The Engagement Dance

India ranks first among 22 countries in terms of employee engagement with an overall favorable rating of 25%, while Mexico scored second with 19%, according to a study conducted by consulting firm Mercer LLC. The study polled 12,500 employees worldwide. The United States ranked in the middle with a 1% rating, while Japan ranked last at -23%.

Cultural disparities are major contributors to the different responses, according to a study analysis. "Even when workplace characteristics are shared, such as English as a first language, differences in national culture, the state of economic development and market conditions can have a significant influence on employee expectations and perceptions of the workplace and, subsequently, on employee engagement," says Patrick Gilbert, a principal and employee research expert at Mercer.

For instance, in the United States workers demand more respect and expect more opportunities for career advancement while French workers place a premium on work/life balance. In India, where workers appear to be the most engaged, the type of work performed and promotion opportunities seem to be the biggest motivating factors. Four-fifths of Indian workers say they would recommend their organizations as "a good place to work."

Chinese employees, which posted the third-highest level of engagement, place a premium on benefits, but workers indicate this is an area where they're increasingly dissatisfied.

Mexican employees value structured and ongoing developmental activities that will prepare them for upward mobility. Workers tend to leave their jobs more frequently for greener pastures, with one in four employees seriously considering leaving their organization.

In an earlier study conducted by professional services firm Towers Perrin and reported on here in the December 2007 IndustryWeek ("The Mexican Connection"), Mexican workers were found to be the most engaged among 18 other global workforces.

Key Employee Engagement Drivers

Globally, respect ranks as the No. 1 factor contributing to employee engagement.

	Global	China	France	Germany	India	Japan	U.K.	U.S.
Respect	125	121	133	129	104	90	144	122
Type of Work	112	75	138	113	116	107	122	112
Work/Life Balance	112	98	133	106	97	119	119	111
Provide Good Service to Customers	108	108	110	108	103	79	122	107
Base Pay	108	113	110	105	103	140	117	114
People You Work With	107	96	105	131	98	107	120	104
Benefits	94	127	81	110	94	75	76	112
Long-Term Career Potential	92	91	89	77	108	94	88	92
Learning and Development	91	83	67	80	98	86	85	82
Flexible Working	87	85	77	92	80	88	83	88
Promotion Opportunities	85	92	79	83	113	92	68	80
Variable Pay/Bonus	80	111	77	65	86	123	56	75