Employee engagement

An engaged workforce produces better business results, does not hop jobs and more importantly is an ambassador of the organization at all points of time. This engagement is achieved when people consider their organization respects their work, their work contributes to the organization goals and more importantly their personal aspirations of growth, rewards and pay are met.

Wellins & Bernthal (2015) defines engaged performance as “a result that is achieved by stimulating employees’ enthusiasm for their work and directing it toward organization success. This result can only be achieved when employers offer an implicit contract to their employees that elicits specific positive behaviours aligned with organization’s goals...”

Employee engagement is an important contributor to an organization's success. When employees are engaged, they are happy, productive and loyal. Companies everywhere are starting to discover the importance of employee engagement but may not be fully aware of how to keep or even begin to engage their employees. It is important to get to know your employees, encourage their participation and show them your appreciation.

One very important employee engagement strategy is keeping them involved in company decisions and what’s happening behind closed doors. This builds trust, boosts camaraderie and tells employees that their input is valuable. Create an employee-led committee, and put a person from each department on the board. Then there is input from all angles, and all departments know what is going on.

An engaged workforce form an emotional connect with the organization that helps them

•                     Go the Extra Mile to Achieve Individual and Company Success

•                     Innovate at Workplace

•                     Attract customers and employees

•                     Become Evangelists of the company, its product and processes

•                     Infuse energy and positivity at workplace.

Low employee engagement is a global problem. Right now, seven out of ten employees in the US drag their feet to work. This number is even higher around the world. A team of watchers is fatal to a growing company. On the other hand, companies that nail their employee engagement strategies outperform competitors in profitability, productivity, and all the ways that count.

In conclusion, understanding employee engagement drivers, measuring and enhancing engagement offers promise of better business performance by ambassadors of the organization who work like entrepreneurs and help sustain organization growth through innovation and lower employee turnover.

References

Merhar, C., 2016. Employee Retention - The Real Cost of Losing an Employee. [Online] Available at: https://www.zanebenefits.com/blog/bid/312123/employee-retention-the-real-cost-of-losing-an-employee [Accessed 11 January 2020].

Richards, L., 2013. Effects of Low Employee Morale. [Online] Available at: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-low-employee-morale-1768.html [Accessed 11 January 2020].

Wellins, R.S. & Bernthal, P., 2015. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: THE KEY TO REALIZING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. Development Dimensions International, Inc.