The terms “employee engagement” and “job satisfaction” are often used interchangeably — but they’re not the same thing. And confusing them can cost your organisation more than just morale.
Here’s the truth:
Job satisfaction is how someone feels about their work.
Engagement is how someone shows up in their work.
As Stephen Prentice wrote in Advances in Developing Human Resources (2022):
“Regardless of which comes first, supportive leadership improves them both.”
And yet, in frontline sectors like disability support, we often lead from checklists, not from connection. Leaders are overwhelmed, burnt out, and reduced to traffic controllers — not coaches or culture carriers.
Gallup tells us 70% of engagement comes down to the manager.
The NDIS workforce data tells us that manager capability is one of the most underinvested pieces of the puzzle.
So what does this mean for you?
If you want to build engagement — especially in environments of high emotional labour — you need to stop focusing solely on perks, pay or policy. You need to train your people leaders to:
✅ Build trust
✅ Communicate clearly
✅ Empower rather than micromanage
✅ Recognise people consistently
✅ Coach with intent, not just correct mistakes
I’ve developed a free practical tool you can use today:
The Leadership Reflection Grid — a worksheet to help team leaders reflect on the signals they’re sending and the culture they’re shaping.
Start here by filling out the form to receive your copy immediately in your inbox →
Leadership Reflection Grid
"*" indicates required fields
