Here’s the truth according to Karen Dyke, CEO at RMS:

You can’t force people to care.

You can build the best tools, offer great perks, and still find employees disengaged. Post-COVID, when we all felt the loss of connection, the word engagement started popping up in every meeting, every HR strategy, every leadership conversation. But what does it actually mean?

As the owner of a small software business working with major Retail and Hospitality organisations, I’ve learned something: whether you have 10 employees or 10,000, the challenges are the same.

• Can I trust my employer?
• Do they really care?
• Does this even matter to me?
• Or do I just switch off because it feels irrelevant?

People tell me engagement is about emotional commitment, advocacy, feeling valued, satisfaction. And yes, that’s true. But here’s the harder question: how do you create that?

It comes down to a few simple but powerful needs:

• Belonging – feeling part of something bigger
• Growth – opportunities to develop
• Trust – knowing you’re respected and supported
• Inclusion – a voice that matters

And let’s be honest – while employees want purpose, they also want practical, instant access to what matters to them:
When is my shift? Can I pick up more hours? How much am I being paid? Can I book my holiday?

These basics matter. But they’re not the full picture.

Here’s what I’ve realised:

• You can’t “vacuum pack” emotions.
• You can’t compete with WhatsApp, TikTok, or Facebook for attention.
• But you can create a space that feels worth showing up for.

That’s why we launched Mingle. Not another corporate social feed. A space for employees to feel valued, connect with leaders, see what colleagues are doing, watch a video, join social groups, and – most importantly – be heard.

Will it work? The jury’s out. But I know this:

• Engagement must come from the top.
• It must be two-way.
• It must feel alive – fun, relevant, and human.

We might not get it perfect. But unless we try, we’ll never succeed…

Because life – and work – is about progress, not perfection…