Did you hear that? It’s the sound of your company’s employee engagement plummeting faster than your NFL fantasy draft picks.

A recent Gallup poll found that employee engagement in the U.S. has dropped to its lowest level in over a decade, with 4.8 million fewer U.S. employees reporting positive engagement in early 2024.

“Employee engagement trends are significant because they link to many important performance outcomes crucial to organizational leaders such as productivity, employee retention, customer service, safety incidents, quality of work and profitability,” explained Jim Harter, Ph.D., chief scientist at Workplace for Gallup.

Despite the grim trends in declining workplace engagement, Harter noted that several companies have strategically created a workplace to combat this trend.

“Many have created hybrid working environments that fit their cultures, with clear overall expectations, supported by coaching managers who combine flexibility with accountability,” Harter said. “They have effective onboarding programs for new employees and holistic and multidimensional approaches to well-being, offering a range of services and resources.”

Strong employee engagement is the first step in creating a productive and healthy work environment. Three essential pillars support this foundation: volunteerism, internal community building and excellent health.

Employees who are encouraged to volunteer often connect with worthwhile causes and return to work with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm. Building an internal community fosters a feeling of togetherness and belonging, which results in teams that work better together and have greater trust. Prioritizing physical and mental health, on the other hand, guarantees that workers are not just present but also engaged and able to give their best work.

When combined, these components foster an environment at work where workers are engaged, driven and eager to contribute, which promotes success on both an individual and organizational level. Here’s how.

Volunteerism

There’s a lot to love about creating a work culture that supports volunteerism. A landmark study on the positive effects of a work culture that promotes volunteerism found that 74% of workers surveyed believe working in this culture provides an “improved sense of purpose.” Almost 90% said that working for a company that sponsors volunteer activities creates a better work environment.

For Jennifer Gallacher, marketing director at Fullcast, working with the Utah-based Academy for Creating Enterprise has changed how she views clients.

“When I get to speak with members of the academy and hear firsthand how their lives have changed because of the training they received, I realize just how important it is that I do all I can to help support their efforts,” Gallacher said. “The more people we reach, the more people we can serve. I am not just the marketing director; I am a link in an important chain providing opportunities to others.”

Internal community building

When people had a sense of community at work, a survey by the Conference for Women found that people were “58% more likely to thrive at work, 55% more engaged and 66% more likely to stay with their organization.” The fact that they experienced significantly less stress and were far more likely to thrive outside of work is also welcome news.

Whether it’s the excitement of predicting game outcomes, the collective motivation of a fitness challenge or the intellectual stimulation of a book club, these initiatives provide opportunities for employees to connect on a personal level. This sense of connection boosts morale and creates a more collaborative and supportive work environment. Moreover, these activities can help break down silos, encourage cross-departmental communication and build a unified company culture where everyone feels involved and valued.

In other words, when employees fall short in their NFL picks and end up singing on Provo’s Center Street in their favorite furry rabbit costume as punishment, they can take comfort in knowing their co-workers will show up to support them.

Emotional and physical health

Recognizing the connection between a good work attitude and mental health isn’t limited by job titles. Headspace found that 95% of CEOs and 92% of employees agree that strong mental health positively impacts their work. When organizations recognize the value of mental health, they have the opportunity to create supportive workplaces that foster deeper engagement and healthier teams.

“It’s vital for everyone to make positive decisions about diet and exercise, but sometimes we overlook the impact of social connections as a vehicle for good health,” said Emily Woll, M.S., director of operations at Fullcast. “When people feel part of a supportive community at work, they are more likely to collaborate effectively, communicate openly and share knowledge. Moreover, a strong internal community encourages employees to engage more deeply with their work and with each other, resulting in a more engaged, motivated and cohesive team.”

Creating a healthy and vibrant work environment ultimately involves encouraging employee participation through internal community development, volunteerism and an emphasis on health. In the same way that clubs and team challenges foster greater relationships and collaboration among co-workers, volunteering fosters a feeling of purpose and community and, finally, making health a priority guarantees that workers are ready to perform at their highest level every day, both physically and emotionally.

When combined, these components improve workers’ personal well-being and job satisfaction and foster team success, transforming your workplace into a vibrant, strong and effective environment where everyone can thrive.

J’Nel Wright is a content writer at Fullcast, a Silicon Slopes-based, end-to-end RevOps platform that allows companies to design, manage and track the performance of their revenue-generating teams.