The Engagement Equation: What Makes Work Truly Engaging?
- Edith Hazel
- Mar 18
- 4 min read
"When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute." – Simon Sinek
What Percentage of Your Work is Truly Engaging?
I recently came across the question: "What percentage of your work is interesting?" It got me thinking about employee engagement, particularly here in Denmark. The numbers are striking—according to Gallup, only 21% of employees in Denmark are engaged at work, meaning they feel enthusiastic and committed to their jobs. Meanwhile, 71% are not engaged, and 7% are actively disengaged.
Gallup measures engagement with questions like:
"How satisfied are you with your company as a place to work?"
"I know what is expected of me at work."
"At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day."
"There is someone at work who encourages my development."
These insights reveal how engagement stems from clarity, purpose, and personal growth. Yet as a career coach, I often encounter professionals prioritizing factors like job security, salary or brand prestige over growth, purpose, and alignment with personal values. While these priorities are valid, especially during career transitions, integrating engagement-focused considerations into their decision-making—such as purpose, personal growth, and alignment with strengths—could address a significant portion of the factors that drive engagement in the long term. So, what does it take to achieve this?
The Engagement Landscape
When work aligns with an individual’s strengths and interests, and they have support for their development, the everyday becomes far more engaging. But what does "engaging" mean in the context of work? One helpful perspective is the 70/20/10 Rule—a framework that explains how our time is typically divided across tasks and provides insights into what makes work engaging.
The 70/20/10 Rule breaks work into three categories:
70% Routine/Execution: The daily grind—emails, meetings, admin, and repetitive tasks.
20% Growth/Collaboration: Problem-solving, skill development, and teamwork.
10% Passion/Creativity: The “spark”—moments of inspiration, creativity, and deep engagement.
This breakdown offers a lens to assess whether the balance of your tasks promotes or hinders engagement. If routine work dominates without opportunities for growth or creativity, disengagement often follows.
Personal Factors That Drive Engagement
Engagement isn’t only about task types; personal factors play a crucial role. Here are three key elements:
Autonomy: The more control you have over your work, the more engaging it becomes.
Challenge Level: Tasks that are too easy become boring, while overly difficult ones create stress. The sweet spot is “challenging but achievable.”
Purpose: Tasks that align with personal values or have a visible impact are often the most fulfilling.
When people feel that their work reflects these elements, their level of engagement naturally increases.
A Call to Reflect and Engage
This question—“What percentage of your work is interesting?”—has made me reflect on my own engagement. How much of my day-to-day work aligns with my values and strengths? What makes the difference between routine and inspiration?
Now, what about you? What percentage of your work feels engaging, and what could help you feel more inspired?
For those considering a job change or career pivot, reflecting on past work experiences can provide valuable insights into what fosters engagement:
What tasks or projects did you enjoy the most, and why?
What aspects of your job did you dread, and can they be avoided entirely in a new role?
Were there any tasks you found tedious but recognized as serving a bigger purpose?
What personal factors were crucial to finding your work engaging? (i.e. growth opportunities, recognition, social connection, variety, impact)
Understanding these aspects can help you seek roles where you thrive and establish boundaries around tasks that drain your energy. Not every unwanted task can be eliminated, but reframing them as part of a greater mission can make them more meaningful.
Your Engagement Reflection Checklist
Take a moment to reflect on your own work and define your 70/20/10 breakdown. Gain clarity on what drives your engagement and how to enhance it:
1. Define Your 70/20/10 Breakdown
70% Routine/Execution What routine tasks dominate your workday?
Examples: Emails, admin, meetings, repetitive tasks
My List: [Write your answer]
20% Growth/Collaboration What tasks allow you to learn, problem-solve, or collaborate with others?
Examples: Teamwork, skill-building, solving complex problems
My List: [Write your answer]
10% Passion/Creativity What sparks your creativity and deep engagement at work?
Examples: Brainstorming, strategic thinking, creative projects
My List: [Write your answer]
2. Identify Your Engagement Drivers
Think about personal factors that make work more interesting and meaningful for you:
Autonomy: Do you have control over how and when you work? What could increase your autonomy? [Write your answer]
Challenge Level: Are your tasks in the “challenging but achievable” sweet spot? What would make your work more balanced? [Write your answer]
Purpose: Do your tasks align with your values or contribute to a bigger impact? What aspects of your work feel purposeful? [Write your answer]
3. Action Plan for More Engagement
Use your reflections to make a plan:
One small change I can make this week to improve my engagement: [Write your answer]
One long-term goal for aligning my work with my strengths and values: [Write your answer]
Engaged employees create a ripple effect of an optimistic future, not just for themselves but for their teams and organizations as well. Let’s start the conversation. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
For more reflections on my experience living abroad, my work on career-self awareness, and my perspective on career transitions, follow me on:
Article written by Edith Escobedo
Photo by WIX Media
Thanks for sharing your time with me!
Edith
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