Appreciated HR, overlooked employees: Data reveals a widening workplace engagement gap

• Be connected to colleagues (17x)
• See a long-term career at their current company (17x)
• Be connected to their manager (41x)
• Feel supported in their wellbeing (47x)
• Feel connected to company values (56x)  

“Appreciation is the strongest multiplier in the employee experience, and Employee Appreciation Day is a great reminder that strategic tools exist that can dramatically reduce attrition, boost engagement, and accelerate culture change,” said David Bator, managing director of AWI.

But Bator underscored that appreciation for employees should not be limited to a single day.

“When employees feel seen and valued by their leaders during Employee Appreciation Day and year-round, they’re more connected to their organisation’s mission and their peers, more productive, far more likely to stay, and more committed to giving their all each and every day. Recognition isn’t symbolic. It’s strategic.”

What can HR leaders do?

The disconnect between HR teams and the wider workforce on engagement and appreciation exposes significant gaps in how workplace initiatives are making an impact.

“HR sets the tone for engagement strategy,” the report read. “If their experience is out of sync with the broader workforce, leaders risk designing programmes that look good on paper but miss the mark in practice.”