How to Use Employee Engagement to Your Business' Advantage

Between the winter and the continued economic struggles, many employers are being lulled into thinking that all is well in the workplace. Turnover is down or non-existent, revenue generation is coming back ever so slowly, and costs have been brought in line. All of this can certainly give companies and organizations the impression that everything is on the upswing and “Life is Good”.

The problem is that when we come out of this economic recession, many people will start looking for other opportunities and in most cases; the good opportunities will be made available to your good people. People are not usually changing jobs for financial differences, but relationship differences. The relationship between the manager and employee is the key to retention of good/great employees.

The main reason for leaving a company is the fact that the manager is either doing something wrong or is just not providing the feedback needed for personal development and advancement. Managers must exhibit an interest in their people; learn to understand what motivates their staff, provide a realistic career path for advancement, and to maximize the talents of their key employees. Leadership and Management Development Programs are designed to teach people the skill sets and competencies that are needed to develop high performing employees in the workplace. Read about these programs here, but let’s get back to engagement….

High performing employees are not always the highly engaged employee. Managers must make sure that all employees are engaged and the key employees must be well aware of how their value contributes to the overall success of the Business Strategy of the company or organization.

Keep in mind, low turnover does not reflect high employee engagement. It doesn’t, but it can! You still need engagement driven by management.


How To Take Action

Most of us don't realize that our behavioral patterns are predictable and how much our personal behavior impacts the people around us. We highly recommend the use of an assessment instrument to guide you in boosting employee engagement.

This assessment enhances the understanding that managers and employees have of each other and helps you learn how to improve your effectiveness and productivity in the workplace. This can help people be truly engaged in the workplace but understanding themselves and how they can relate to the business strategy of the organization. Our DiSC© Workplace Profile/Workshop can help facilitate engagement in your work environment.

Heading Off Employee Burnout

In today's "do more with less" environment, employees are especially susceptible to burnout. So what for signs of excess stress in your staffers. Decreased enthusiasm, increased irritability, sudden changes in performance and high absenteeism all signal possible burnout.

If your employees are exhibiting these signs, use these stress-management options:
. . .Shift some of their work to others temporarily. Often all a good employee needs is a little break. Find someone who can assume some of his/her duties for a short time. After they've recharged their batteries, you'll find they are probably itching to resume former responsibilities.
. . .Encourage people to take breaks, shorter more frequent breaks that is. Several short walks around the block are more refreshing than a lengthy coffee break.
. . .Get rid of electronic leashes. Give them a break from "electronic leashes." Example: Declare a beeper-free, email-free and cellphone-free Friday morning.
. . .Look at the role you play. If you want them to balance their lives, you should be a model. Share your stress-reduction tips. And be careful not to reward stress-inducing behavior. Example: Stop complimenting employees for working long hours. Thank them for the quality of the work they complete.

Adapted from "Love 'Em or Lose 'Em"