Employee Engagement

What is Employee Engagement?

• Defined as the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs and committed to the organization.
• Involves putting discretionary effort into work.
• Goes beyond just job satisfaction or happiness.
• Key elements include:
  • Personal meaning in work
  • Pride in the organization
  • Belief that the organization values them

Importance of Employee Engagement

• Why Does Engagement Matter?
  • Affects profitability, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
  • High engagement leads to reduced turnover and absenteeism.
  • Engaged employees are more likely to:
  • Go the extra mile for customers
  • Volunteer ideas
  • Maintain safety standards

Engagement vs Satisfaction

• Employee Engagement vs. Employee Satisfaction:
  • Satisfaction is merely about being content with work environment.
  • Engagement includes an emotional commitment and desire to contribute to the organization.
  • Employees can be satisfied without being engaged.

Measuring Engagement

• Engagement Survey Questions:
  1. My organization successfully accomplishes its mission.
  2. I am satisfied with my supervisor.
  3. I know what is expected of me on the job.
  4. I am given opportunities to improve my skills.
• Surveys should focus on multiple aspects:
  • Pride in work, satisfaction with leadership, opportunities to perform well, recognition, and professional growth.

Employee Engagement Levels

• Current statistics on engagement:
  • Overall Employee Engagement in the U.S.: 54% Engaged, 28% Actively Disengaged.
  • Engagement variations across sectors (e.g., government, private) show different engagement percentages.

Employee Behaviors Based on Engagement Level

• Engaged Employees:
  • Highly motivated, stay for less money, advocate for the organization.
• Not Engaged Employees:
  • Do the bare minimum, lack strong commitment.
• Actively Disengaged Employees:
  • Poor relationship with the organization, unmotivated.

Key Practices to Improve Engagement

1. Engage Everyone: Make engagement a collective responsibility.
2. Leadership Involvement: Lead from the top and involve managers and supervisors in engagement strategies.
3. Clear Expectations: Communicate job expectations and align employee efforts with organizational mission.
4. Regular Feedback: Meet frequently with employees to provide guidance and recognize contributions.
5. Positive Work Environment:
   • Manage work-life balance and respect contributions from staff.

HR's Role in Enhancing Engagement

• Champion engagement and drive cultural change.
• Facilitate processes, identify issues, and be a role model for desired behaviors.

Getting Started with Engagement Initiatives

• Make a long-term commitment to employee engagement.
• Communicate the business case and involve employees in the process.
• Follow up on survey results and make targeted actions based on feedback.

Conclusion

• Remember: "You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within." - Bob Wilson