Employee engagement has been a boardroom buzzword for quite some time. We’ve long known engagement matters. Still, the unspoken “but” has always been that metrics—especially those of the performance and financial ilk—matter more. Now, with the workplace talent shortage at a 10-year high, the time is right for a major shift in this “metrics-first” attitude.

Having negotiated hundreds of labor agreements myself, I see firsthand what attracts and retains employees. As leverage keeps shifting toward employees, companies scramble to offer new benefits and put all sorts of expensive retention programs in place—but they’re missing the one thing they should be doing.

As I negotiate contracts, one thing I hear all the time is that employees “don’t feel cared about.” The key to winning the war for talent might be simpler than many employers realize. It’s not just about paying more. It’s about putting engagement at the center of everything.

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