Employee-a.k.a. People Engagement, Part 4

How will you move your engagement to the next level?

Whether you lead the company, own your business, manage a department, or “work for…” — employee engagement matters. 

Reality check: employers & employees, leaders & teams, managers & staff – you are in this together, or not. 

In light of the fact that the “or not” path is very expensive, it pays to give attention.  Yes, there is a reduction of pain and an increase in profit with every percentage point increase of…engaged people. 

Quick Review:

What do we know about people engagement at work?

• Chronic employee disengagement is very costly to business and people
• Relationship concepts:
  • Connecting
  • Respecting
  • Valuing
  • Having Voice
• Step One of engagement is in your court: how engaged are you?
• The 3 levels of employee engagement:
  • “Engaged” – a contributor
  • “Not engaged” –  a wait-and-see attitude
  • The “actively disengaged” – consistently against virtually everything
• Disengagement is an emotionally painful way to work and live for everyone
• Gallup suggests 55% of all U.S. workers are not engaged while another 16% are actively disengaged
• There is some good news…the opportunity for growth
• Commitment and passion are basic to long term employee engagement 

Note: For more information, visit my previous posts starting with Employee a.k.a. People Engagement

What are the keys to engagement?

In the book Closing the Engagement Gap, Julie Gebauer and Don Lowman share Towers Perrin’s groundbreaking research and knowledge around employee engagement.  They draw on stories from CEOs, managers and employees at eight extraordinary organizations in technology, health care, retail, manufacturing, consumer goods and entertainment.

Here are the five keys that they suggest will unlock employees’ potential:

Know Them. Be as familiar with employees as you are with customers. Use that knowledge to shape workplace programs that win people’s hearts and minds.

Grow Them. Challenge and develop the workforce. People want to learn and excel in their jobs, and they commit to companies that help them.

Inspire Them. Establish an emotional connection. When people’s work has meaning, they are more inclined to do whatever it takes to ensure success.

Involve Them. Communicate clearly with employees, gather their input, and let them act. Knowledgeable, valued workers add more value.

Reward Them. Deliver a “deal” that is fair and meaningful. When people believe they are treated right and appreciated, they give more of their time and creative energy.

These five keys are from an employer’s perspective.  If you are an employee, how could you re-frame these five keys? 

For Personal Reflection:

How would you rate your experience with the five keys?

How do you think you could “manage up” to close the gap?

What do you think?

Please encourage the discussion by posting your thoughts.