Faced with tough selection conditions within a young, tech-savvy and degree-level qualified workforce, the UK’s biggest leaders are constantly battling with their competitors from around the world to find the best employees to push their firms forward. In light of the prevailing wisdom that managers who consistently recruit, train and retain the best talent are best placed to enjoy success, business consultancy Croner has published a White Paper exploring what is needed to keep every employee actively engaged.

The report – titled What Makes A Great Employer? – highlights six factors that Croner says are vital to boosting employee engagement. They are:

1. Stimulation provided by the work at hand

2. Support of managers and colleagues

3. Recognition of staff achievements

4. Opportunities for employee to develop their careers

5. Willingness of staff to recommend their firm to loved ones

6. The company’s core values

According to Croner, those “key ingredients” are important in gaining a deep level of commitment from employees, and must be deployed throughout every level of the business. According to the paper, by implementing reward systems, encouraging staff to be involved as a community and getting people motivated, a firm can build the type of corporate culture in which employees can be not just good, but great.

Additionally, by investing in their employees, businesses are likely to see substantial financial rewards, with clear evidence that high levels of engagement correlate with greater productivity and profitability. For example, management consultancy Baringa set up an initiative called The Culture Club: a forum for employees to think of new ideas, develop policies and to evaluate the overall direction of the firm. The Club provided a review of Baringa’s out-of-town policies, assessing whether it was being “fair” to staff working at different sites – a process usually driven by HR and senior management.

Baringa partner Jim Hayward, quoted in the report, said that the fresh approach has had tremendous benefits for the company: “[by] empowering the staff, a really balanced proposal evolved and is being developed as policy.”