_{Mark C. Crowley, author of The Power of Employee Well-Being, reveals why engagement surveys have failed and how focusing on employee wellbeing drives measurable business results. Learn actionable strategies to build belonging, psychological safety, and accountability into your culture.}

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The Engagement Trap That's Costing Your Organization

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For over a decade, organizations have been obsessed with employee engagement surveys. Companies invest millions annually measuring it, tracking it, and strategizing around it. Yet Gallup's latest data reveals a sobering truth: engagement scores haven't improved in 13 years and recently hit an 11-year low of 30%. What if the entire engagement framework has been leading us in the wrong direction?​

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Mark C. Crowley, Inc. Magazine's Top 50 leadership thinker and author of The Power of Employee Well-Being, discovered this firsthand after years of speaking to organizations about engagement. Despite widespread adoption of engagement surveys and initiatives, nothing was changing. That's when he pivoted to something more fundamental: employee wellbeing. The difference isn't just semantic, it's transformational. Research from Oxford University shows that how employees feel week-to-week directly correlates to their productivity, with a one-point increase in happiness associated with a 12% boost in performance. Wellbeing is the ultimate driver of organizational success.​

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This shift from engagement to wellbeing represents a fundamental rethinking of what creates high-performing teams. Instead of asking "Are employees committed to their work?" we should be asking "Do employees feel they belong, are they psychologically safe, and do they experience positive emotions at work?" The answers to these questions unlock not just better survey scores, but measurable business outcomes including reduced turnover, lower mental health costs, decreased absenteeism, and improved productivity.​

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Why Engagement Surveys Failed and What to Measure Instead

The traditional annual engagement survey has become a ritual that organizations perform without questioning its effectiveness. Crowley explains that these surveys often ask dozens of questions across multiple dimensions, but by the time leaders receive results, the data is already stale. Even worse, when organizations do act on the findings, it's often through broad initiatives that don't address specific team or individual needs.​

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The problem with engagement is that it measures commitment and discretionary effort without addressing the underlying emotional reality of employees' day-to-day experience. You can be engaged and still burning out. You can be committed and still feel isolated. Engagement captures one dimension of the employee experience while missing the deeper drivers of performance and retention.​

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Wellbeing, by contrast, focuses on how employees actually feel at work. Research shows that up to 95% of human decision-making is driven by feelings and emotions, not rational thought. This means that if you want to influence performance, you need to pay attention to employees' emotional states, not just their opinions about company policies. Belonging has emerged as the number one driver of employee wellbeing, even surpassing having a close friend at work. When people feel they belong, they experience psychological safety, which allows them to take risks, innovate, and bring their full selves to work.​

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So what should organizations measure instead of engagement? Crowley advocates for targeted pulse surveys that ask single, specific questions in real time. For example: "This week, did you experience a sense of belonging at work?" or "This week, did you feel psychologically safe in your team meetings?" These micro-surveys provide immediate feedback that managers can act on quickly, rather than waiting months for comprehensive engagement data that's already outdated. Even more importantly, these pulse surveys create accountability for managers. When wellbeing scores are visible and tied to leadership performance, managers are motivated to create better experiences for their teams.​

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This shift also moves organizations away from performative wellbeing initiatives, the yoga classes and meditation apps that look good but don't address systemic issues. Real wellbeing work requires leaders to create environments where people feel valued, heard, and connected. That means regular one-on-one meetings, transparent communication, and genuine care for employees as whole human beings.​

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The Business Case for Caring: Metrics That Matter

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Leaders often worry that focusing on wellbeing means sacrificing results. But the data tells a different story. Organizations that prioritize employee wellbeing see concrete, measurable improvements across multiple business metrics.​

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Consider these outcomes:

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Reduced turnover: When employees feel they belong and are cared for, they stay longer, saving recruitment and training costs​

Lower mental health costs: Mental health issues cost organizations billions annually. Wellbeing initiatives that create psychologically safe environments reduce burnout and stress-related illness​

Decreased absenteeism: Employees who feel connected and valued are less likely to miss work​

Improved productivity: Oxford research confirms that happy employees are 12% more productive than their unhappy counterparts​

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Crowley emphasizes that wellbeing isn't opposed to accountability, it's the foundation for it. When employees feel safe and supported, they're more willing to receive feedback, take ownership of mistakes, and push themselves to grow. Leadership isn't about choosing between heart and mind, it's about integrating both. You hold people accountable and you care deeply about their wellbeing. These are complementary forces that drive excellence.​

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The mental health crisis in workplaces makes this even more urgent. Costs associated with mental health issues, including therapy, medication, and lost productivity, are skyrocketing. Leaders who ignore wellbeing are actively harming their organizations and their people. But those who prioritize wellbeing create cultures where people thrive, which translates directly to better business results.​

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One of the most powerful shifts Crowley advocates is reframing how we think about emotions at work. For too long, organizations have treated emotions as liabilities to be managed or suppressed. But positive psychology research, including work by Barbara Fredrickson, shows that positive emotions like appreciation, attention, joy, and gratitude are scientifically equivalent to love. When employees "marinate" in these experiences, they deliver their greatest commitment and performance. This is about being smart. The science is clear: positive emotions fuel high performance.​

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Practical Strategies to Build Wellbeing Into Your Culture

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Understanding the importance of wellbeing is one thing. Actually building it into your culture is another. Crowley offers concrete, actionable strategies that leaders can implement immediately to improve employee wellbeing.​

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1. Hold Weekly One-on-One Meetings with Every Team Member

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This might sound like a big commitment, but Crowley insists it's non-negotiable. Even 20-30 minutes per week sends a powerful message: you matter, your experience matters, and I'm here to support you. These meetings aren't just status updates, they're opportunities to check in on how someone is feeling, what challenges they're facing, and what support they need. Over time, these conversations build trust and connection that strengthen team performance.​

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2. Use Targeted Pulse Surveys for Real-Time Feedback

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Instead of annual engagement surveys with 50+ questions, implement weekly or bi-weekly pulse surveys with one or two targeted questions. Ask about belonging, psychological safety, or whether employees felt supported that week. Make the results visible to managers and hold them accountable for improving scores. This creates a feedback loop that drives continuous improvement rather than once-a-year fire drills.​

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3. Create Intentional Social Connection Opportunities

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This is especially critical for remote and hybrid teams. Crowley explains that when teams come together in person, leaders should prioritize social connection, not just task completion. Shared meals, team-building activities, and informal conversations give employees permission to connect authentically, which then carries over into remote work. Social connection isn't a distraction from work, it's the foundation for effective collaboration.​

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4. Lead with Transparency, Especially in Difficult Times

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Crowley challenges leaders to be honest, even when the news is bad. For example, rather than avoiding conversations about AI's impact on jobs, leaders should acknowledge the uncertainty and involve employees in thinking through solutions. Transparency demonstrates respect and protects wellbeing because it gives people agency and clarity. Even bad news delivered with honesty is better than vague reassurances that erode trust.​

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5. Hold Leaders Accountable for Wellbeing Outcomes

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Wellbeing can't be an HR initiative that leaders pay lip service to. It has to be part of how leadership performance is measured. Track metrics like turnover rates, mental health costs, absenteeism, and pulse survey results by team and hold managers accountable for improving these numbers. When wellbeing becomes a leadership competency with real consequences, behavior changes.​

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"The research is clear: positive emotions like appreciation, attention, and care are scientifically equivalent to love. When employees marinate in these experiences, they deliver their greatest commitment and performance." _{– Mark C. Crowley}

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From Performative Gestures to Genuine Commitment

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The shift from engagement to wellbeing is a fundamental reimagining of what it means to lead people. For too long, organizations have treated employees as resources to be optimized rather than human beings with emotional needs. The result? Stagnant engagement scores, rising mental health costs, and cultures where people feel disconnected and burned out.​

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Wellbeing offers a different path. When leaders genuinely care about how employees feel, when they create environments where people belong and feel psychologically safe, and when they back up their intentions with real accountability, extraordinary things happen. People bring their best selves to work. They innovate, collaborate, and push through challenges because they know they're supported. And organizations reap the benefits through better retention, higher productivity, and stronger business results.​

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This is strategic leadership grounded in science. The data is clear: wellbeing drives performance. The only question is whether your organization is ready to move beyond performative gestures and make a genuine commitment to the people who make everything possible.

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Ready to unlock the power of employee well-being?

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• To get practical tools and actionable tips that will jumpstart your journey, download the Employee Well-Being Kick Starter Booklet here.
  
  
• Join the newsletter to be notified when a new episode is ready for you to listen and get every Kick Starter Booklet for all future episodes.
  
  
• And if you’re looking to elevate your entire C-Suite leadership team, learn how Craig Dowden can help your leaders perform at their highest-level visit https://www.craigdowden.com/executive-mastermind
  
  
• For a deeper dive, listen to the full-length episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast featuring Wes Adams & Tamara Myles:
  
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