Qualtrics study reveals employee engagement in Thailand exceeds global average

Annual report finds top engagement drivers shifted significantly during 2020

BANGKOK,
THAILAND – Media OutReach – 24 February 2021 – New research released today by Qualtrics, the
leader in employee experience (EX) and creator of the experience
management (XM) category, has revealed significant shifts to the drivers of
employee engagement in Thailand in 2021.

 

According to the 2021 Thailand Employee Experience Trends Report, the top five employee engagement drivers
changed over the last year. Pride in the work my team delivers, having in place
processes allowing employees to be productive, and being part of a team
effective at making decisions were found to be the top three drivers. Effective
collaboration between teams, and being confident to share opinions with
management completed the top employee engagement drivers.

 

The engagement drivers to drop out the top five were confidence in
senior leadership, opportunities for learning and development, recognition for
good work, my manager helps my career development, and a clear link between
work and strategic objectives.

 

Employee engagement in
Thailand on the rise 

 

Despite the challenges faced by companies in 2020, overall levels of
employee engagement in Thailand increased to 76% in 2020, from 72% in 2019.
This is significantly above the 66% global average, which also rose 13% in the
last year (66% vs. 53%). Intent
to stay with an organisation three years or more also increased to 56%,  from 43% in 2019.

 

Well-being, which is an important contributor to overall EX, continues
to be a priority for workers and is predicted to be a key trend for
organisations in 2021. Among employees in Thailand, more than seven in 10 (73%)
rated their well-being as favourable – above the global average of 67%. Most
notably, a sense of belonging at an organisation has the greatest impact on
overall well-being, with well-being increasing to 80% for employees when this
is the case.

 

Lauren Huntington, EX Solutions Strategy, Qualtrics Southeast Asia,
said: “2020 has irreversibly changed the working world, and so it is
unsurprising we have seen engagement drivers shift considerably this year. As
businesses and governments look forward to 2021 we expect to see these
engagement drivers change once again as restrictions continue to change. To
ensure teams are provided with the support and services they need in fast
changing situations it is critical leaders are able to understand how emerging
trends are reshaping the workplace, and what they can do to design and improve
employee experience.”

 

Listening up, positive action
down

 

According to the Qualtrics study, more than nine in 10 employees in
Thailand (93%) believe it’s important their company listens to feedback.
Compared to 12 months previously more employees are being listened to, with the
volume of respondents saying they have an opportunity to feedback increasing to
84% in 2020 (up from 77%). However, only 42% say their company acts on it very
well – which is a 21% decrease over the same period.

 

“While it’s pleasing to see more employers listening to their teams, the
study outlines the critical importance of acting on feedback. There is no one
size fits all approach to improving the employee experience. By capturing
responses from their teams across the entire employee lifecycle and in key
moments that matter, businesses are able to design improved experiences.”

 

“The business impact of listening and acting on feedback is huge. When
organisations do take action, scores increase across employee engagement (90%),
wellbeing (88%) and intent to stay (91%),” said Huntington. 

 

Mr.Borwornnan Thongkalya (Ph.D.) President, Personnel Management
Association of Thailand, said: “Creating positive employee experiences has
become an increasingly significant focus of human resources officers in recent
years that cannot be downplayed. By adopting a ‘People First’ approach,
organisations are empowering employees to share their feedback and are better
equipped to address the changing needs of their people. Particularly during
times of uncertainty, ensuring employees are heard and taking appropriate action
is vital to fostering positive experiences in the workplace, boosting
well-being, morale and productivity.”

 

About the study

 

The 2021 Global Employee Experience Trends Report examined more than
11,800 full-time employees across 20 different countries around the world, to
find out what’s changed in employee experience, and what is driving employee
engagement in a post-COVID world. More than 340 respondents polled were
from Thailand.

 

To download the full 2021 Global Employee Experience Trends Report,
please click here.