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MANILA, Philippines - Filipino workers increased their trust and confidence in their employers, attitudes that will enhance productivity particularly during economic downturns, a survey undertaken by a US global consulting company said.

Filipino employees secured an overall employee engagement score of 77 percent, four percent higher than previous results, indicating their focus and direction will lead to their organizations’ success, Arlington, Virginia-headquartered Watson Wyatt said.
“The rise of engagement levels in the Philippines was in stark contrast to the decline in engagement and its components across Asia Pacific countries," said the 2008/2009 survey, which forms part of Watson Wyatt’s ongoing WorkAttitudes™ studies of global employee attitudes.

“Due to the Philippines’ mobile workforce both domestically and internationally, companies are exerting more effort to manage their talents and encourage them to stay committed to their organizations.

Especially with the looming economic downturn worldwide, employers in the Philippines are encouraged to continue sustaining employee engagement to help the business weather the tougher environment ahead," a Watson Wyatt statement said, citing survey results.

While retaining employees committed to company goals and focused on fulfilling these is crucial, its survey also shows a strong link between "engaged employees" – or those who uphold company goals and contribute towards attaining these – and key business metrics such as productivity and turnover.

Next: ‘Engaged’ employees miss fewer days of work

Next: ‘Engaged’ employees miss fewer days of work

The study found, for example, that highly engaged employees are 70 percent more likely than low-engagement employees to exceed performance expectations. They miss 27 percent fewer days of work due to illness and they represent very low turnover risk.

Employee engagement is defined as a combination of “line of sight" –
or employees’ focus and direction leading to the organization's success –and commitment.

“Greater employee engagement is a valuable economic asset leading to higher productivity and retention of critical talent," said Deirdre Lander, head of Human Capital Group, Watson Wyatt Hong Kong.

“Economic downturns create uncertainty and job insecurity amongst employees, potentially weakening engagement and undermining the value of that asset. So it is crucial for employers to take steps to engage their employees even when business has slowed down," Lander said.

Companies can maintain engagement in two ways, the statement said.

“The first is to recognize opportunities to further strengthen this quality that occur throughout the employee relationship and handle them well to ensure quality employee experience. The second is to continuously engage people through strong strategic direction and leadership, intense customer focus, equitable rewards and effective internal communication," the statement said. “Companies that do both are likely to make it through the current crisis and deliver superior results in the years ahead." - GMANews.TV