How to Keep your Employees Engaged
According to talentoptimization.org, there are four primary forces that impact employee engagement: job, manager, team, and culture. Fifty-one percent of employees today are not engaged, while 16 percent are actively disengaged. But why does employee engagement matter anyway?
Disengagement is a widespread issue that causes organizations to lose billions of dollars to poor productivity, absenteeism, poor client service, safety issues, and toxic workplace cultures. Disengaged employees do just enough work to keep their job, while engaged employees are more likely to stay at your organization longer, become a top performer, and potentially recruit your next great hire.
Engaged employees reflect their dedication and commitment to their organization and their role. Effective leaders, rewarded accomplishments, and a positive, aligned company culture every day result in a higher level of engagement. Companies that have leaders at every level of the organization also have a higher level of employee engagement. If you allow the employee to see a future of leadership, they will feel more valued contributor and will be motivated to produce more outstanding work.
To improve employee engagement and increase success, it is important to consider the four forces of disengagement. The first, misalignment with role, can result from an individual being placed into an ill-fitting job. The employee must feel productive and well-aligned with work requirements to be at their highest level of engagement.
The next, misalignment with manager, is a reflection of the manager’s ability to motivate and manage their people effectively. According to this People Management Study,
“94 percent of employees with great bosses have passion and energy for their jobs, whereas only 59 percent of employees with bad bosses have passion and energy for their jobs.”
The next force of disengagement is misalignment with team. Clear communication and collaboration between team members are essential to success. Ninety-seven percent of employees believe a lack of alignment on a team impacts project outcomes. Team members should be familiar with each other’s communication styles and goals. An aligned team will ultimately lead to a group of successful and engaged individuals.
The last factor, misalignment with culture, results from employees feeling separated from the rest of their company. This can be a product of not feeling in sync with company values, feeling a lack of meaning and purpose, or having a lack of trust in company leadership. Managers should take the time to build an aligned culture and make clear to their employees all values and goals of the company.
Engagement is something that can be measured and should be done so at regular and ongoing intervals. Companies that monitor and invest in employee engagement tend to see higher performance from individuals and teams, benefit from discretionary effort, unify their workforce, and ultimately accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
Val Yaw, SHIFT CEO
