated offering of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services, developed using 50+ years’
experience. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to
continuously develop and engage its 412,000 employees throughout the world.

Inspirus.com
100 N. Rupert Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107
P 817.332.6765 T 800.552.9273

Inspirus ©2022 The information and concepts contained in this document are the proprietary property of Inspirus.
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