Employee engagement goes beyond motivation and job satisfaction. At the CIPD, we view employee engagement as a combination of commitment to the organisation, its values and a willingness to help colleagues. 

Download our factsheets to gain an understanding about the concept of employee engagement. Also, explore our research reports to discover the key drivers of employee engagement and how to measure it for your organisation. 

All topics A-Z

Factsheets

Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic

One Factsheet about Employee engagement
Factsheet
Employee engagement and motivation
Understand the concept of employee engagement and learn how to build an engaged and motivated workforce

Guides

Designed for practitioners, our guides provide recommendations and advice on how to apply good practice in the workplace.

One Guide about Employee engagement
Guide
Employee voice channels: Guide for people professionals
Practical advice for people professionals to maximise the impact of engaging with all employees through employee voice channels
For Members

Reports

Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations

Seven Reports about Employee engagement
Report
Reward survey: Focus on employee benefits 2026 report
Insights, benchmarking data and recommendations from the CIPD's latest survey on employee benefits
Report
CIPD Good Work Index
The CIPD Good Work Index is an annual benchmark of job quality in the UK, providing data and evidence-based insight on how to improve work and working lives
Report
CIPD Good Work Index: Northern Ireland
A Northern Ireland summary of the CIPD Good Work Index 2024 survey report
Report
CIPD Good Work Index: Wales
A Wales summary of the CIPD Good Work Index 2024 survey report
Report
CIPD Good Work Index: North of England
A North of England summary of the CIPD Good Work Index 2024 survey report
Report
Collective employee voice
Recommendations for working with employee representatives for mutual gain
Report
Role of the RemCo: How to achieve good governance of pay, people and culture
Roadmap for HR leaders seeking to broaden the remit of remuneration committees

Case studies

Learn from real world examples of how other people professionals and organisations work with the CIPD to approach key challenges and objectives.

Seven Case studies about Employee engagement
Case study
Leading voices | Clair Staines on building employee engagement
Leading Voices is a series of short audio essays in which senior people professionals reflect on how they have tackled some of the profession's most pressing challenges.
Case study
Talking about voice: NMCN
NMCN is a rapidly growing company that has increasingly put employee voice on the agenda.
Case study
Talking about voice: Fircroft College
Fircroft College has been through a large restructure that has transformed the way that they work.
Case study
Talking about voice: Airline logistics company
This organisation is a rapidly growing airline logistics company, developing from a family firm to a multinational organisation.
Case study
Talking about voice: Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Employee voice has become increasingly important throughout the NHS and particularly for Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
Case study
Employee voice case studies
Talking about voice: insights from case studies
Case study
People Profession: Itsu – Cutting-edge engagement
Thanks to its people-focused approach, itsu's initiative to support, engage and reward its fish cutters has gone swimmingly

Thought leadership

Insight and foresight from our experts in people and the world of work

Six Thought leadership about Employee engagement
Thought leadership
Analysis | Avoiding risks and unlocking rewards around employee engagement
Jake Young, CIPD Senior Policy and Practice Adviser for Employee Experience, OD & L&D, examines the impact of employee engagement on key business outcomes and what employers can do to drive more positive engagement
Thought leadership
Analysis | Career and development opportunities in HR
Find out what people professionals said about their working lives and career development prospects in our recent pulse survey
Thought leadership
Maximising employee voice in a hybrid working world
Tips for enabling employee voice and the dangers of employee silence
Thought leadership
Employee engagement: how do we make it more than a moshpit of metrics?
Scarlett Brown’s article asks, what do we mean by employee engagement?
Thought leadership
Is it 'engagement' or simply good management practice?
Being all in it together is intrinsic to employee engagement. But in an age of individualism, should we measure workplace satisfaction differently?
Thought leadership
Giving people freedom over ethical choices at work
Rather than prescribing ethical behaviour, let's encourage an open conversation about personal beliefs, values and their impact on day-to-day decisions

Podcasts

Listen to episodes from our podcast series on a range of topical workplace, HR and L&D issues.

One Podcast about Employee engagement
Podcast
Employee engagement and the evolving psychological contract
How are modern employee expectations—values, flexibility, and purpose—reshaping the evolving psychological contract and driving engagement in today's workplace?

Webinars

Webinar recordings providing expert guidance

One Webinar about Employee engagement
Webinar
Raising your employees value proposition
Watch this video and explore where can employers raise their employee value propositions, and critically where should you start?

Evidence reviews

Evidence reviews enable you to ask the critical questions and use evidence for better decision-making.

One Evidence review about Employee engagement
Evidence review
Employee engagement: an evidence review
Our research explores the meaning of employee engagement, how we should measure it, what drives it, and the link between engagement and performance
For Members

Bitesize research

Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize

34 Bitesize research about Employee engagement
Bitesize research
Employee voice boosts outcomes of management practices
This article presents the findings from the winning research 'Management Practices and Productivity: Does Employee Representation Play a Moderating Role?' which won the Professor Ian Beardwell Prize from the CIPD
For Members
Bitesize research
Is office space essential for productive work?
Evaluating the pros and cons of working in shared office spaces, and how they impact on productivity
For Members
Bitesize research
Organisational and employee-focused voice: Why both matter
Researchers explore the differences between ‘organisational’ and employee-focused voice, how they impact employees and what managers can do to foster voice
For Members
Bitesize research
Motivation and wellbeing in intense work environments
This article explores how fostering intrinsic motivation for high work intensity can benefit employers and employees
For Members
Bitesize research
Essential factors in building staff loyalty
How organisations can signal loyalty to their employees and develop resources to engage and retain workers
For Members
Bitesize research
Four-step process for redesigning work
How can work be redesigned beyond the pandemic?
For Members
Bitesize research
Can AI-assisted HR ecosystems improve employee engagement?
A look at how AI-assisted HR ecosystems can support the employee-employer relationship and improve retention rates and recruitment practices
For Members
Bitesize research
How can organisations engage older workers?
To attract and retain older workers, organisations need to create a supportive work culture
For Members
Bitesize research
Can learning to listen improve employee engagement?
Companies that invest in listening skills training can improve employee understanding and engagement and reduce burnout
For Members
Bitesize research
Is proactive networking key to women’s success at work?
Key behaviours enable women to capitalise on invisible networks to enhance their careers
For Members
Bitesize research
Can mentoring help women of African origin in the UK develop their careers?
30 women of African origin share their experiences of formal and informal mentoring
For Members
Bitesize research
The effects of mentoring on work engagement – a mentor’s perspective
Well-matched mentoring programmes, with regular feedback and a clear focus on goals benefit both mentees and mentors
For Members
Bitesize research
Can CSR improve employee outcomes?
Companies that go the extra mile with corporate social responsibility (CSR) could enhance employee commitment, engagement and performance
For Members
Bitesize research
Mind the channel!
Digital voice channels and employee voice
For Members
Bitesize research
Workplace relationships in disruptive times
The impact of employee relationships on engagement and wellbeing
For Members
Bitesize research
The tactics of speaking up at work
How employees are choosing to speak up
For Members
Bitesize research
Speaking up when the water is murky
Organisational politics and employee voice
For Members
Bitesize research
Employee resilience and the manager-employee relationship
Why knowing your people is crucial
For Members
Bitesize research
Work-life balance among women of African origin
Explore this case study-driven research
For Members
Bitesize research
Who's responsible for employee engagement?
Find out more about employee engagement initiatives
For Members
Bitesize research
Focusing on the people experience at work
Explore how the people profession can improve employee experience
For Members
Bitesize research
Encouraging employees to speak up
Read more about these findings here
For Members
Bitesize research
Shooting from the hip: how habit can impact employee voice
Explore their research further here
For Members
Bitesize research
Employee empowerment v control: resolving the tug of war
Read how to balance freedom and control
For Members
Bitesize research
Employee voice – are managers listening?
Find out what makes people speak up
For Members
Bitesize research
Inspired or demotivated? Re-charging workplace relationships
Explore the effects of energy in the workplace
For Members
Bitesize research
Having a voice at work – a healthy outcome
Read a summary of this insightful article
For Members
Bitesize research
Once more with feeling – leaders’ influence on employee voice
Explore the impact of leaders on employee voice
For Members
Bitesize research
Performance measures – getting employees’ input
View a summary of key findings from this study
For Members
Bitesize research
Social media – an untapped role in employee voice?
Lessons on the impact of social media
For Members
Bitesize research
What makes a difference at work? A teacher’s perspective
A study of primary school teachers which offers evidence of what makes a difference when it comes to work engagement and performance
For Members
Bitesize research
Employee voice – when silence isn’t golden
Factors that enable voice may not necessarily be enough to overcome workplace silence
For Members
Bitesize research
Corporate volunteering – giving back and gaining new talent
Research reveals that allowing employees to give back can give a company the edge when attempting to attract and retain the next generation
For Members
Bitesize research
Everybody needs friends – a workplace imperative
This study finds that work relationships not only help people to cope with problems, but also support development and enable employees to flourish
For Members

CIPD Viewpoints

Our collected point of view on the key issues impacting work, from the perspective of employers and policy makers.

One CIPD Viewpoint about Employee engagement
CIPD Viewpoint
Employee voice
Explore the CIPD’s point of view on employee voice, including recommendations for employers

Learning

We offer a range of evidence-based courses tailored to suit your needs. Our essential insights courses and introductory programmes are free for CIPD members.

Discover our employee experience courses

Learn how to create more engaged teams by understanding what truly drives satisfaction and performance at work. These courses give you the practical tools to design better workplace cultures, ultimately improving retention, wellbeing, and overall business success.

Introducing our new masterclasses

Strengthen your people management practice with our in-person masterclasses. Covering performance management to recruitment and onboarding, these expert-led sessions give you practical tools to stay ahead of the competition. CIPD members get 15% off.

Discover all CIPD learning courses

Visit our
Learning shop

Choose from our extensive range of topics and learning options 

Find a course
Callout Image

CIPD Update

Get the latest insights on the world of work, including:

- Exclusive invitations to our free networking events, webinars, information sessions, focus groups and HR/L&D roundtables. 

- CIPD Asia Monthly Update - the most relevant HR / L&D news, research and advice, in a condensed and easy-to-read format; sourced directly from CIPD experts and industry leaders.

Join now
Callout Image