Is employee engagement a priority at your organization? Are you able to tell if your employees are actively engaged in their work or if they are simply going through the motions, all the while keeping an eye on the clock until it's time to go home?

On the surface, it can be difficult to gauge an employee's level of engagement. In fact, according to a 2009 Salary.com survey, employers overestimate the degree of extremely satisfied employees nearly two to one. Often companies do not delve deeper to explore how increasing employee engagement can impact the bottom line.

As the economy turns and business begins to pick up, your claim department is going to be taking on more projects and supporting heavier workloads. A team's level of success will likely be contingent on employees' commitment and dedication to the company. What will you do if your top claim professionals leave your organization for a company that is also seeing an uptick in business? Productivity will be sacrificed, as a search for replacement talent ensues. As new opportunities become available to employees, managers' mindsets that employees are "lucky to just have a job" in the current economy will result in a workforce that is quick to jump ship. Take a step back and consider the programs that may have been cut in the past year at your organization. It is often the case that morale and development programs are the first to go during cutbacks. It is important to rebuild these programs and to develop a staff that is truly committed to your organization and its work.