employee2.jpgEmployee engagement may seem like one of those fancy buzzwords that float around, but never really amount to much. But the truth of the matter is that it’s actually a very powerful concept that can both further your company’s culture and, hopefully, improve its bottom line. By actively engaging employees, you have the opportunity to forge an unbreakable bond that allows team members to become fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about the work they’re doing. Without such an atmosphere, you merely have a group that clocks in, earns their pay and calls it day by 5pm.

Recently, Gallup published an in-depth look at the state of the American workplace and within this insightful analysis, they looked at six of the most powerful actions a company can take to build and grow employee engagement within their organization. So, let’s take a brief glance at these dynamic recommendations and discover how they can best work for you.1. Em


1. employee Engagement Surveys

It’s true that employee engagement metrics can impact a company’s ability to enact performance changes. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial to ensure you’re collecting the right data with your efforts. Gallup is right in mentioning that their Q12 survey is effective in collecting specific, relevant and actionable metrics, since its focus resides on “emotional engagement.” This allows the results to uncover team members’ discretionary efforts and willingness to push beyond their job descriptions for the better of the organization.

2. Engagement at Every Level

Change must begin at the leadership level. That’s because a strong and clear example within the management team allows effective expectations to be set and empowers the workforce to help embody change. If an organization tries to create change on the local level, without following through on an enterprise level, it brings about a double standard that employees are less likely to buy into.

3. Employ the Right Managers

Truth be told, whether you’re hiring from outside the organization or promoting from within, the bottom line has to be that the individual must be good at managing your team. There is no metric to go by and no equation to dissect, because every culture is unique and therefore has a unique set of demands. Selecting the right person for the position means looking deeper into their set of talents to find someone who can support, position, empower and engage your staff—in the right way.

4. Be a Prepared Coach

Without the right set of tools at their disposal, any coach is doomed to failure. Organizations must take an active role in building a continued learning program and track progress to ensure the right boxes are being checked—which also offers an opportunity to pivot if necessary. With the company effectively backing the needs of managers and providing the support they require, you allow them to focus on the emotional engagement employees need to succeed.

5. Be Realistic

Every organization out there has set a lofty goal at some point in time. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, because it sets expectations of where the company wants to go. However, the objectives we place on the path to these goals must offer true-to-life meaning for the employees they affect. It must be clear to everyone—at every level—as to why these goals are important and how they as individuals can help make it happen. Openly knowing the impact they have on results is a very powerful way to engage team members and acknowledge their worth to the organization.

6. One-on-One Connections

As the other five examples touched upon, every employee has a different set of needs and expectations. You cannot approach one as you would another, because the effectiveness of the conversation would not carry over. As Gallup mentions, everything from age and gender to tenure and experience can play a vital role in shaping an individual’s overall workplace experience. All of these characteristics must be taken into account when attempting to influences one’s engagement within their role.

A rather telling metric within Gallup’s study finds that only 41% of surveyed employees feel they know what their company stands for and what makes their brand unique against any competitor. This number shows just how important employee engagement can be to the future of an organization. Without a firm understanding of the brand or a strong desire to see it grow, succeed and prosper, you run the risk of falling to the competition; especially if their workforce is poised to go beyond what is asked of them for the better of the company. That’s why, we truly believe that these six objectives—as uncovered by Gallup—are crucial to building an office environment conducive to change, growth and ultimately—long-term success.

 

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At C A. Short Company, we are your partner for increased employee engagement resulting in increased performance outcomes to grow your bottom line. Our process and research-based platform helps you engage your team in order to increase your bottom line, motivate your staff to the benefit of the entire organization, and reward your people for the positive changes they make. To request a Complimentary Consultation, please click here. 

 

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