Feeding Your Employees’ Need For Engagement

Employee engagement and retention is waning in today’s workplace. Workers who do not feel engaged, who sometimes become “quiet quitters”, are those who do the minimum required and are psychologically detached from their job. This describes half of the U.S. workforce, says Jim Harter, chief scientist at Gallup. 

This segment is also increasing as Gen Z continues to enter the workforce. Younger employees bore witness to the generations before them working 12-hour workdays, growing exhausted and resentful as a result. This isn’t something younger generations intend to emulate.  

It isn’t simply a matter of age. The drop in engagement has resulted from identifiable and dissatisfying aspects of today’s work environment. Among those, a lack of opportunities to learn and grow, an absence of feeling valued, and a detachment from the organization's mission or purpose — signaling a growing disconnect between employees and their employers, Harter says. 

The result is cynical and jaded workers, who are rejecting the notion that good workers must go above and beyond to succeed. Thanks to social media, they also see their European counterparts enjoying summer holidays, set work hours, and a corporate culture that prioritizes employee health and satisfaction.  

Workers today seek a happy medium, where they can feel enriched by their workplaces, not consumed by it. This healthier approach improves retention, and companies perform better when turnover is low. The key is instilling a feeling that their work matters and fostering a sense of community in your workplace.  

Workplace food culture plays a crucial role in retention. Satisfying food options contribute to employee well-being and forge connections between your employees. Our food solutions, like Good Eating Company, Nourish, and Foodee, give employees a time in the day to connect and recharge, which improves job satisfaction and productivity. After all, people are more likely to stay at a job where they feel a sense of comradery.  

Food is an expression of care. By offering comfortable, enjoyable, and nutritious meal options, employers can show that they value their employees and are committed to providing them with a work environment they find recharging and fulfilling.  

Nurturing Purpose 

When company values match employee values, employees are also more likely to be engaged and find purpose. More than 75% of employees consider it very important to work for a company with defined core values, according to research from iHire. 

Sodexo prioritize sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives that align with our employees' values, helping them feel fulfilled through their day-to-day work. Our efforts not only match our employees’ values, but those of most workers today, especially in younger demographics. As a result, our work to improve sustainability and reduce food waste has helped us build strong relationships with the communities and organizations we serve. To learn more about our goals, see our Better Tomorrow 2025 road map. 

Employers can also help their staff find purpose and growth at work by facilitating skill training and career advancement opportunities. It is human nature to continue a path where you feel yourself contributing, learning, and growing.  

Learning and development are taking on greater importance as employees seek more from their companies than just a paycheck. The top three drivers of a great workplace culture are opportunities to learn and grow, a feeling of belonging, and organizational values, according to LinkedIn's 2022 Workplace Learning report. 

Building A Community At Work 

Companies vary in their approaches to taking time off, whether they offer a set number of earned vacation days per year or have an unlimited vacation policy. Employers can help employees thrive by encouraging them to find the balance between work and life: taking those vacation days, participating in volunteer activities they care about and clocking out each day to focus on themselves and the people around them.  

While these are certainly essential components, it is important to keep in mind your employees’ experience at work. Building a community in your workplace, connected by a mission, a sense of purpose, and shared experiences can be the catalyst in employee engagement. 

We at Sodexo know the power of a good meal and a balanced work life. We prioritize the health and well-being of our team members. We’ve seen how a sense of community, fostered around a good meal, can positively impact our own employees, and we are proud of our high employee retention rate.  

Employers have the power to create a workplace that supports their employees' well-being. We provide food service solutions for employers across the world that satisfy and fuel their people. We're ready to partner with you and help you explore what's next: 

• Good Eating Company sets the standard in farm-to-office dining experiences personalized for your employees and thoughtfully integrated with sustainability top of mind. 
• Foodee provides digital ordering of meals from the best local restaurants delivered for your meeting, happy hour or workplace celebration. 
• Nourish is a health-driven approach to menu creation, created on-site or delivered. 
• For Five Coffee Roasters brings handcrafted beverages sourced from coffee producers around the world, plus enticing entrees and to-go snacks in a sophisticated setting. 
• Our Everyday app simplifies mobile and kiosk food orders and features a digital wallet, plenty of personalization, scan-and-go capabilities and convenient order delivery.