Employee engagement is the holy grail of HR. It is the key to healthy productivity, retention, and the overall success of an organization. Yet, recent data paints a grim picture. Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace study revealed an alarming drop in employee engagement, with the global cost of disengaged employees reaching a whopping $8.8 trillion annually. In the UK alone, 9 out of 10 employees report feeling either not engaged or actively disengaged.
Reader, this is what we in the industry call an engagement crisis.
While HR departments invest countless hours and resources into measuring engagement through surveys and metrics, are we doing enough to actually improve it? Often, we get so caught up in collecting data that we miss the opportunity to take meaningful action.
What if the secret to boosting engagement isn’t hidden in complex algorithms or fancy HR tech, but in something far simpler, something more human? What if the key lies in those seemingly mundane employee engagement check-ins?
The evolution of employee engagement: what went wrong?
To truly understand the power of weekly check-ins, we need to take a trip down memory lane and explore the evolution of HR. It’s a journey that mirrors the changing relationship between employees and organizations, a shift from “you work, I pay” to a focus on human-centric growth.
HR 1.0: Administration Focus
This was the era of HRIS systems, payroll processing, and compliance. HR was seen as mostly admin work, just keeping things running. Think of it as the “nuts and bolts” phase—making sure employees got paid, had benefits, and followed the rules. While important, this approach often ignored the human side of things, treating employees like resources instead of people with unique needs and goals.
HR 2.0: Culture Focus
The rise of “People and Culture” departments brought ping-pong tables, free snacks, and a focus on creating a “fun” work environment. These perks might have created a temporary buzz, but they often failed to address deeper issues impacting employee engagement and career development. Research suggests that while non-monetary perks can initially attract talent, they don’t benefit all workers equally and rarely contribute to long-term engagement or retention. Turns out employees crave more than the superficial stuff: they want opportunities for growth, development, and to do work that matters.
HR 3.0: Human Success Focus
This is where we are now. Businesses today get that if they want to succeed, they need to help their employees grow. They know that employees are truly engaged when they’re given chances to reach their full potential—both at work and in their personal lives.
So, why have traditional engagement strategies fallen short? Because they often lack a crucial ingredient: consistent, meaningful human connection. They rely on annual surveys or sporadic feedback sessions, failing to capture the dynamic nature of employee engagement.
Why weekly check-ins are the missing link to employee engagement
A weekly check-in is more than just a status update. It’s a dedicated space for employees and managers to connect, reflect, and align. It’s a chance for employees to celebrate achievements, discuss challenges, and receive timely support. And, like we’ve said, there are major benefits to regular conversations with your people. For one thing, it vastly improves employee experience.
According to Gallup research, employees who have an ongoing dialogue with their managers about their goals and progress are almost 3x as likely to be engaged than those who don’t! What’s more, unlike engagement surveys that merely focus on data collection, check-ins provide actionable insights that can drive real change.
Here’s how a weekly check-in benefits every part of your business:
- Encourages regular reflection: When employees are asked to think about what they’ve achieved, what’s holding them back, and where they need help, it encourages them to take charge and understand their own work. This helps them figure out their strengths, as well as where they can improve. Plus, what steps they can take to do and be better.
- Strengthens relationships: Regular employee engagement check-ins help build trust and good vibes between employees and their managers, which (surprise!) makes people more engaged. It’s true what people say: employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers. When your people feel comfortable talking about their work, challenges, and aspirations with their managers, it creates a stronger bond and a sense of belonging.
- Offers real-time feedback: Weekly check-ins allow issues and concerns to be nipped in the bud before they get out of hand. They also help people feel comfortable talking openly. This real-time feedback loop allows for quick course correction, prevents misunderstandings, and gives employees the support they need when they need it.
- Improves performance management: Check-ins naturally feed into performance reviews, providing a continuous stream of feedback and reducing recency bias. By capturing regular feedback throughout the year, check-ins give you a more holistic and accurate view of employee performance. This makes performance conversations far more productive and less stressful for everyone.
How Engage365 transforms check-ins into actionable engagement
Zensai’s Engage365 takes weekly check-ins to the next level. How, exactly? By transforming them from casual conversations into dynamic tools for engagement and growth—and it’s all built into Microsoft Teams! This means no new platforms to learn or annoying logins to remember; everything’s right where you already work. Our employee engagement software makes check-ins easy to do and a natural part of your week.
But here’s where the real magic happens: Engage365 uses AI to analyze engagement trends. Managers can see patterns in how employees are feeling, spot potential issues, and get personalized coaching tips, all in real-time. Imagine a manager noticing that “work-life balance” keeps coming up in their team’s check-ins. Engage365 not only points this out but also gives AI-powered coaching tips on how to fix it. This leads to better conversations and potential solutions. This is engagement, powered by data and driven by human connection.
Data-driven HR & the power of AI-enhanced coaching
And it’s not just about individual growth. The check-in data from Engage365 can also be used to improve HR programs overall. HR leaders can figure out company trends, problem areas, and where to focus improvement efforts by looking at check-in responses. With this data-driven approach, HR initiatives can be tailored to employee needs and company goals. Further, this boosts their overall success and creates a culture that’s always getting better.
A recent Charter study shows that more and more professionals and managers are seeing the value of AI coaching to improve their work. In fact, 47% of respondents believe that AI-powered coaching could make “a meaningful difference.” What’s more, 22% indicated that person-to-person coaching would also help them improve, suggesting that these types of coaching should co-exist.
So, it looks like AI and human coaching aren’t competitors, but can actually work together to get the best results. Using tech can make human coaching even better—think more effective and engaging check-ins that really help people grow and develop. This combo of AI and human interaction could totally change the coaching world for the better!
Building a culture of engagement with weekly check-ins
Engagement isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a habit built through consistency. Just like regular exercise strengthens the body, consistent check-ins create a strong, healthy foundation for engagement. Weekly check-ins also normalize feedback, making performance conversations more productive and a lot less daunting. They create a rhythm of communication, ensuring that employees feel heard, supported, and aligned with the organization’s larger goals.
Here’s our advice on how to implement weekly check-ins successfully:
- Start simple: Begin with reflection-based questions that encourage employees to think about their achievements, challenges, and goals. For example, “What are you most proud of accomplishing this week?” or “What challenges are you facing, and how can I support you?” Starting with basic, positive questions can set the tone for a constructive and encouraging check-in.
- Encourage recognition: Getting kudos from your coworkers can make a big difference! It not only creates a sense of teamwork but also makes people feel good about the work they’re doing. In fact, a study by Gallup and Workhuman finds that employees who received regular, high-quality recognition for their work were 45% less likely to have left that job between 2022 and 2024. Tools like Engage365 make it easy to give shout outs during check-ins. That means showing appreciation becomes a regular thing (and a secret weapon for retention).
- Focus on coaching: Instead of just tracking data, use the insights from check-ins to guide coaching conversations. By understanding what challenges employees face and what they want to achieve, managers can give them personalized support and guidance to help them grow and develop. Engage365’s AI-powered coaching suggestions can help managers provide more effective and targeted support during weekly check-ins.
Ready to reimagine engagement?
It’s time for HR professionals to rethink engagement, officially. Rather than chasing elusive metrics and relying on outdated methods, let’s embrace a more human-centric approach, shall we?
Weekly check-ins, powered by the right technology, can be the foundation for human success. They can help everyone grow and succeed—as individuals and as a team. And, they can create a culture where feedback and development are just part of how things work around here.
Want to see Engage365 in action? To experience the power of weekly check-ins firsthand, book a demo today and discover how Engage365 can help you build a more engaged, productive, and fulfilled workforce.
