The importance of employee engagement to today’s companies cannot be overstated. Engaged employees care about how well they do their job and how the company performs. They concern themselves with the customer’s experience. Because they feel connected to their organization and its goals, they feel more satisfied and more a part of something bigger.

As part of a positive company culture, engendering that emotional commitment in employees improves everything from employee attraction and retention to the customer experience and company profitability. Therefore, the key question is: How does a company encourage and maintain employee engagement? We can learn more about what employee engagement is, why it’s important, and how to develop it by considering the following 20 employee engagement quotes:

Employees who believe that engagement is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, satisfied, and fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers. -Anne Mulcahy

There are two take-aways from Mulcahy’s quote. Employees who believe a company knows and cares about them as whole people are more productive and more likely to stay in their positions. Also, these more engaged and satisfied employees will try harder to make customers happy.

Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first. –Angela Ahrendts

By treating your employees right, you encourage them to treat the customer right. The people on the front lines who deal with customers every day are the ones who carry out company policies and practices, so their attitude towards their company matters.

It’s about getting the best people, retaining them, nurturing a creative environment, and helping to find a way to innovate. –Marissa Mayer

Organizations work hard to attract and choose the best people. A company with a reputation for treating its employees well has an easier time attracting and keeping good candidates. A creative, innovative environment means intellectual stimulation and more satisfied, appreciated employees.

We think it’s important for employees to have fun. It drives employee engagement. –Tony Hsieh

Companies that find ways to infuse fun into a workday show they understand and appreciate their people. Whether it be a friendly competition, a team-building day, or a mid-day treat, fun helps drive engagement. The fun doesn’t necessarily mean games and entertainment, but employees should enjoy what they do.

Turned on people figure out how to beat the competition, Turned off people only complain about being beaten by the competition. –Ben Simonton

Engaged or “turned on” employees understand and care about company goals and performance. They feel like part of a team and do what they can to help that team win.

If you fulfill the wishes of your employees, the employees will fulfill your visions. –Amit Kalantri

Knowing what your employees need in the way of benefits and support and providing it goes a long way towards building positive employee attitudes towards the company. It’s human nature to want to reciprocate when someone treats you well.

Culture is about performance and making people feel good about how they contribute to the whole. –Tracy Strechkenbach

A company culture that encourages everyone to feel they are an important part of a team effort makes each team member celebrate their own contributions and the team’s success. 

Dispirited, unmotivated, unappreciated workers cannot compete in a highly competitive world. –Francis Hesselbein

To succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, everyone in an organization must be committed to company goals. Workers who don’t care about their company because it doesn’t show it cares about them won’t be committed to company success.

To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace. -Doug Conant

Doug Conant, former Campbell’s Soup CEO, understood that companies with engaged employees can win. He knew that concentrating on a positive workplace environment was vital to a company’s success.

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. -Garry Ridge quoting Aristotle

Part of employee engagement is the enjoyment someone gets from the work they do. It’s hard for someone to do great work when they don’t like what they are doing. Garry Ridge of WD-40 quoted Aristotle in a New York Times article.

Companies who forged strong bonds with their employees have seen lower levels of turnover and higher returns throughout the pandemic. -Gary Ridge quoting a BlackRock memo

Many companies lost staff with “The Great Resignation”, but companies with excellent employee-management relationships fared better. People don’t want to leave if they feel appreciated and connected.

Our data over the years has always shown that the thing people care about most is how companies treat their employees. -Alison Omens

Customers want to support businesses and organizations that treat their employees well, so employee engagement affects customer loyalty. This is especially true of millennials and Gen Z members.

A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life. -John Wooden 

Managers and supervisors must understand the importance of their leadership and encouragement to employee engagement. Motivating and guiding people helps them connect to the company.

Everyone enjoys doing work for which they are best suited. –Napoleon Hill

Hiring managers and human resource departments must match employees to jobs they can do well. For example, people who feel overwhelmed or unchallenged don’t do their best work.

We ask people would they take a pay cut to work for a company that aligns with their values,” she adds, “and across the board, people say yes.”  -Alison Omens

When companies care about what employees care about, employees feel better about their jobs. Employers that support employees, their families, and the community get loyalty in return.

Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret. –Mary Kay Ash

Don’t assume people know what you think. You must say something for it to help promote engagement. Recognition tells someone their efforts and abilities are valued.

The key element of engagement is trust; building trust requires companies to provide workers with as much autonomy and flexibility as possible. -Matt Charney

Employees who feel trusted, trust their employer. Workers who are given some freedom can be more innovative. Innovation helps a company grow and beat the competition.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader. -John Quincy Adams

Great leadership includes inspiring others to reach higher. Inspirational leadership is vital to employee engagement and achievement.

By appreciation, we make excellence in others belong to us as well. –Voltaire

When you recognize other team members for their efforts and accomplishments, you are part of the success everyone has achieved.

There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life – reciprocity. –Confucius

Employers who care about their employees will have employees who care about the company in return. People know when they are valued and appreciated, and they feel good about working hard towards company goals in return.

Implement More Than a Quote

Reading and interpreting great quotes about employee engagement is a great start, but engaging your employees takes more than inspiration. The real work involves establishing a positive company culture with the right priorities and the right people. It takes extensive planning and effort to find and keep the people you need.

People AK’s consulting services can help your company develop the perfect team dynamic. We use data and analytics to unpack your company to determine what it needs and why. We then work with key decision-makers to establish next steps–whether that’s making changes internally or searching for new professionals to join the team. 

We have over 40 years of experience helping businesses be the best version of themselves. Let us help you create the best team.