Employee engagement’s effect on the bottom line is über impressive. This is why I’ll never keep quiet about it. Engaged people are more motivated and committed to their employer and to staying focused on achieving business goals. Disengaged people can be a suck on morale and impact everything from customer service to sales, productivity, quality, innovation, retention and other pivotal business areas. As a leader, there’s much you can do to shape this situation.
So what will it take to engage your people? While it differs by region, a common theme revolves around feeling connected and being an important part of something bigger.
- Senior leadership must articulate a clear vision to all employees. No one likes to work in a dark room. Everyone likes to see where they are and where they are going.
- Employees should be encouraged to communicate openly and influence the company’s vision through their input. Having no input is not feeling valued. No one wants to remain in a situation like this. No one gives under these circumstances.
- Direct managers should foster healthy relationships with their people. This is the single most important factor underlying employee retention. 94% of people leave because of a bad relationship with their direct manager. If you have a bad manager on your team, support them to change or get rid of them.
- Senior leadership should continuously demonstrate that employees have an impact on their environment. It is not enough to pay lip service to this. This only breeds alienation. Leadership must walk the talk.
- Managers should show their people that they are valued as true contributors, giving them a sense of empowerment. Managers must continually seek and act on input from their people. Everyone wins.
With the competition for talent ever on the increase, making sure you have a fired-up and engaged team is your biggest business opportunity.
