How to Increase Employee Engagement
Are managers clear around how to best engage their employees? Maybe they too suffer from lack of full engagement. Gallup’s most recent research finds that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work.
I found at Dale Carnegie Training an infographic on “The Importance of Employee Engagement.” If you look at their stats:
- $11 BILLION is lost annually due to employee turnover
- Companies with Engage Employees outperform others up to 202%
- 71% of all employees are not fully engaged
The site also provides drivers of disengagement, traits of an engaged employee and guidelines to help lead the way to increase employee’s engagement with the company.
Why does it matter whether employees are fully engaged? Lost productivity costs are significant as well as turnover. Given the stats above, it’s important to look at what is a fully engaged employee.
An engaged employee is someone who is enthusiastic and involved in their work and ensures that what they do enhances the value of the company.
Engaged Disengaged
*Enthusiastic *Lack of Enthusiasm
*Helps Others *Doesn’t Help Others
*Takes Ownership of Work *Makes Excuses
*Makes Suggestions *Complains
*Takes Initiative to Do Better * Does the Minimum
*Asks Questions *Doesn’t Pay Attention
Some employees elicit some engaged behaviors and also show where they are not fully engaged. A manager may be able to turn them around, though will need to coach them on how their lack of involvement is impacting their performance as well as the company’s success.
Ways to Increase Employee Engagement
A manager is directly responsible for engaging with each member of their team. Here are 4 top ways to connect with each person to keep them excited about coming to work.
- Know your employees: A manager who spends time with each person understanding their values, what motivates them at work and how they see their careers developing, let’s the employee know that you care about them as a person. They are people first and workers second. When a manager listens to an employee, he/she will find that their team is more productive.
- Expectations: A manager needs to provide clear expectations for each person, which allows them to do their jobs successfully. When an employee is clear about the requirements, they feel more empowered to do their best. A manager that gives half of the instructions and expects the employee to complete quality work creates frustration for everyone.
- Training: Make sure that each member can do their job. If they lack knowledge or skill to perform at a high level, then provide them with training. Sometimes employees are reluctant to voice their lack of knowledge or skills. When you know your employees, you catch this quickly. You can be the trainer, others in the position, books or outside resources. Just make sure they feel competent to perform their responsibilities.
- Recognition: When a manager is proactive in providing day-to-day recognition, the results are significant. Know what forms of recognition motivate each person. Some like it to be public to the group, while others prefer a quiet 1:1 meeting. Also, encourage all team members to recognize others on the team when they are helpful.
For a manager, creating an engaged workforce is a daily commitment to do your best in finding ways for your team to do their best. It’s attending to each person’s performance, stepping in to coach them, recognizing their achievement no matter how small. Appreciate each person for what they bring to the group and encourage them to grow and learn.
Be well,
Pat
