Employee engagement is a win-win proposition for all stakeholders. Actively engaged employees create an enriched work environment, do a better job of meeting organizational objectives and provide top-notch customer service. The level of employee engagement at a firm directly correlates with organizational productivity. American firms have a wealth of opportunity for improvement in this area. Only 32-percent respondents to a recent Gallup poll reported feeling actively engaged in their careers, while over 50-percent replied that they were not engaged, and more than 17-percent admitted that they were actively disengaged. Resultingly, business leaders who develop employees help the organization succeed.
Also read: 4 Employee Engagement Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making
It’s easy to recognize engaged employees in the workplace. This kind of staff member delivers exceptional service and produces extraordinary results. These individuals light up the room with their confidence, positivity and determination to perform. Engaged employees lead others by example, while remaining calm and focused on the task at hand. They view problems not as inconveniences, but as a challenge to overcome and use as a learning opportunity.
Engaged Employees Deliver Heightened Performance
Operational success rates are 200-percent higher among enterprises with corporate cultures that promote employee engagement. Engaged employees are corporate champions who inspire other staff members to take pride in their work. The positive attitudes that employees have toward their firms result in 28-percent less shrinkage, 37-percent less absenteeism and 48-percent fewer safety incidents.
As for production, engaged employees produce products with 41-percent fewer quality defects. These numbers clearly establish the connection between employee engagement and improved organizational outcomes. More importantly, the unwavering enthusiasm of engaged employees is contagious and spreads among other staff members quickly.
The How and Why of Employee Engagement
68-percent of employees who participated in a recent poll considered training and development the most important aspect of company policy, and nearly 80-percent of the staff members desired opportunities for career advancement. While positive verbal reinforcement doesn’t guarantee employee engagement, staff members want to feel recognized in the workplace.
To accomplish this, effective business leaders establish regular milestones so that workers have goals to work toward. This might encompass assigning additional responsibilities, such as allowing employees, to take on managerial responsibilities or providing learning resources for staff members. They also give staff members the freedom to do their job and the opportunity to showcase their best talents. This work environment improves morale, boost productivity and promotes employee engagement.
Getting Staff Members Involved
Developing employee engagement is a multipronged process. The hiring process involves four main points: clearly defining the job position and roles, finding the right candidates, evaluating candidates and verifying candidate information. This formalized process allows enterprise leaders to make the most of corporate resources.
Also read: A Chief Learning Officer Can Take Employee Engagement to the Next Level
For existing personnel, effective employers create a work environment that’s pleasant and fulfilling, while providing opportunities for workers make use of their natural talents. Another way the employers build engagement with current employees is transparency. Staff members prefer to communicate in different ways, so it’s important to connect with employees using varying methods. This may include email correspondence, face-to-face meetings, hardcopy memos or other methods. Effective employers also make sure that employees have the resources to learn and advance within the organization.
Each new staff member can either help or harm the organization. When selecting candidates for an open position, hiring managers start by thinking about the desired result. It’s vitally important to establish staffing goals and a formalized hiring process. The first step for finding new hires who are likely to promote an engaged workforce is to identify current top performers and create a profile based on their professional characteristics. Employers then seek these qualities in the potential job candidates.
Business leaders who create a work environment that fosters employee engagement double the chances of success for their firms. Therefore, savvy business leaders measure and monitor the attributes that are important for organizational success and make a note of the individuals that make positive contributions. There are various management and organization styles that can be implemented too that can help with create better leadership. Leaders that engaged employees stand out from other staff members because they consistently produce positive outcomes. They are passionate about their work and feel a genuine connection with their firm, and often advance into management. These are the individuals that drive innovation and move the company toward desired goals.
The self-perception of each employee is influenced by the sum of their life circumstances, and how they perceive their connection with their career has a considerable impact on their outlook on life. To maximize the potential of every employee, effective business leaders make sure to connect with employees in ways that promote engagement, nurture creativity and foster innovation.
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