The art of engagement: how to become a best company

Being a ‘best company’ goes beyond the bottom line. It’s about excelling in all areas across the workplace and an organisation’s commitment to its most important asset – its workforce.

Making the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies list isn’t just about getting a prestigious award; there are distinct advantages to being a ‘best company’ that could make a real difference to the success of your business.

Employee engagement is the underpin to the cause and effect of business success. If you can get your employees engaged, then the bonuses of better staff retention, reduced recruitment costs and greater financial performance generally follow. And the key to getting your staff engaged is absolutely within your reach.

Improved workplace engagement

Employee engagement is always at the forefront of employers’ minds for good reason. Defined by Best Companies as “an employee’s drive to use all their ingenuity and resources for the benefit of the company”, engagement is clearly integral to improving innovation and productivity. Understanding your workforce is key to achieving this success. Introducing employee benefits that are directly relevant to your staff is a fantastic way to boost engagement with your company, so make sure your benefits programme reflects your employee demographic.

Find out what your employees would like to see in place and tailor your programme to match their interests. Not only will they be engaged by the fact that you’re listening to them, but the resulting benefits that you introduce could have further positive impact as well. For example, something really simple like free breakfast cereal and fruit for your employees could make a real difference to their wellbeing.

A good employee discounts programme is a very versatile employee benefit to have because saving money is something that everyone can relate to.

No matter how much your employees earn, discounts have become a part of modern-day culture that understands savvy bargain-hunting as a wise lifestyle choice.

Everyone needs to shop, whether it’s the everyday supermarket shopping or high- level premium brands for treating ourselves. Enabling your workforce to maximise their disposable income has never been so relevant, and if you have a provider who knows how to get your staff to use it, the savings are tangible.

The making of a ‘best company’

The Best Companies winners are chosen based on their employees’ answers to a carefully constructed questionnaire, modelled around eight key factors that weave engagement through them as a running theme. In order to optimise positive feeling from your employees with your company, leaders and team, introducing a comprehensive employee benefits platform is one of the smartest things you can do. Long gone are the days when an employee’s salary was the only thing they got in return for a hard day’s work.

Nurture your employees – the secret is that they are your greatest asset and by recognising that and acting on it, your company can reap real financial reward.

Understanding your workforce is key to achieving success. Introducing employee benefits that are directly relevant to your staff is a fantastic way to boost engagement.

The Best Companies List established its reputation through an authoritative and highly rigorous methodology. These 8 key factors identify workplace performance and best practice when assessed in survey format by employees.