(From PRWEB) -- It's hard to justify employee engagement if we confuse the means with the ends. In a recent analysis of survey results from more than 145 organizations and 1.5 million employees conducted by TNS Employee Insights, the end was obvious: the customers. A comparison of High Performing Companies, those who are leaders in their industries and demonstrate sustained financial growth, as compared to other organizations, showed that not only did these organizations tend to have better relationships with their employees, their employees were more focused on customers . The analysis found that a focus on the "ends", or the end user, the customer, went hand in hand with a drive toward constant improvement and innovation.

TNS Employee Insights found the differences between High Performing Companies (HPCs) and other firms is consistent: employees in HPCs are much more dedicated to understanding customer needs and use that understanding to improve how they do their jobs. They are also more likely to say that the firm is making necessary changes to be competitive. Bottom line: employees in HPCs are more market focused - their line of sight is not exclusively internal, but is focused externally on what is happening around them and their company.

In addition, the analysis found that employees in HPCs report a constant drive for improvement, and a focus on future possibilities versus acceptance of what is today. They are far more likely to look for new and better ways to do things, strive to improve performance, and feel the company as a whole has a vision for the future that is inspiring. There is an energy that is tangibly different than non-HPCs.

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