Employee engagement significantly influences productivity, retention, and overall organisational success. As businesses evolve in increasingly competitive talent markets, HR professionals need effective tools to understand and improve engagement levels within their workforce.
Measuring engagement effectively requires approaches that provide meaningful insights while respecting cultural nuances. When implemented thoughtfully, engagement metrics offer valuable data that drives strategic decisions about talent development, workplace culture, and operational improvements. These insights help organisations identify areas where employees feel most connected to their work and where opportunities exist to strengthen commitment and satisfaction.
Companies that develop robust engagement measurement systems can more effectively allocate resources, design targeted interventions, and track progress over time. By establishing reliable engagement benchmarks, organisations gain the ability to assess how initiatives impact employee sentiment and behaviour, ultimately creating environments where people can thrive and deliver their best work.
Pulse surveys
These brief, frequent questionnaires provide real-time snapshots of employee sentiment. Singapore-based DBS Bank implements their “iSpeak” programme, collecting quick feedback across regional operations, while Thai conglomerate CP Group utilises mobile-friendly surveys accessible to their diverse workforce. Typically containing 5-10 targeted questions and conducted monthly or quarterly, pulse surveys accommodate Southeast Asia’s high smartphone adoption rates. Their brevity encourages participation while providing timely data that helps HR teams identify emerging issues before they escalate into serious concerns.
eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score)
This streamlined metric asks employees how likely they are to recommend their organisation as a workplace, rated on a scale of 0-10. Responses categorise employees as promoters, passives, or detractors, with final scores ranging from -100 to +100. Singapore-headquartered Grab implements eNPS across multiple countries, enabling standardised measurement across diverse markets. Philippines-based Ayala Corporation supplements eNPS with qualitative follow-up questions, providing context to numerical results while maintaining a system simple enough to implement across various business units and operational locations.
Focus groups and interviews
These qualitative methods involve structured discussions to gather in-depth insights about engagement factors. Vietnamese tech company VNG Corporation employs third-party facilitated focus groups to ensure candid feedback in a culture where direct criticism can be uncomfortable. Indonesian financial services firm Bank Central Asia conducts structured interviews with employees across various levels to understand engagement drivers specific to different demographics. These approaches prove valuable for uncovering nuanced cultural factors affecting engagement that might not emerge through standardised surveys, while developing solutions that resonate with diverse workforce segments.
360-degree feedback
This comprehensive approach gathers input about an employee from multiple sources, including managers, peers, subordinates, and sometimes clients. Malaysian telecommunications company Axiata Group has adapted this method to include engagement metrics while maintaining sensitivity to indirect communication styles prevalent in the region. Healthcare provider Parkway Pantai implements anonymised feedback systems with engagement-focused questions that respect face-saving cultural norms. While traditionally used for performance assessment, many organisations now incorporate engagement elements into these processes, creating a more holistic view of workplace dynamics.
Analytics-based engagement monitoring
Advanced data tools enable organisations to measure engagement through behavioural indicators rather than self-reported feelings. Singapore-based Sea Limited (parent company of Shopee and Garena) utilises sophisticated platforms to track digital engagement patterns across their workforce. HR teams can identify potential engagement issues without requiring additional employee input by analysing patterns in email response times, collaboration tool usage, absenteeism, and productivity metrics. This data-driven approach complements traditional measurement methods, providing objective indicators that help validate or challenge subjective feedback.
