ORC International research shows US in the top three for employee engagement globally

NEW YORK, June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- New research reveals that the United States is among the top countries when it comes to employee engagement. The findings, from market research firm ORC International, show that the United States ranked third overall in their annual perspectives global survey of over 7,000 employees across 19 countries and nine different sectors.  The US trails India and Switzerland with overall engagement scores of 71% and 66% respectively

This year's survey, which tracks the latest issues and trends in employee research, shows the US scoring well on overall engagement (64%) -- up four points from last year, and is in the top quartile when it comes to rankings for diversity (66%), innovation (64%)  and healthy workplace (64%).

According to ORC International benchmarks, a high score in diversity suggests organizations understand the importance of a well-rounded workforce and do well in capitalizing on employees strengths to the benefit of the individual and the company.  Positive results on the "healthy workplace" dimension bode well for long-term business performance as it shows employers' emphasis on minimizing workforce issues such as burnout.  The US also tied with Switzerland in the area of advocacy, with 60% of employees recommending their company as a great place to work. India took the top spot with 65% for advocacy and Brazil ranked second, four points behind at 61%.

Overall, the US has clearly made strides to improve the employee environment -- moving up two spots from its fifth place ranking last year.  The improvement comes as the economy slowly begins to improve and employees feel more optimistic about their workplace, their employer, and are more engaged with their jobs.

Matt Roddan, Director of Employee Research in the US at ORC International, said: "Our research shows that if employers want to increasingly engage their employees they need to focus on their approach to innovation, diversity and a healthy workplace. These three areas enhance the measurement of engagement and can provide management with insight to create more effect strategies for employee engagement -- critical elements of business success."

To view the full report on the US results, click here.

Editor's notes

About ORC International

ORC International is a leading global research firm with offices across the US, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company's combination of cutting-edge technology, skilled researchers and in-depth industry experience provides clients with the insight to help solve their most pressing business challenges. We have more than 25 years of employee research experience and manage some of the largest employee-related research surveys worldwide. To learn more about ORC International, visit www.ORCInternational.com

About perspectives

Every year ORC International conducts a survey of employees around the world. Interviewing more than 7,000 employees across 19 countries and nine industries, the latest issues and trends in employee research are explored. This provides rich insight into what is really going on at a grassroots level and enables ORC International to understand what employees are feeling, how safe they consider they are in their daily jobs, and their general level of engagement. This acts as a prime indicator of how well that economy is really performing, and indeed how it will perform in the future.

The 19 countries surveyed were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States. The nine industries targeted were accommodation & food services, government, education & skills, finance & insurance, health & care services, manufacturing, mining and quarrying, professional services, retail & wholesale.

Global map within the report

This diagram details the global rankings for employee engagement, along with the individual scores for a healthy workplace, diversity and innovation – key influencers on overall staff engagement. Where ORC International has them, comparisons have been made to 2012 scores.

SOURCE ORC International