What do you do if your employee engagement is lacking despite recognition and rewards?

Employee Engagement has multiple layers and facets. As a leader one big mistake we tend to do is paint with one Brush. Your team will have people who like positive affirmation like a "Great Job Done" while there will be people who get motivated with challenging problem statements. The most important part for a Leader is to understand the individual and then cater to their needs rather than trying what they think is good for employee engagement. My personal approach is to treat my team like a Football team where you would have "Defenders" (Ensures Metrics are on track), "Strikers" ( Takes challenges Head On) and "Mid-Fielders" ( Can play/switch to either of the role).

I think too many of us look at Google and think culture is all about fun, ping-pong tables, and free smoothies. WRONG! Culture is about creating a tribe with a purpose and a reason for existing. Do your team members feel like they are there for a reason? As a leader, you must clearly define your team's goals and how your tribe will get there. Without that, how can a culture exist if no one is clear about why the diverse group of individuals has come together in time to create something?

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast." 🍳 If your team's disengaged, it's time to assess your company culture. Is it inclusive, supportive, and does it promote belonging? Gather honest feedback through surveys and focus groups to identify areas for improvement. Let's cultivate a culture where everyone feels valued and engaged! 🌟🚀

If employee engagement is lacking despite being recognized and rewarded, it is important to investigate the underlying issues further. Begin to understand their concerns and motivations by asking employees questions through surveys or one-on-one discussions. Solve operational issues, or lack of development opportunities, and take initiative steps to address them. Consider implementing new programs to promote a positive work environment, such as employee development programs, flexible workflows, or team-building activities. Assess the effectiveness of communication systems and make adjustments as necessary to meet changing employee needs. Show genuine care and empathy for employees for what they are worth.

Eine effektive Integration von Engagement-Strategien erfordert eine massgeschneiderte Herangehensweise, die die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Funktionen verschiedener Abteilungen berücksichtigt. Durch regelmässige Evaluierung und Anpassung dieser Strategien können wir sicherstellen, dass sie die gewünschten Effekte erzielen.

If your manager only says "good job" without helping you grow, you might start losing interest. But what if they offer programs where you can learn new skills, pair you with someone experienced to guide you, or provide training that fits what you want? That's like giving you wings to fly higher! When your company invests in your growth like that, it shows they're serious about your future. And that can make you feel super motivated to give it your all.

If an employee doesn’t see a clear career path or opportunity for growth, efforts to reward or recognize may fall flat. Spend the time mapping out career paths within your organization, and then do the same thing with your direct reports once those paths are determined. Be clear on what employees can do to advance on that path, share realistic timelines and expectations, then help them along that path. Coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities (conferences, courses, executive education, etc) all help the employee grow, advance in their career, and feel like the company wants them to grow.

As a leader, you can support your employees' autonomy by providing the resources/tools they need to do their jobs effectively, setting clear expectations, and giving them the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work. It's important to note that autonomy is earned and not given. It results from proven success, work ethic, style, performance, and trust. It's vital to communicate to your team that autonomy is not a right but a privilege that needs to be earned. Providing feedback on their performance is a key step a make sure to celebrate their successes! It's also important to provide support and guidance. Make yourself available to answer questions and provide direction, but avoid stifling their creativity and independence.

Führungskräfte spielen eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Förderung des Mitarbeiterengagements. Durch vorbildliches Verhalten, klare Kommunikation und die Förderung eines offenen Dialogs können sie eine Kultur der Motivation und des Respekts fördern.

In my experience, having the freedom to steer my own work progress makes a big difference in how involved I am. When I'm constantly monitored or don't have a say in what I do, even the best rewards lose their appeal, but when my manager outlines the goals and gives me space to find my own path to achieve them, it's a whole different game. Trusting your team members to make decisions not only makes them want to work harder but also makes them feel like they are an important part of the team.

If there ever was a silver bullet to addressing in breakdowns within organizations, I’d say it’s improving communication. This is not easy and takes a lot of work, so you must truly be dedicated to making improvements here. I’d say the firs two steps in this process are: 1) take a look at yourself first. In the immortal words of Taylor Swift “It’s me, hi, Im the problem it’s me!” Often times managers understand what they want in their head, but don’t communicate it clearly (or at all). Also, your tone and approach may create an environment that isn’t conducive to open conversation. Look internally first! 2) work hard to create a safe space for communication. If people dont feel safe speaking to you because of how you react, they wont talk!

I was reading a great book by General James Mattis. He wrote about his staff and their attitude when communicating with the Marines in the field. He told them that calls and emails from your junior officers in the field are not distractions; they are why you are there! When your team tries to communicate up and down the chain of command, do you foster open communication, or are there eye rolls and attitudes you are bothered by? Would you happen to know if emails get ignored? If that happened, you need to ask why.

Personally, I dont believe in “work-life balance”…theres just “life balance.” Work is part of your life…just as family, friends, kids, health, hobbies, sports, travel, etc are. You must have harmony in all areas as often as you can in order to find peace in any of them. A stressful day at work, will affect your personal relationships. Just as your kid being sick, will cause you not to play in your Sunday softball game. It’s all interrelated. Regarding work though, as a manager I make it clear that this is a significant part of their life and so we should work together to create as much harmony in the office so all areas of their lives are uplifted. If you’d like more specific ideas Im happy to share!

This is the most difficult life lesson for me. My family worked in the fields and had to work as hard as possible to survive, and thankfully, I inherited that work ethic. Unfortunately, I learned to work harder than anyone, not to work smarter. Human beings need to understand we are not machines. The human brain is a muscle; just like any muscle, it needs rest. Taking a moment to clear your head, take a day off, relax, read a book, or take a walk seems like we have a work ethic, and it might be true. But what it does is allow me to be more productive and to be better at my job; if I wanted to walk from coast to coast, what gets me there is walking 24 hours a day on a treadmill or walking 25 miles a day on foot to one day get me there.

If your employees lack engagement despite recognition and rewards, reassess your approach. Get feedback from them to identify the cause of their disengagement, create opportunities for professional growth, and communicate the company's goals and values clearly. A supportive and positive work environment can increase engagement and job satisfaction.

For me, it's important to feel like what I do matters. Just getting rewards isn't enough if I don't know why my job is important. When I worked on a team project, our leader showed us how each of our tasks fit together to reach our goal. Understanding how my work contributes to the team's success gives me a real sense of purpose and motivates me to do my best.

Belief in the Business and its leaders. Understanding where employees believe the business is underperforming and responding to that feedback is a critical initiative to building trust and positive perception. What are the perceived gaps in performance/ culture / focus / capability? It’s about being real and about staff being heard. With this Engagement will skyrocket If your people believe in you, the business and your objectives they will be engaged in the work and the goals of the business!!!

Trotz der besten Absichten können die vorgeschlagenen Engagement-Strategien an Grenzen stossen, wenn sie nicht kontinuierlich auf ihre Wirksamkeit überprüft und angepasst werden. Es ist wichtig, realistisch zu bleiben und zu erkennen, dass nicht jede Massnahme bei jedem Mitarbeiter gleich gut ankommt.