Creating Engaged Employees: It's Worth the Investment

2The Importance of Engaged Employees

William J. Rothwell

Employee engagement has galvanized attention in recent years. In good economic times, this becomes a focal point for retention strategies because engaged workers tend to be more committed to their organizations, work, and customers, and are thus less likely to resign. In bad economic times, engagement becomes a focal point for productivity enhancement, as workers feel demoralized by—among other things—pay freezes, layoffs, furloughs, and budget cutbacks affecting everything from supplies to technology. During these tough times, workers often feel trapped in bad situations—unable to be happy ...