communication strategy you’re using now, though we don’t necessarily recommend texts, voicemails, or emojis). To review, our definition of employee engagement reads as follows: Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work.

“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” – Richard Branson Employee engagement isn’t a mystery an organization must solve or magic box an organization opens to make happen. It’s not a yearly barbecue or secret friend gift exchange. Employee engagement is a confluence of thoughtful, mindful, and strategic practices that are an integral part of your organization’s culture, everyday actions that build toward success.

Last year we discussed quiet quitting , the great resignation , and bouncing back after a devastating (for many) pandemic. These catch phrases brought the state of work to the forefront of many people’s minds and lives. Moreover, more employees went on strike. For the first time in decades, more workers sought to unionize. Vox writes “there were 80 percent more NLRB election wins in 2022 than there were in 2021, and those wins represent twice as many workers – 43, 150 – as the last year.”

Alas, the dreaded New Year’s Post. Resolutions, hacks, shortcuts, and quick-fixes for success are everywhere with Marie Kondo-style efficiency. Everyone makes it look so easy. And here we are, jumping on the bandwagon. In fact, we’ve done it every year for the past 9 years. One of our first blog posts was precisely about organization resolutions. Since passing from one year to the next is a natural time to reflect, plan, budget, and set goals, we’re going to write about resolutions … again.

The holidays are here, and everybody’s mind is on the rising cost of living. The ones feeling the squeeze the most are likely your frontline workers, as inflation disproportionately affects lower-income earners and families. Consider these issues your employees are facing: rent is higher, gas prices are higher, and food is more expensive. Lower-income earners are spending a higher proportion of their paychecks on these essentials. Likewise fixed-wage workers are feeling the crunch. If inflation is 7%, these workers’ wages purchase 7% less than they did when they signed their contracts.