Employee Engagement: Vital Key to Business Success – Part 2

Last time we looked at some of the benefits your business will enjoy if your employees are engaged in their work. Engagement includes a sense of commitment, belonging and caring. It’s the difference between a worker who shows up, does their time and leaves early compared to someone who acts as if they make a difference (and they do!)

The first three tips remind you to be generous with words of thanks and even tangible rewards, to help your staff see how they make a difference in your company, and to keep them informed about what’s happening within the business. Here are the remaining seven strategies:

4. Involve your employees in decision making and ask for their input. Having a say in company matters empowers an employee, gives them a sense of worth and contributes to their buy-in. Soliciting ideas from the people working in various levels and operations of an organization can also be a great source of creative cost-saving, efficiency, and staff morale improvements, making your company even more desirable for recruiting and keeping the best job candidates.  
5. Maintain a company culture that creates trust connections between executives, managers and peers. Work to encourage “push back” through the ranks of the organization while emphasizing the importance of keeping discussions solution-focused. There must be opportunity for constructive criticism and disagreement - even between lower and higher level staff – as long as it is communicated respectfully.  
6. Give your employees clear benchmarks or specific job objectives. A moving target is the most difficult to hit. If necessary, tell employees why a particular task is helpful or necessary. Clearly communicate deadlines and ask employees if they understand what is expected of them. If they know what they are supposed to do and why, they'll be able to gauge if they are succeeding.
7. Provide the resources your employees need to do their job. Set an example of using supplies wisely, but be sure they have the tools, safety equipment, office supplies, etc. to perform with efficiency and excellence.
8. Invest in training and development. Offering your employees opportunities to learn new skills, master new technologies and expand their knowledge related to their role communicates they are valued and able to contribute significantly. If your company can’t afford formal training programs, even briefings by company leaders or inservices by skilled employees can make a difference in staff unity and education.  
9. Train managers to be coaches instead of just authority figures. Yelling and threatening are not viable methods of motivating employees to become engaged. Managers need to view their crew as a valuable resource that deserves to be developed by teaching, encouraging and modeling proficiency and professionalism. When working with an employee to correct a problem, the manager must offer clear direction for what needs to change and how it should be done. 
10. Show the employee the potential for a bright future. Since the beginning of time people have asked the question, “Why am I here?” While a person’s job may not be the ultimate answer to that mystery, it is important to people to feel that there is a good purpose for what they do and how they spend their time, talent and energy. As a leader, you must articulate a vision for your company and share it with your employees so they can sense that they are part of something that matters. They want to know that they can continue to grow and develop within your company, whether it’s expanding their current responsibilities or exploring a whole new role. They need to know that what they do and how they do it matters – and it’s worth the effort.

So, try these strategies, and remember, engaged employees are a vital key to helping your company succeed!

Live, Work and Relate Well!

Dr. Todd