ARE YOUR PEOPLE TRULY ENGAGED?

*Please note the opinions expressed by the author are his own and do not represent associated employers, clients or organizations. Every company is unique, and solutions will vary based on need and situation.*

It’s that time of year again. Employee engagement surveys (hurray!). We know. We hear you. You LOVE surveys. But hear us out on this one, because some great stuff can happen when you pay attention to engagement.

WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT ANYWAY?

Don’t be confused. Engagement isn’t employee satisfaction or happiness. It’s easy to confuse the concept because often engaged employees are usually also satisfied and happy. According to Wikipedia, engagement is “a property of the relationship between an organization and its employees. An engaged employee is defined as one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so takes positive action to further the organization's reputation and interests.” Engagement means employees are emotionally invested in the organization, and are willing to give extra effort to see it succeed. They help the organization to achieve its goals willingly. Who doesn’t want those employees on their team?

SO WHY THE SURVEY?

The employee engagement survey is a once-a-year snapshot. It tells us how our employees are feeling at that single time of year and gives them the chance to provide their feedback (good or bad) on their organization, team, culture, and leaders. The feedback received can be extraordinarily helpful in driving decision-making in our business. Statistics consistently show an engaged employee is a productive employee, and one who remains with the business longer. The survey gives us that snapshot, which is guidance for what we should start/stop/continue doing.  

HOW CAN I IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT?

When it comes right down to it, engagement is something that has to be a consideration year-round. High engagement really is generated by two things: leaders and cultures. The saying goes that people quit bosses, not jobs. Since leaders are a catalyst for culture, this comes out loud and clear with engagement. 

The interesting thing is that many sources show engagement to be a real problem in the workplace. Studies show that about 70% of employees report being disengaged to varying degrees, with only about a quarter reporting as actively engaged in their work. Among those disengaged employees, the majority report their leader to be the primary driver of their disengagement. According to Entrepreneur magazine, unhappy or disengaged employees cost up to $550 Billion to the US economy alone!

So what can you do? Here are a few things that can help:

• Genuine Culture – Nothing drives disengagement faster than a company pretending to be something it isn’t. See the Values posters on the wall? Build the workplace culture based on that. Make decisions and support employees using our values as your roadmap. And as a leader, demonstrate your own commitment to your organization and values. You’re a leader, so give your people a reason to follow!
• Fail Forward – John Maxwell’s book speaks about building a safe and supportive culture. That means helping people to learn from mistakes rather than fearing them. In this way, employees learn and grow. After all, “To high performers, mistakes are momentary setbacks, not a lifelong epidemic.” Fear drives disengagement. Development – Maintain a focus not just on your employees’ performance today, but on their future plans. When an employee feels you’re engaged in their success, they give back.
• Communication – Be open and honest with your employees. Whether with regard to goals and results, or by involving them in decision-making and planning. Provide continuous feedback and seek input and advice, especially from top performers. Good communication generates commitment and commitment brings engagement.   
• Hire Right – Turnover happens. In engaged workplaces, more turnover comes from employees growing within the business. So when you have the opportunity to hire, do it right. Hire for the skills you need of course but look for someone who will fit within the culture and help bring your team up. 
• Pay Attention – To really impact engagement, don’t wait for the survey. Keep your finger on the pulse and make engagement a priority year-round. Yes, there is software that can help with this, but I also mean staying connected to your employees and gauging employee engagement on a continuous basis. When you pay attention to your people, you can individualize your responses, and ensure your efforts are targeted and effective.

Engaged employees make the workplace feel more comfortable, welcoming, and bring up performance. Engaged employees feel empowered and invested. They tend to show more enthusiasm in their work and make the work environment a better place for other employees as well as clients and leaders. Put in some effort year round to see the dividends high engagement can bring to your team and your results. You won’t regret it!