REVEALED | These are the best & worst cities for employee engagement

New research has revealed the country's cities with the highest and lowest levels of employee engagement.

The latest data from employee benefits provider Sodexo Engage reveals that SME employees on the south coast are proving to be happier employees, with 79% of employees in Brighton reporting that they feel engaged at work. By comparison, just 50% of SME employees working in Southampton, and 59% of London-based employees say they feel engaged by their work.

Top 5 cities in England with the most engaged SME employees:

• Brighton – 79%
• Plymouth – 77%
• Sheffield – 74%
• Norwich – 69%
• Newcastle – 68%

Top 5 cities in England with the least engaged SME employees:

• Southampton – 50%
• Birmingham – 51%
• Manchester – 56%
• Bristol – 58%
• London – 59%

Sodexo Engage’s survey collected responses from over 1,000 SME employers and employees, identifying the HR trends dominating their workplace and, crucially, learning how employees feel about their organisation.

Read more from us

Don't Slack | Slack's UK VP on how to boost morale - and productivity

The research found that overall, 61% of SME employees in England say they’re completely engaged or somewhat engaged in their work or role. For employers to keep their people engaged, the research identified key areas of improvement. Specifically, 45% of employees working for SMEs cite they would be more engaged in their positions with better pay, and 36% of employees claim that a better work-life balance would improve their engagement.