I worked in the National Pension and Provident Fund, the only pension and

provident fund management company in Bhutan. It is located in the middle

of the bustling capital city of Bhutan. Our mission was to safeguard the
futures of the people of the country through comprehensive pension and
provident fund management. Yet, within the walls of our organization, there
was a pervasive barrier to employee engagement that was plaguing the
organization —the lack of effective communication.

Defining Employee Engagement.

Firstly, let us look at the alchemy of what employee engagement entails.

Employee engagement encompasses the emotional commitment,
enthusiasm, and dedication demonstrated by individuals in their
professional roles (Ryba, 2023). This concept represents the depth of the
mental and emotional connection employees establish with their work which
extends beyond mere job satisfaction to include a profound synergy with the
company's vision and objectives (Ryba, 2023). According to Lalwani (2021),
employee engagement is "the emotional investment employees make in
their organizations. It is the passion, involvement, and motivation they bring
to work, that they use to guide their work”. Similarly, Anitha (2014)
suggests that employee engagement reflects two essential elements:
willingness to contribute to organizational success and a positive and
energized employee who is at a motivational state. Kular et al. (2008), on
the other hand, offer a comprehensive definition of employee engagement
as "the harnessing of organization members’ selves to their work roles,"
wherein individuals employ and express themselves physically, cognitively,
and emotionally during their role performances. Further, Smith (2023)
posits this sentiment by describing employee engagement as the level of
enthusiasm and dedication demonstrated by workers toward their jobs. It
embodies a deep-seated commitment and emotional investment in the
organization's objectives that help to foster an environment where
employees are not passive contributors but actively contribute to the
collective success and vision of the company (Smith, 2023). According to
Smith (2023), this definition underlines the multifaceted nature of employee
engagement that emphasizes the active involvement of individuals in their
work roles. All the aforementioned scholars concur that employee
engagement encompasses the emotional commitment, passion, active
involvement, and motivation exhibited by employees towards their work. It
involves the alignment of the employee with the organizational goals and
goes beyond what is expected.

The significance of employee engagement in driving organizational success

is widely recognized. Engaged employees are instrumental in talent
retention, fostering customer loyalty, and elevating organizational
performance and stakeholder value (Hammoud & Osborne, 2017). Engaged
employees show focus, dedication, and motivation, thereby contributing to
enhanced productivity and sustainable business growth (Sinclair, 2020).
Sinclair (2020) further elaborates that engaged employees demonstrate a
sense of urgency and concentrate on their work with diligence. Engaged
employees are willing to commit both emotionally and rationally within their
organization, and they feel valued and energized in their roles.

Lack of Communication as a barrier to employee engagement.

In the context of the National Pension and Provident Fund Organization,

employee engagement is crucial for a productive workplace and the long-
term health of the organization. I believe that engaged employees are
committed, motivated and on board with the mission of the organization.
They feel focused with a sense of urgency and concentrate on how they
approach their work. This is particularly important in an organization like
the National Pension and Provident Fund where the dedication and
commitment of employees directly impact the management and growth of
pension and provident funds which then are critical for the financial well-
being of the country. The barrier of ineffective communication is not unique
to the National Pension and Provident Fund; it is a challenge faced by
organizations across diverse industries. According to Trinet (2023), lack
of communication in the workplace is one of the top reasons people cite for
low morale and reduced employee engagement. At the place where I
worked, National Pension and Provident Fund Organization, a lack of
communication significantly hampered employee engagement. At our
organization, effective communication was essential for ensuring that
employees understood the organization's goals, their role within the
organization, and how their work contributed to the overall mission.
Without clear and regular communication, there was a high chance that
employees felt disconnected, uninformed, and undervalued which
potentially led to decreased engagement and motivation.

For instance, in the organization where I worked, a major business re-

engineering took place. It was called the Organizational Development (OD)
Exercise. As the company underwent a restructuring process to adapt to
changing market trends, employees were left in the dark about the reasons
behind the changes and how they would impact their roles and
responsibilities. Despite rumors circulating within the office about potential
layoffs and departmental reorganizations, management remained tight-
lipped. They failed to address employees' concerns or provide any sense of
clarity on the situation.

The lack of communication created a sense of uncertainty, especially about

the job security, and anxiety among employees, who were unsure about the
future of their jobs and the company as a whole. Rumors and gossip were
circulating. As pointed out by Candela (2023), rumors and
misunderstandings stem from a lack of clear and transparent
communication. In addition, without clear guidance from leadership,
employees felt disconnected from the company's goals and objectives which
then led to a decline in morale and motivation of the employees.
Furthermore, the absence of communication channels for employees to
voice their concerns or ask questions exacerbated the situation. Employees
felt frustrated by the perceived lack of transparency and felt their voices
were not being heard by management. As a result, they became disengaged
from their work, focusing solely on completing tasks rather than actively
contributing to the company's success.

Moreover, the lack of communication also impacted teamwork and

collaboration within the organization. Without clear guidance from
management, departments operated in silos, with little interaction or
coordination between teams. Projects were delayed, and productivity
suffered as a result of the communication breakdown. However, the major
shock was that most of the employees were concerned about the stability of
their jobs after the rumors of potential layoffs. As a result, most of the
employees resigned prematurely and searched for jobs in other
organizations in and outside the country. According to Thompson (2021),
poor communication is one of the biggest barriers to employee engagement.
Ineffective communication can be incredibly frustrating to employees,
promoting inefficiency and creating a breeding ground of distrust and
confusion (Thompson, 2021). Without good lines of communication, workers
don’t feel like they’re being heard, ultimately eroding loyalty and
commitment (Thompson, 2021). This was quite true when employees started
to resign and find more secure jobs in other organizations.

Best Practices

I think management should have proactively communicated the reasons

behind the restructuring and changes in company policies. This could
include holding regular town hall meetings or sending out company-wide
emails to provide updates and address any concerns or questions from
employees. As suggested by Duncan (2021), establishing a proper channel
of communication makes the employees feel comfortable to raise their
concerns and feedback. Further, clearly outlining the expectations for
employees during times of change was crucial for maintaining engagement.
Management should have communicated how the changes would impact
individual roles and responsibilities, providing employees with a sense of
clarity and direction.
References
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on employee performance. International Journal of Productivity and
Performance Management, 308–323. doi:10.1108/ijppm-01-2013-0008

Ardill, L. (2023, October 10). Lost in Translation: How Poor Communication

Impacts the Workplace. Retrieved from Work Vivo:
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