Engage!
Sorry Star Trek fans, it’s not exactly that kind of engagement. But it does lead to movement, motion, and progress. And, is often a sensitive subject. I often wonder what kind of response I’ll get when I ask a business owner or manager about the level of employee satisfaction and engagement. Typical responses are “We are good to our employees, they’re fine”, “Our turn-over is very low-so it can’t be an issue here”, “HR hasn’t had any complaints” or even, “Everyone here is happy, they would tell me if they weren’t.” Their assertions may be true, but the dismissive and often defensive tone of their responses leave me skeptical. Unfortunately, and more to the point, most have been incorrect.
A 2010 Gallup Employee Engagement Survey stated that “Lost productivity of actively disengaged employees costs the U.S. economy $370 billion annually.
That’s a huge number to contemplate, but just what exactly are we talking about?
Employee Satisfaction is a measurement of happiness with a current job and its conditions.
Employee Engagement is a measurement of emotional commitment to an organization. In other words, going the extra mile, or maybe just 50 ft. (think about that clerk that walked you to your item as opposed to the one that pointed and said “It’s probably down aisle 17”.
I know what you’re thinking, “There’s so much to do, and so many other real issues to focus on, why should I worry about this?”
I’m glad you asked, and I’ll give you 23 reasons. A 2011 Corporate Leadership Council (Gartner) study revealed that…
Performance against revenue expectations is 23 percent greater for companies with high engagement capital vs. those with low engagement capital.
How’s that for added value? How great would it be to be one of those companies that beat their expectations in addition to having a happy and engaged staff?
I encourage you to work with your Business Coach, or HR Specialist, to identify your company’s satisfaction and engagement drivers.
In the meantime, here are a few of the most common reasons I’ve seen to cause employee disengagement.
Leaving them in the dark and not communicating strategy and objectives.
Not setting clear expectations and regularly checking-in with staff.
Not providing positive feedback for work that’s extra, or above and beyond.
Not seeking to understand individual styles, goals, and motivators.
Not providing opportunities for personal, and professional growth.
Not treating them with respect and compassion.
Creating a culture that is all about the bottom line.
And generally, not providing leadership, vision, or direction.
How would you answer if asked?
How happy and engaged are you, your co-workers, or employees?
Please reach out if you'd like to have a conversation about engagement.
Dave
