iCIMS Hire Expectations™

Last August a friend and colleague of mine, Kaitlin Walsh, wrote about engagement in the American Workforce.  In her post, she wrote about a 2008 Gallup Management Research study which found that less than 1/3 of the American workforce is actively engaged in their jobs.  Given the apparent affect on morale this extended recession has had on workers, that number is probably even lower, now.  The Gallup study suggested that engaged employees have lower turnover, less absenteeism, more productivity, and higher profitability.

While all of that sounds nice it begs a practical question: How can I boost employee engagement?

This is a question well-satirized in the popular Dilbert comic...check it out here!

The responsibility for engaging employees falls to team leaders and managers.  This must be a day-to-day, consistent effort to ensure that employees are recognized for their achievements and feel aligned with the company.  While it may seem like management 101, here are a few tips I put together for managers to make their employees feel valued and recognized, leading to higher employee engagement:

• Get to know your employees—they have hobbies and interests just like you do, and while those hobbies might not be your cup of tea, it is important that you show an interest in their lives and try to understand what makes them happy.
• Show them your own personality, too—while too much chit-chat can counteract the productivity benefits you are trying to create, a little small talk can go a long way.  Giving your team-members a (small) glimpse of your life will help them to see that you’re human just like they are.  Employees who feel connected to their team and company are much more likely to experience goal-alignment and truly want to do well for you and for the company.
• Clearly define goals—explaining the company’s overall targets and how your team objectives contribute to those targets should be made crystal clear.  If you want to engage your employees, they have to see the relationship between their hard work and the success of the company.  
• Recognize employee contributions—it is important for every business to reinforce positive behaviors.  When an employee has done a great job, why not tell them exactly that?  It doesn’t hurt to throw in some small reward, either.  Where appropriate, consider buying an occasional lunch or letting out a bit early.
• Reward repeated positive behaviors—when an employee has consistently done well for your team and is committed to helping your organization succeed, make sure that you show them how much you appreciate those efforts. Give them an appropriate (financial) reward for their efforts but be sure to clearly explain why they are being rewarded.  This is an especially valuable tool now, as top contributors are starting to have other options for employment.

These tips are easy enough to implement although difficulty often lies in being consistent.  The appropriate attitude towards engaging employees is similar to that of getting physically fit.  It’s not enough to just go on a diet; you have to make lasting lifestyle changes.

For more information on employee engagement, download this free whitepaper on engaging and retaining top talent.