Chapter 9

Topics Learned:

• Employee Engagement Overview

• Creating Positive Culture Through Employee Engagement

• Key drivers of employee engagement

• Key steps required to implement employee engagement

Concepts to know:

• Employee Engagement: The state of mind the employee has towards their job and their employer combined with the level of positive and productive behavior shown by the employee on behalf of their employer 

• Difference between employee engagement and employee loyalty, motivation, and satisfaction: 

  • Employee motivation is only a tiny part of an employee’s positive and productive behavior. Employee engagement adds more to that so that employees can fully develop positive and productive behaviors and mindsets.  

  • Employee engagement comprises two key aspects: state of mind and positive and productive actions.

• Typical behaviors of an engaged employee:

  •  SSS: Say, Stay, Strive

    • Say: Employees Say positive things about the organization to coworkers, potential employees, and customers

    • Stay: Employees want to stay because they have a sense of belonging and desire to be part of the organization

    • Strive: Employees strive towards success in the job and company (motivated and exert effort)

• How employee engagement helps create a positive and productive culture:

  •  When employees share very similar levels of commitment to their work, they all engage in positive and productive work like:

    • Putting extra time and effort into a task

    • Volunteering

    • Mentoring others

    • Offering innovative and/or constructive solutions to challenges facing the organization

  • They essentially go above and beyond(discretionary effort)

  • When most employees feel this way, it encourages other employees, maybe even newer employees, to get to the same level of commitment!

  • It also results in:

    • Less turnover

    • Willingness to offer constructive suggestions

    • Positive commentary about the organization

    • Willingness to engage in training and self-development activities

    • desire to contribute discretionary effort in support of the organization

• Key Drivers of Employee Engagement

  • Leaders: committed to making the organization a great workplace and making it clear they value their employees. Leaders earn the trust of their employees and treat them fairly.

  • Managers: provide meaningful, well-designed job roles. Provides authority, autonomy, resources, and support to accomplish jobs well and provide appropriate recognition and rewards.

  • Culture: The organization creates a positive environment based on trust, respect, collaboration, and a positive reputation. 

  • HR practices: Ensures fair performance review processes, fair compensation and benefits, work-life balance policies, employee support, diversity inclusion initiatives, and a safe work environment. 

• 4 Key steps to implement an employee engagement initiative:

  • Step 1: Define and communicate what Employee engagement means and why it's meaningful to increase engagement. 

  • Step 2: Measure current levels of EE and identify and prioritize initiatives that are most likely to improve EE levels. Make improvement goals for each initiative and overall EE levels. Requires multiple methods of measurement (surveys, focus groups, observations of employee behaviors)

  • Step 3: Develop an action plan for improving identifies priorities based on proven approaches. Routinely monitor progress and make necessary corrections. Confirm improvements implemented result in achieving the the target improvement goal(step 2). 

  • Step 4: Reward and recognize those involved in the improvement initiatives and communicate to the organization the progress made to improve EE.