EMPLOYEE

ENGAGEMENT
A Better Way To Work

www.engageforsuccess.org
 ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS
Engage for Success is a movement committed to the idea that there is a better way to work;
a better way to enable personal growth, organisational growth and ultimately growth for our
country by releasing more of the capability and potential of people at work.
It is a voluntary movement of leaders, managers, engagement practitioners and experts who
have come together to take the messages about the importance of employee engagement
out across the UK and beyond, and to encourage managers and leaders to take action to
create engaging places for people to work.
The movement seeks to grow awareness about the power and potential of employee
engagement, to provoke people to think and to learn more about it. Above all, to motivate
individuals and organisations to take action, secure in the proof that it works and feeling
passionate about its importance.
We provide evidence, case studies and points of view about how employee engagement
drives performance and productivity to achieve growth. This is the case for action. We support
people in the workplace with practical tools and ideas which will help them to make changes
and we hope to inspire people to get involved in our movement by offering access to like-
ENDURING MISSION, OUR PURPOSE minded communities, experts and leaders.

To raise the profile of employee engagement and shine a light on good practice Over the last 4 years the Task Force has spearheaded the formation of the Engage for Success
movement – bringing together the experience of leading practitioners, the ideas and research
BELIEFS VALUES of leading academics, and the findings of think tanks, to share learning and practical guidance
● Inclusive: The movement is open to anyone
on “the what, the why and the how” of employee engagement.
● Everyone should have the opportunity to
work to their full potential and to be interested in the concept, practice and
well managed development of employee engagement: any ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS BACKGROUND
individual or organisation, of any size and
● Employee engagement drives measurable from any sector.
improvement in performance,
creativity and well-being ● Practical: The movement translates the theory The Engage for Success movement is supported by the Department for Business Innovation
and philosophy into workable tools and ideas for & Skills because its work supports two of the UK Government’s top priorities – delivering
● The next generations of successful
organisations will be those that free
action. sustainable economic growth, and developing new approaches to help people improve their
the potential of the people ● Accessible: The movement makes connections in wellbeing.
within them order for people to team-up together in
open dynamic environments. In November 2012, commenting on a Summit by leading CEOs who sponsor the movement,
ACTIVITIES the Prime Minister, David Cameron said:
● Increasing awareness and education of OUTCOMES
“Engage for Success is a movement that I helped launch last year to get UK workers more
employee engagement and what it ● Improved well-being, for people at work involved in the decision making of their companies and feel more passionate about their work.
looks like This meeting of leading companies and the publication of new evidence is an important step
● Success and growth for organisations in achieving this and helping Britain to compete in the global race. With only a third of UK
● Equipping leaders and managers
to develop and deploy ● Growth for the UK workers saying they feel engaged, I encourage all companies to get involved in this important
employee engagement initiative.”
approaches
● Evidence points of view and provide
practical ideas and tools for
action
● Provide access to and support from like-
minded communities
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS: KEY MILESTONES
The movement is widely supported, involving the public, private and third sectors, in the CEO Breakfast Summit
belief they can learn a lot from each other. Organisations supporting the movement account ● In late November 2012 the supporters of the Engage for Success movement were mobilised to take action through
for more than two million people. a series of events, including a landmark gathering of circa 300 practitioners and a CEO Breakfast Summit
in Westminster.
● A report to Government in 2009 by David MacLeod and Nita Clarke was
published entitled ‘Engaging for Success’.
● In 2011, the Coalition Government asked David and Nita, to further spread the
ideas in their report with the objective of achieving a wider national
awareness through the creation of the Engage for Success Task Force in
2012.
● A new website www.engageforsuccess.org, which is a free to use national
resource of good practice and support for improving engagement at
work, was launched, along with a film ‘Get Engaged’, which highlights
that people have more to offer at work.
● An ‘Open Letter’ sent to The Times in 2012, signed by 43 CEOs, Chairmen and
Senior Leaders, championed the importance of employee engagement in the
UK, increasing the profile of, and providing momentum for, the
movement. LEFT TO RIGHT: Mark Elborne, CEO, North Europe GE; Ronan Dunne, CEO O2; Tanith Dodge, HR Director, Marks & Spencer; Sir
Win Bischoff, Chairman Lloyds Banking Group; Nick Creswell, VP, Technology Thomson Reuters; Andy Harrison, CEO Whitbread;
● In 2012 the latest evidence on employee engagement in a report entitled Frances O’Grady TUC; Martin Donnelly, BIS Permanent Secretary; Geoff Lloyd, Group Human Resource Director, Serco; Neil Bentley
Employee Engagement – the Evidence was published. This seminal report proves an indisputable link between Deputy Director General CBI; Ian P owell Chairman and Senior Partner PwC; Rob Devey CEO UK & Europe Prudential; Ian King CEO
employee engagement and organisational performance and aims to convince the sceptics that engagement should BAE Systems; Richard Baker Chairman Virgin Active; Barbara Frost CEO Water Aid; Peter Cheese CEO CIPD; Bernadette Malone
be aOPEN
strategic priority for
LETTER TOallTHE
organisations.
TIMES CEO Perth and Kinross council; Marc Bolland CEO Marks & Spencer; Justin King CEO Sainsbury’s; Eric Collins Managing Director
Nampak; Steve Mogford CEO United Utilities; David Evans Chairman and CEO Grass Roots Group; Nita Clarke and David MacLeod,
43 CEO and Executive Director signatories from the UK Co-Chairs of the Task Force.
12th November 2012 Practitioner Conference

THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT FOR THE UK

As Sponsors of Engage for Success (www.engageforsuccess.org), the national employee engagement
task force launched by the Prime Minister last year, we are publishing today, compelling evidence of the
effectiveness of employee engagement in driving performance and productivity for the economy.

Employee engagement is good for individuals, good for business and good for UK growth. The evidence
is compelling. Only a third of people are fully engaged at work, the remainder not reaching their
full potential. Research also suggests that £26bn in added GDP could be realised from this wasted
opportunity.

Today’s report, Employee Engagement – the Evidence, shows clearly that organisations with high
● Jo Swinson, MP and Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs, and Archie Norman, Chairman of ITV
engagement levels outperform their low engagement counterparts in both private industry and in
(above) stress the need for action on employee engagement and why getting the UK engaged matters for the
public service. Engaged organisations also report lower staff absence, lower turnover, fewer accidents benefit of the country and employees.
and are linked to increased employee wellbeing.
● In Nov 2013 the website www.engageforsuccess.org received its 150,000th visit and Engage for Success had held
Our organisations each have different challenges, but we all believe improving employee engagement over 70 events nationally. In addition, weekly radio podcasts were often receiving over 2,000 listens. In July 2015
can help improve productivity and performance in the UK, and thereby stimulate economic growth. the website visits have reached over 600,000 so far.

With two thirds of the UK work force failing to reach its full potential, we invite UK plc to join this Engage for Success is focussed on ensuring that there is a much higher level of national awareness about why
movement for better engagement at work, so we all raise our game to meet the challenges ahead. employee engagement matters and encouraging and supporting action to be taken to improve engagement across
the UK.
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS: SENIOR SPONSORSHIP
Engage for Success benefits from senior sponsorship from the private, public and third
sectors and includes a diverse range of organisations from major industries. This was
evidenced in both an open letter to The Times signed by 43 CEOs and attendance at a CEO
breakfast summit in early November 2012. Since then the Engage for Success Task Force has
grown, as has the number of Engage for Success Member Organisations and Sponsors.
TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Alex Lewis, HR Director, BAE
Andrea Jones, Director - HR Business Partnering, Prudential
Andrew Moys, Director of Communications, JLP
Anne Sharp, Chief Executive, ACAS
Bernadette Bruton, Organisational Health Director, BT
Bernadette Malone, Chief Executive, Perth and Kinross Council
Bob Hughes, MD, The Forton Group
Cary Owen, Head of Leadership and OD, Devon and Cornwall
Police
Carry Cushing, HR Director, UK & Ireland, General Electric
Colin Watt, Head of Employee Engagement and Relations, Shop
Direct Group
Craig Fabian, Consulting Director and Head of Knowledge,
The Brand Union
Dame Carol Black, Cross Government Health, Work and
Wellbeing Unit
David Littlechild, Senior Manager, Colleague Engagement,
Corporate Affairs, Lloyds TSB
Dean Royles, Director of HR and Organisational Development,
Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Deb Oxley. Director of Membership, Employee Ownership
Association
Doug McIldowie, Group HR Director, GKN
Eric Collins, Managing Director, Nampak Plastics
Estelle Hollingsworth, HR Director - Talent, Learning &
Organisational Development, BAE Systems
Eugene McConlough, Employee Engagement Manager,
Southeastern
Francis Goss, Head of Employee Engagement, Grass Roots
Gaby Heppner-Logan, Director of Communications and Public
Affairs, BT Openreach
Geoff Lloyd, Group HR Director, Serco
Gill Dix, Head of Strategy, ACAS
Graham Smith, Director of HR, Devon & Cornwall Police
Hannah McNicholl, Head of Communications, NAO
Iain Hasdell, CEO, Employee Ownership Association
Jeni Taylor, Head of Business Performance and Leadership, PwC
Jill Thornton, Director: People & Development, Blue Arrow
John Evans, HRD, First Group
John Smythe, Leader and Employee Engagement, Engage for
Change
Jon Sparkes, Chief Operating Officer, UNICEF
Jon West, Director - Manufacturing HR & Employee Relations,
Jaguar Land Rover
Jonathan Austin, CEO and Founder, Best Companies
Kenny Irwin, Employee Relations Director, Diageo
Kerensa Jennings, Director of Strategy, Seven Hills
Kevin Goodman, Group Director OD, Babcock
Lara Morgan, Co-Founder, Company Shortcuts
Laura Harrison, Strategy Director, CIPD
Louise Beardmore, Head of Organisation Development, United
Utilities
Louise Smalley, Group HR Director, Whitbread
Marek Pruszewicz, Editor, Global Partnerships, BBC World
Service Group
Mark Manaton, CEO, Blue Arrow
Martyn Dicker, Director of HR, CIFF
Mervyn Thomas, Group HR Director, Ministry of Justice, HMRC
Michael Mealing, Policy Chairman, FSB
Neil Carberry, Director, Employment and Skills, CBI
Nicholas Creswell, Vice President, Talent and Development
- Technology, Thomson Reuters
Pat Egan, MD, Places for People
Paul Devoy, Head of IIP, IIP
Paula Kerrigan, Chief Strategy Officer, Co-operative Group
Pete Stevenson, Creative Director, The Edge Picture Company
Peter Thomas, Director - Civil Service Reform, Institute for
Government
Russell Grossman, Communications Director, BIS
Sheena Cartright, Chief People Officer, Alexander Mann
Solutions
Sir Eric Peacock, Entrepreneur, SME Sector
Stephen Bevan, Director, The Work Foundation
Stephen Dando, Operating Partner, Bain Capital
Stephen Lehane, Group HR Director, Boots UK and ROI
Steven Weeks, Policy Manager, NHS Employers
Tanith Dodge, HR Director, M&S
Tim Page, Senior Policy Officer, TUC
Veronica Hope-Hailey, Dean, School of Management,
University of Bath
Wendy Cartwright, Director of Corporate Services,
UEL
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS SPONSORS
Adam Crozier, CEO, ITV
Alastair McCapra, CEO, CIPR
Amyas Morse, Auditor General, NAO
Andy Harrison, CEO, Whitbread
Antony Jenkins, CEO, Barclays
Barbara Frost, Chief Executive, WaterAid
Sir Brendan Barber, Chair, ACAS
Carolyn Downs, CE, Local Govt Assoc
Charlie Mayfield, Chairman, JLP
Chris Browne, MD, Thomson Airways
David Cowans, CEO, Places for People
Frances O’Grady, General Secretary, TUC
Gavin Patterson, CEO, BT
Ian King, CEO, BAE
Ian Powell, Chairman & Senior Partner,
PwC
Jackie Hunt, Chief Executive, UK & Europe, Prudential
John Allan, Chair, FSB
John Hannett, General Secretary, USDAW
John Manzoni, CE, Civil Service & Permanent Secretary,
Cabinet Office
John Neill, Group CE, Unipart
Justin King, Former CEO, Sainsburys
Karen Boswell, Hitachi Rail Europe
Lord O’Donnell, Former Head of Home Civil Service, House of
Lords
Marc Bolland, CEO, M&S
Mark Elborne, Chief Executive, North Europe, GE
Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP
Martin Temple, Chairman, EEF
Mike Clancy, General Secretary Elect, Prospect
Moya Greene, CEO, Royal Mail
Nigel Stein, CEO, GKN
Paul Drechsler, Director General, CBI
Peter Cheese, CEO, CIPD
Sir Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary, Scotland Office for
Government
Peter Rogers, CEO, Babcock
Peter Searle, CEO, Adecco
Richard Baker, Chairman, Whitbread
Richard Bandell, CEO, Grass Roots
Richard Pennycook, CEO, The Co-Operative Group
Rona Fairhead, Chair, BBC Trust
Ronan Dunne, CEO , O2
Rosaleen Blair, CEO, Alexander Mann Solutions
Simon Walker, Director General, IoD
Sir Stephen Bubb, CE, ACEVO
Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community
Steve Elliott, Director General, CIA
Steve Mogford, CEO, United Utilities
Tim Melville-Ross, Chairman, HEFCE
Tim O’Toole, CEO, First Group
Will Hutton, Chair, The Big
Innovation Centre
Sir Win Bischoff, Chair, Financial
Reporting Council
For more information, for hints, tips and
tools, or to join one of our groups visit
us at
www.engageforsuccess.org
or connect with us via some of our
social media channels
WHY IS EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT THE BIGGER PICTURE
SO IMPORTANT? THE NATURE OF THE WORKPLACE IS CHANGING …

PRODUCTIVITY
IMPROVES
PEOPLE
> Death of deference
> Loss of trust

TECHNOLOGY ENGAGED
> New media
> New technologies WORK WORKFORCE
> Information/ > 75% jobs:
knowledge is widely knowledge/
dispersed discretionary

21st CENTURY UK COMPETES

AND GROWS
COMPETITION CUSTOMERS
> China, India > More demanding
> “Naturally” engaged > Bespoke at front line
and coming!

SUSTAINABILITY
THROUGH INTEGRITY
> Responsible business

The context for WHY Employee Engagement is critical: The 20th Century model was “Business as
Usual”. MAKE EFFICIENT – aligned but not engaged, central direction, command and control.

THE FOUR ENABLERS

Visible empowering There is employee voice

leadership providing a strong throughout the organisation,
strategic narrative about the for reinforcing and challenging
organisation, where it’s come views, between functions and
from and where it’s going to. externally; employees are seen
as central to the solutions.

Engaging managers who: There is organisational

● Focus their people and give integrity – the values on the
them scope wall are reflected in day to day
● Treat their people as behaviours. There is no ‘say-
individuals do’ gap.
● Coach and stretch their
people.
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS: THE MOVEMENT

P: Ve ry s e nior l eaders endors

OR GROU i ng t
h is t
NS opi
A SP O c
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS:
SUB > Raises awareness of employee
GROUPS: engagement
Volunteers
working > Equips people to develop
on specific
areas of
and deploy employee
engagement TASK FORCE engagement approaches
GURU GROUP: Co Chairs:
Leading Academics, David MacLeod, Nita Clarke
Research Houses, Members who guide, develop
Consultants, TO FEED and practically support
IDEAS AND INSIGHTS the programme.
Secondees to manage
our work > Evidences points of view and
provides practical ideas
PRACTITIONER and tools for
GROUP: action
Leading practitioners who
> Provides access to and support
share, create and help
each from like-minded communities
other with best practice
MI
ene
in ‘Doing it’
NI STE nv
o
RI AL
SPON er to c
S ORS HI P: Har nes sing t heir po w

The Task Force’s work is based around the Four Enablers for Engagement as identified requirements. The Gurus are represented by the Guru Steering Group.
in the Engaging for Success Report:
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS) have been set up by the Engage for Success Guru Group to further debate and
The TASK FORCE is the energy centre of the Engage for Success movement. It is made up of 50 of the country’s form conclusions on specific aspects of employee engagement. This is where members come together around a
leading senior people professionals representing all sectors and is chaired by David and Nita. The Task Force guides the specific shared interest/challenge. Although often set up by Gurus who want to focus on a specific topic any member
direction of Engage for Success to ensure it delivers on its purpose of raising the profile of employee engagement can set up or join a SIG. SIG activities range from forming a regular discussion group to publishing research or
and shining a light on good practice. It identifies areas for further research and provides thought leadership to further producing White Papers.
the debate on all aspects of employee engagement.
The SUB GROUPS are chaired by Task Force members who sponsor and facilitate a Group who are undertaking
The PRACTIONER GROUP is made up of people with an interest in employee engagement. Many support employee research or generating content for our website on a specific aspect of Employee Engagement. They focus on specific
engagement in their own organization; they may work in HR, or communications, or organisational design and issues identified by the Task Force as being current employee engagement issues worth exploring in order to benefit
development, or as a line manager. We welcome participation from practitioners from UK-based private, public and the UK economy and further knowledge. The Sub Groups
third sector organisations, from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies, local to national public services. have a goal to answer specific questions or challenges and
develop tools and resources to help other organisations.
Organised via a regional network the aim of our Regional Practitioners is to grow a movement of like-minded people The Sub Groups have spearheaded work into key challenges
to share good practice in the topic. In doing so, we hope to create better places to work where motivated people and pulled together the most compelling evidence about
deliver sustained high performance. We aim to achieve this through a phased programme of, but not exclusively, how and why engagement works, to help persuade the
events around the country, mentoring opportunities, skills development, education and training and off line. All these remaining sceptics.
resources are free for participants.
The GURU GROUP is made up of academics, researchers, consultants, service providers, membership organisations
and professional bodies, all with extensive experience in the theory and practice of employee engagement. Individuals
from these backgrounds come together to explore how to make new contributions to the field and are willing to
volunteer their expertise and time to further the aims of the movement.
The Group’s purpose is to support employee engagement practitioners and leaders across the UK by providing insight,
evidence, ideas and advice on a range of engagement topics. Guru Group members may have specific areas of
expertise such as Leadership and Coaching, Wellbeing, Employee Voice and Innovation to name a few. The Guru
Group adds value to the Task Force by sharing their expertise, opinions and solutions either proactively, or in
response to specific
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WHY NOT JOIN US?
HOW DOES THE MOVEMENT DEFINE ‘EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT’? THESE ORGANISATIONS HAVE!
Engage for Success believes that employee engagement is about releasing more of the capability and potential of
people at work. There are many definitions that a range of organisations have developed and all are appropriate
for particular contexts. We are not attempting to write yet another definition. However, we believe the theme that
underlies all of them is the issue of creating the conditions to unleash the full potential of people at work.

HOW WILL ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS MOVE FORWARD?

The key challenge for 2014/5 is to take the messages about why engagement matters and how to take action to
improve it to a far bigger audience so that every UK employee is encouraged to engage with their workplace, their
role and with their organisation. A network of engagement practitioners is continuing to build up across the country,
having learnt from over 40 successful practitioner events that have already taken place from Cornwall to Scotland
with more planned. The aim is to keep the website fresh and developing by attracting additional contributions from
a whole range of organisations, such that we can continue to shine a light on good practise and make it available for
other organisations to benefit from.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS OF GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS?

The evidence outline in our research paper suggests that employee engagement can lower staff turnover, improve
wellbeing, increase productivity and support the recovery from recession.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is a key communication tool for the future to enable us to more widely connect with individuals and
organisations who may have not heard of us before, spreading the key messages about engagement and inviting
people to ‘join in’ with the movement. Currently, we can be found at:

Engage for Success website: www.engageforsuccess.org

Engage for Success on LinkedIn

Engage for Success on Twitter

@Engage4Success
#E4S

Engage for
Success on
Facebook

Engage for
Success on
Google+

Engage for Success Yammer Network

http://www.engageforsuccess.org/yammer

E-mail Contact Details

Enquiries – info@engageforsuccess.org
Practitioners – practitioners@engageforsuccess.org
Gurus – gurugroup@engageforsuccess.org