Employers from across the region recently attended an event at Brush Electrical, designed to help them understand the business benefits of improving the way they engage their employees. It was organised by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and Acas, in conjunction with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The event was part of a groundbreaking project which Acas has launched, together with emda, to help employees improve employee engagement, innovation and business performance.

The project, which involves ten regional businesses, provides tailored support and workplace focused advice to employers, helping them achieve improvements to their culture, management and employee engagement strategy. Acas is working alongside key individuals in each of the businesses, to encourage a more productive workplace based on strong leadership, and improved people skills. The project will also help stimulate innovation and enhance employee motivation and commitment. The impact of the advice will be measured throughout the year and reviewed when the project ends in spring 2010.

The event at Brush followed on from a report entitled 'Engaging for success', an independent study by David MacLeod and Nita Clarke exploring the benefits of employee engagement in the workplace. Commissioned by government, the review examined the role that employee engagement can play in increasing productivity and enhancing competitiveness.

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