SA’s employee engagement levels at only 53% is concerning

Engaged employees are key for businesses to thrive in adversity, so it is concerning that South Africa’s employee engagement levels are at only 53%.

There is an urgent need for inspirational and inclusive leadership to tackle the country’s challenges and foster optimism for the country’s future.

The country is at a crossroads as it is affected by significant challenges, including a global pandemic, civil unrest, economic hardships and environmental disasters. In this complex landscape, one spotlight-stealing factor cannot be ignored: employee engagement, Gordon Hooper, MD of Bateleur Brand Planning and South Africa’s Resilience Revolution, says.

“The secret to navigating this arduous situation lies in the hearts and minds of its workforce. Employee engagement is not just a buzzword. It is the linchpin of success. It is the pulse that defines success or failure in these turbulent times.”

In 2023, Bateleur Brand Planning, a market research and employee engagement company, conducted the Vantage Point survey that revealed the key to thriving amid adversity, the antidote to stagnation, and the catalyst for growth is engaged employees, the lifeblood of a resilient South Africa.

Remote work has become a prominent part of the South African work landscape, Hooper says. In this survey sample, 20% of the respondents worked from home, 47% from their offices and 33% enjoyed a hybrid model. They spanned diverse industries, including education, health, retail, ICT, civil services, banking and insurance.

The research indicates that work-from-home employees are more satisfied with their working arrangements (74%) compared to employees required to work at the office (54%). Hybrid workers fall in between, with 67% satisfaction.

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These employees are more engaged

Engagement levels vary significantly based on working style. Remote workers are the most engaged (62%), followed by hybrid workers (60.5%). Conversely, employees in entirely office-based roles have the lowest engagement at 43.9%.

Older employees are generally also more engaged than their younger counterparts. Hooper points out that engagement correlates positively with education and income, with better-educated and higher-income employees exhibiting higher engagement levels.

Interestingly, employees living in neighbouring countries have significantly higher engagement levels at 69.5%, raising questions about South Africa’s engagement challenges that are less than ideal.

In South Africa, current employee engagement levels fall short, with 53% of employees engaged, 27% neutral and 20% disengaged.

• Engaged employees typically exhibit positive, committed, focused and motivated behaviour with a ‘we’ mentality.
• Neutral employees tend to be passive, freewheeling and content with achieving ordinary outcomes, exhibiting an ‘I’ mentality.
• Disengaged employees are often negative, rebellious, distracted and indifferent, wishing they were elsewhere, displaying a ‘they’ mentality.

These results remained relatively consistent over the past five years, with a slight increase during the initial Covid-19 pandemic. However, they have since regressed and Hooper says this underscores the need for improvements in fostering a more engaged workforce, which is crucial for organisational success.

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Factors influencing employee engagement

Factors influencing employee engagement primarily involve leadership and organisational culture. “Purpose-driven leadership, characterised by vision, long-term objectives and strategic planning emerged as a critical factor. Effective leaders should exhibit emotive and personality skills, such as empathy and appreciation, while also possessing rational and functional skills, like decisiveness and guidance.”

There is no dispute that there is an urgent need for change. “South Africa’s economy and society face numerous challenges and employee engagement plays a crucial role in addressing these issues. Achieving a highly engaged workforce requires inspirational and inclusive leadership.

“The statistics reveal a strong link between employee engagement, general happiness and optimism for the country’s future,” he says.

South Africa’s economic future hinges on a substantial increase in employee engagement, which calls for a shift towards inspirational and inclusive leadership. Hooper says organisations should prioritise leadership development and foster cultures that emphasise empathy, appreciation, setting a good example, purpose-driven leadership, decisiveness and guidance.

“By prioritising leadership development and creating an inspirational and inclusive environment, South Africa can unlock the potential of its workforce, driving progress and prosperity for the nation.”