From Nice to Have to Non-Negotiable: Why Employee Engagement Is Now Business-Critical
- Matthew Burgess
- Jun 27
- 3 min read
Employee engagement has long been talked about, but often misunderstood, or worse, deprioritised. In a recent webinar, From Nice to Have to Non-Negotiable, Baywater Healthcare CEO Adam Sullivan and Work Networks Director of Customer Experience Matthew Burgess explored how engagement is no longer a soft HR metric. It's a strategic imperative and a leadership responsibility.
Baywater’s journey offers a practical blueprint for organisations looking to elevate engagement from buzzword to business enabler.
Engagement That’s Real, Not Rhetoric
Adam opened with a challenge to traditional leadership communications. Drawing on his experience transitioning Baywater from a corporate subsidiary into an independent healthcare brand, he underscored the importance of two-way, authentic communication.
“Engagement is a voluntary act. You can’t force it, you create the conditions for it to happen.” – Adam Sullivan
Baywater serves over 60,000 patients across the UK, many of whom rely on oxygen therapy to live independently. With the majority of employees working remotely, from technicians on the road to call centre staff, building a connected, values-driven workforce was essential, not optional.
Creating a Culture of Community
During the management buyout, Adam and his leadership team made a conscious choice: increase transparency, not retreat behind closed doors. This decision laid the foundation for a culture shift, from “workplace” to “community.”
“I want our people to talk to their families about the community they’re part of, not just their job.” – Adam Sullivan
Leaders led from the front, supported by a trusted comms team that acted as both translator and sounding board. Rather than relying on sporadic updates or static intranet posts, Baywater built an environment where communication was continuous, human, and responsive.
Technology as the Enabler
To sustain this momentum, Baywater turned to technology. Initially adopting Meta’s Workplace platform, they later transitioned to Workvivo by Zoom with implementation support from Work Networks.
The difference? A more strategic, structured approach to digital engagement:
Communications segmented by audience relevance
Core values embedded into daily interactions
Recognition and feedback made visible across the organisation
“We didn’t want a content dumping ground, we needed a platform that could support culture, not just push messages.” – Adam Sullivan
The Role of Leadership: Visible and Vulnerable
One of the most compelling insights was Adam’s personal role in engagement. From weekly video updates to commenting on recognition posts, he set a tone of accessibility and honesty.
“Leadership isn’t about being polished. It’s about being present.”
The impact? Weekly videos often reach over 65% of Baywater’s workforce. Employees feel informed, connected and seen, even when physically apart.
Psychological Safety and the Power of Acknowledgement
Baywater’s culture allows employees to raise issues, share praise, or simply reflect on tough days without fear of reprisal. Only two posts have ever been removed from the platform in over six years.
Real-time responsiveness, especially from leadership builds trust. A quick “I see you” message from Adam at 10pm on a Saturday can make all the difference.
“People don’t always need a solution. Sometimes they just need to know someone’s listening.”
Measuring What Matters
Engagement is now one of four strategic pillars at Baywater. Through OKRs, survey insights, and platform analytics, the team continuously aligns people strategy with business performance.
“I’m more passionate about people than I am about the P&L. If you get the people side right, everything else follows.”
What Other Organisations Can Learn
Engagement is a leadership behaviour, not an HR task
Technology enables but does not replace human connection
Consistency, not complexity, builds trust
Psychological safety starts with open, responsive communication
Define the value of engagement and measure it clearly
The Work Networks Perspective
At Work Networks, we believe employee engagement is foundational to organisational success, especially in dispersed or hybrid teams. As this webinar showed, the combination of strong leadership, cultural intention, and the right digital tools can unlock remarkable outcomes.
We’re proud to support organisations like Baywater in designing engagement strategies, and technology ecosystems that genuinely connect people with purpose.
