Why Enjoying Work Matters More Than Ever (Even When Everything Else Feels Messy)

READ TIME - 4 minute read

A picture worth a thousand words

Below is a photo of Daisy, our team dog, looking forward to going to work. Why? Because sometimes the best reminder of engagement is the simple joy of wanting to be there. While things outside work may feel unpredictable, when someone smiles on the way in, or genuinely feels glad to belong, that is engagement in action.

(or in Daisy’s case runs in and greets everyone with a tail wag and asks for a tummy rub!)

I was inspired this week by a great question raised during a recent LinkedIn Live that I was the guest speaker on — “With everything going on in the world, how does that impact work and what we feel about coming to work?”. It got me thinking about engagement, belonging and really how safe – and enjoyable – our workplaces need to be.

Here’s what I want to share this week:

1. The challenge we face

● Recent data shows that employee engagement in the UK is at a worrying low. According to the Gallup “State of the Global Workplace” report, only 10 % of UK employees feel truly engaged or thriving at work.
● Another recent UK study found that the engagement index (measuring satisfaction, advocacy and loyalty) remains at around 62 % – suggesting many people may be “there” but not fully invested.
● These numbers matter: low engagement has real impacts on productivity, retention, wellbeing and culture.

2. Why now? What’s changed

With so much going on globally – economic pressures, geopolitical issues, the lingering pandemic shadow, faster change in business – employees are looking to their workplaces for consistency, purpose and connection. When external uncertainty increases, the internal experience of work can either anchor people or create more disconnection.
So if someone is going to spend a large part of their week with us, the question is: Do they feel safe, valued, connected and included? And more than that: Do they enjoy it?

Studies show that part of what defines engagement is not just “being there” but the psychological state of feeling energised, dedicated, aligned with purpose. For example, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) defines it in terms of energy, enthusiasm and absorption in work.

3. What this means for leaders and HR

Here are a few pointers to help turn the dial on engagement:

• Psychological safety first: Employees in workplaces where they believe their views are heard, and where mis-steps can be discussed without blame, show stronger engagement.

• Meaning and purpose connect to context: In turbulent times, people often ask “why does my work matter?” Help them see how what they do contributes, especially when “what’s going on in the world” can distract.

• Manager quality matters: Engaged managers drive engagement in their teams. Strengthen their capability, check-in culture, and ability to lead through change.

• Celebrate the simple things: Sometimes enjoyment comes from small wins, good relationships, recognition and culture. Work doesn’t have to be perfect-storm calm, but it should feel better than “just getting through”.

• Flexibility + belonging: With hybrid or remote working more prevalent, making sure people feel part of something matters more than ever. The choice to come together, to collaborate, to vibe is important.

• Check the data often: Use pulse surveys, listen to your people and act. These engagement numbers are a reminder to stay close to what people are saying.

4. How you can use this in your day-to-day

Since you’re working with managers, leadership teams and HR functions, here are three quick questions you might ask in the coming week:

1. “In my team, who in the last fortnight has said ‘I love coming to work’ – and who has said ‘I’m just doing the job’?”

2. “What occurred this week that reminded someone that their work matters? What could we do to add more of those moments?”

3. “If a team-member looked back in six months, what would make them say ‘My employer looked after me when the world felt unstable’?”

💡 Need help training your managers to do that? It’s one of our favourite things to support clients with — and it makes a huge difference to performance, retention, and team morale. You can see details of our e-learning CMI course here.

And as always, if you’ve got any questions, just hit reply.

Until next week…

Best wishes,
Emma

P.S. We have so many resources in the HR Hub that covers all these areas. Why not try the HR Hub free for a month here.

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