Employee engagement—that state when employees are motivated and able to give their best every day, committed to their employer’s goals and values—is woefully misunderstood. In response to low engagement scores, companies have invested millions of dollars in programs that may improve job satisfaction but have nothing to do with engagement. In some organizations, employees respond positively to engagement surveys even if they’re not engaged because their bosses tell them to. Meanwhile, surveys showing engagement is not an employee priority when it comes to what they want from their jobs have led to calls to drop engagement as a goal.

Despite all these problems, the fact remains that companies with large populations of engaged employees outperform the competition.

Trust is at the heart of employee engagement. Trust has taken on new meaning with the release of Edelman’s 2017 Trust Barometer. The 17th installment of the study finds consumer’s trust in business has declined precipitously, as has the credibility of CEOs. At the same time, trust in “a person like myself” has risen, implying (as the report says) “that the primary axis of communications is now horizontal or peer-to-peer, evidence of dispersion of authority to friends and family.” The credibility of a subject matter expert also remains considerably higher than executives or paid spokespersons.

More evidence that a company’s best spokespersons are its employees is abundant in the Trust Barometer. Richard Edelman, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said of employees, “The influence actually rests with mid-level people, who speak peer-to-peer. If they’re for you, you win.”

If trust is not at the core of engagement efforts, employees will not provide the kind of advocacy companies need to build trust with consumers. Advocacy is not just a matter of sharing approved company content. True advocacy happens when employees speak spontaneously (more credible, according to the Barometer, than rehearsed or prepared content) about things that matter to people, which includes ethical, transparent, and open business practices; commitment to addressing societal issues; how the company treats its employees; and steps the company is taking to protect and improve the environment.

Employee communication can and should play a leading role in driving employee engagement. Studies show that poor communication is a cause of disengagement, while employees in highly-engaged firms cite good communication as a fundamental part of their company’s culture. Companies that communicate effectively are four times more likely to have high levels of engagement.

For internal communicators, the challenge is to communicate with engagement as a goal.

At noon EST this Thursday, January 26, I am presenting a webinar that will cover 10 communication tactics you can begin implementing right away that will drive engagement. One registration is good for your entire department or team and includes access to the video replay of the webinar as well as a tip sheet.

Register here.