Tracking employee engagement has become essential to fostering a thriving organisation. This crucial measure reveals how invested and motivated your workforce truly is. By keeping a pulse on key engagement metrics, you’re able to assess your organisation’s overall health and pinpoint areas ripe for improvement.

When organisations prioritise key metrics like turnover, eNPS, satisfaction, and performance, they cultivate workplaces that are inclusive and supportive, laying the groundwork for long-term employee retention and success. Showing a commitment to engagement sends a clear message to employees that their well-being and feedback matter, driving growth on both individual and organisational levels.

Employee engagement metrics aren’t just numbers—they’re the lifeblood of your workforce’s morale and productivity. Regularly measuring and analysing these metrics helps you to:

• Identify trends in employee satisfaction and morale.
• Address emerging issues like burnout, disengagement, or potential turnover before they spiral.
• Formulate targeted strategies that enhance workplace culture, performance, and employee well-being.

Furthermore, engaged employees tend to be more productive, offer superior customer service, and remain loyal to the organisation. Prioritising employee engagement not only nurtures a content workforce but also boosts your organisation’s broader success.

Also Read: Can we make workplace collaboration more effective?

How to capture employee engagement metrics

Employee engagement can be measured through a blend of quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative metrics, such as turnover rates or absenteeism, provide concrete insights, while qualitative data, like satisfaction levels, often emerge through pulse surveys, interviews, or one-on-one discussions.

Here’s a snapshot of common methods to capture engagement data:

Pulse surveys: Short, regular check-ins to gauge employee sentiment on specific issues.

Engagement surveys: In-depth surveys conducted quarterly or bi-annually to explore broader aspects of satisfaction.

Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS): A straightforward rating system where employees gauge their likelihood of recommending the organisation.

Manager-employee communication: Routine check-ins that offer a closer look at employee morale.

Integrating both qualitative and quantitative data is essential to gaining a comprehensive view of employee engagement across your organisation.

Also Read: Chaotic workplaces are hurting employee engagement

10 key employee engagement metrics to track

Tracking engagement across multiple metrics provides organisations with valuable insights needed to build resilient, engaged teams. Let’s delve into the ten essential metrics to keep on your radar.

1. Employee turnover

Employee turnover tracks the rate at which employees exit your organisation within a given timeframe. High turnover often signals disengagement, dissatisfaction, or underlying cultural challenges. Conducting exit interviews can uncover reasons behind departures, giving you the insights needed for corrective action.

Voluntary turnover, in particular, sheds light on engagement levels, as it often reflects deeper issues related to morale, management, or workplace culture.

2. Employee retention rate

Retention rate measures the opposite of turnover—it reflects how effectively you retain employees over time. High retention suggests a positive work environment, strong engagement, and effective leadership practices.

A solid retention rate also cuts down recruitment and onboarding costs, supporting cohesive, long-term team dynamics.

3. New hire 90-day failure rate

This metric captures the percentage of new hires who leave or are let go within their first 90 days. A high failure rate among new employees may highlight onboarding issues, cultural misalignment, or mismatched expectations. Exit interviews with departing hires can reveal weak points in your recruitment and onboarding practices.

4. Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)

The Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) measures how likely employees are to recommend your organisation as a workplace. Employees rate their likelihood from 1-10, with scores grouped as follows:

• Promoters (9-10): Highly engaged employees
• Passives (7-8): Moderately engaged employees
• Detractors (0-6): Disengaged employees

A strong eNPS indicates high engagement levels, while lower scores signal areas that need attention.

5. Employee absenteeism

Absenteeism monitors how frequently employees are away from work. High absenteeism may indicate disengagement, poor culture, or burnout. Regular absences can also place strain on other team members, potentially lowering productivity and morale.

Frequent absences could point to issues like poor work-life balance, health concerns, or dissatisfaction with leadership.

6. Learning & Development (L&D) participation

Employees involved in Learning & Development (L&D) activities often show greater commitment and motivation. Tracking L&D participation provides insights into how effectively your organisation encourages skill-building and career growth.

Employees who actively engage in upskilling tend to feel valued and invested in, which bolsters engagement levels across the board.

Also Read: How talent management drives organisational success

7. Employee satisfaction

Employee satisfaction gauges the general mood and sentiment within your organisation. This broad metric includes job satisfaction, work conditions, compensation, and benefits. Surveys or qualitative feedback are common ways to measure it.

While satisfaction and engagement differ, they are closely related. High satisfaction typically leads to greater engagement, improved productivity, and reduced turnover.

8. Employee performance

Employee performance is often an indicator of engagement. Highly engaged employees tend to be more productive and motivated, frequently exceeding performance expectations. Tracking metrics like work quality and efficiency offers valuable insights into the broader impact of engagement.

Low performance may indicate disengagement, burnout, or ineffective management, suggesting a need for leadership support and intervention.

9. Online company ratings

Platforms like Glassdoor provide employees with the opportunity to share honest reviews of their work experience. These reviews can offer a candid look at your company’s culture, leadership style, and engagement efforts.

Regularly monitoring and addressing feedback on these platforms is vital for maintaining a positive employer brand and fostering a healthier work environment internally.

10. Customer happiness

For companies with customer-facing roles, customer satisfaction is a crucial engagement metric. Engaged employees typically deliver excellent service, positively impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Disengaged employees, however, may provide lacklustre customer experiences, which can harm your organisation’s reputation and profitability.

By tracking customer feedback through surveys or reviews, you gain insights into how employee engagement affects the overall customer experience.