By John Viktorin and Lee Downs
In recent years much has been written about employee engagement, yet it’s difficult to describe even though many of us claim to know it when we see it.
Employee engagement was initially defined in a 1994 Harvard Business School paper titled Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work. Its premise was that a concerted focus on employee satisfaction would be reflected in better customer service, resulting in loyal customers and greater profits.
The Drivers of Employee Engagement
In order for employees to experience engagement and express their engagement in the workplace, they need to feel they are valued by the organization and involved in decision-making.
There are eight drivers of employee engagement, including:
- Trust in, and the integrity of, the senior leadership team
- The nature of the employee’s job
- A clear connect between individual performance and company performance
- Career growth opportunities
- Pride in the organization
- Feeling strongly connected, with strong relationships, to co-workers or team
members
- Personal development opportunities
- A personal relationship with their manager or boss
Employee engagement challenges
Whatever else employee engagement is, it is not like a water faucet—easily turned off and on at any time. Employee engagement is generated through a complex system of strategies that produce engagement. But while the system may be complex, the individual activities don’t need to be.
For instance, human resources leaders need to communicate what employee engagement is, why it is important to the senior leadership and how it impacts the bottom line.
While the organization doesn’t need to make employee engagement the focus of all its activities, it does need to identify, initiate and support activities that create and grow a culture of engagement.
In HR, where capturing concrete engagement metrics can sometimes be difficult, greater focus needs to be given to capturing data that reflect the organization’s investment in employee satisfaction and the return on that investment. After all, research tells us that engaged employees drive profits.
Where the rubber meets the road
All that is left is action: Though many organizations understand what employee engagement looks like and what they should be doing to get there, few are actually using this know-how to produce sustainable results.
This workshop provides the tools you need to be a employee engagement champion in your organization. Start by defining and measuring what you and your organization are doing well, and work to win-over senior leadership. Look for quick wins with smaller working groups or departments that are already showcasing many of the attributes you are looking for.
Track employee engagement through employee satisfaction survey results. Empower your organization’s engagement champions, build relationships with leaders who can be engagement champions, and, most important of all, get started today.
Lee Downs and John Viktorin are partners in Amoeba Communications a consulting firm that creates communications that engage people and drive performance. They are the go-to team for leaders seeking high impact, high value solutions in four areas: organizational communications, change management, HR communications and leadership communications. You can reach Lee and John at www.engagecanada.com or by calling 416-535-3350.
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