Employee Engagement 101
I’ll kick off this post with a look at what employee
engagement really means. It is a term that is used so commonly these days (much
like “sustainability”) that the true meaning is actually different than most
think. To start, it is NOT the same as employee satisfaction or happiness.
These terms suggest someone who could be an asset to the organization and gets
along day to day, but is not necessarily committed to the future of the
organization. Nor is it just asking employees to take a survey that measures
their level of commitment to the company and further assess areas for
improvement. Here are a few definitions of what employee engagement IS:
-
Employee engagement is the emotional commitment
the employee has to the organization and its goals. When employees care—when
they are engaged—they use discretionary effort.(1)
-
Engaged employees are those who are involved in,
enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and who contribute to their
organization in a positive manner. Engaged employees are the ones who are most
likely to drive innovation, growth, and revenue that their companies
desperately need.(2)
-
Engagement is when employees get to utilize
their skills, strengths, and innate creativity, and to contribute to something
meaningful. Then it follows that they will put forth careful effort,
demonstrate motivation, and perform at an above-average level. Thus leading to
what we all want as business leaders: improved business results.(3)
While
the interpretation of employee engagement varies somewhat between sources, it
seems the common thread among definitions is the long-term, human-centered
focus that results in an organization’s success. I’ve noticed that each
definition above, however, is still focused on the organization’s success.
Makes sense, right? An organization compensates you for your good work, no
matter how it is achieved, and that improves business. Whether your good work
is the result of true dedication or ulterior motives, most businesses are not
too interested in how the results were achieved, just that they WERE in fact
achieved.
Interestingly,
the employee side of the equation didn’t start to take shape until the 1970’s
when employee satisfaction became the focus of the HR department. This was not
satisfaction based on performance, but more of a “do what it takes to keep the
employee happy” mentality. Entering the 1990’s, satisfaction morphed into
employee commitment most likely due to the benefits being offered and job
stability. However, as global competition increased, companies and employees
became more fluid. Manufacturing jobs became less and less common while the
service sector drastically grew. As the work force improved their skill set
with more short-term jobs, employers realized they were losing valuable labor
and spending more money replacing employees. This eventually led to the idea of
engagement.(4)
In
1990, the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) published a paper titled “From
People to Profits, the HR link to the Service-Profit Chain” which linked
employee attitudes and behavior to higher customer retention rates and sales
performance. As time went on you can see how the employee from the company’s
perspective changed from a replaceable worker to an invaluable asset.
W.L. Gore - A Leader in Employee Engagement
One
of the companies that are leading the way in employee engagement is W.L. Gore
& Associates. In my MBA program, we have discussed this company multiple
times for good reason. Not only have they been voted in the “FORTUNE 100 Best
Companies to Work For®” list for 17 consecutive years, they also are recognized
for their incredible employee engagement.(5) Some of their practices
and results of those practices(6) include:
-
pay
is based on colleagues’ rating of each other
-
a
non-hierarchical environment, all employees are associates (yes, no titles!)
-
flexible
hours to promote work/life balance
-
>50%
of the staff have worked over 10 years at Gore
-
75%
of the staff say they have their dream job
It
seems much of W.L. Gore’s success is based on autonomy of each employee and
trust. Even more fascinating is the value they put on “followership”. When new
employees start at Gore they are expected to come up with many original ideas,
but also to learn to follow those who inspire them. This is how the company
identifies leaders. I found this pretty counterintuitive because so much of the
time a leader wants to spread their ideas and take charge, but knowing how to
empower your “followers” and yield to other’s thoughts is proven to make the
team or organization more effective.(7)
To
close, I’d like to share “The Twelve Dimensions that Describe Great Workgroups “ by Gallup Management Journal.(8) I
found this to be very edifying in my pursuit to be a supportive, personable and
inspirational supervisor at my workplace, Costco Wholesale. I have experienced
all of these both when being managed and when supervising my own employees and
whole-heartedly agree with them. I hope you find them equally helpful to
encourage engagement where you work and on your own journey.
1: Knowing What's Expected
Expectations are the milestones we use to measure our
progress and, within the workplace, those milestones mark the pathways that
guide us toward achievement. If expectations are not clear, we are hesitant,
indecisive, and unsure of ourselves.
2: Materials and Equipment
In providing the necessary workplace tools, we face the
challenge of maximizing potential by appropriately matching individuals, each
of whom has a wide range of skills and knowledge, with the right tools.
3: Doing What I Do Best
Full human potential is realized only when people are in a
position to use their greatest talents. Great performance is found when people
are in roles that match what they naturally do best. Matching the right person
with the right job is probably the most significant challenge organizations and
managers face today.
4: Recognition or Praise
Praise and recognition are essential building blocks of a
great workplace. We all possess the need to be recognized as individuals and to
feel a sense of accomplishment.
5: My Supervisor Cares About Me
Employees don't leave companies; they leave managers and
supervisors. The impact that a supervisor has in today's workplace can be
either very valuable or very costly to the organization and the people who work
there. Employees want quality relationships with someone who can guide
them.
6: Someone Encourages My Development
The innate yearning to learn and grow is natural to human
beings. Our jobs allow us to encounter new situations and find new ways to
overcome challenges every day. Every employee wants to learn and grow.
7: My Opinions Seem to Count
All employees want to feel that they are making significant
contributions to their
workplaces. The ways organizations hear and process
employees' ideas will shape, to a large degree, whether or not they feel valued
for their contributions. Employees need to feel valued and know that they
really make a difference in their companies and organizations
8: My Company's Mission or Purpose
Employees want to know they are making a difference,
contributing to an important
endeavor. The best workplaces give their employees a sense
of purpose, help them feel they belong, and enable them to make a difference. A
clear understanding of how one's particular job contributes to the company's
"reason for being" can be a powerful form of emotional
compensation
9: Doing Quality Work
Helping all team members identify the characteristics that
will result in a quality product can lead to greater efficiency and increased
productivity. Trusting that one's coworkers share a commitment to quality is a
key to great team performance
10: I Have a Best Friend at Work
Human beings are social animals, and work is a social
institution. The evolution of quality relationships is very normal and an
important part of a healthy workplace. In the best workplaces, employers
recognize that people want to forge quality relationships with their coworkers,
and that company allegiance can be built from such relationships. The development
of trusting relationships is a significant emotional compensation for employees
in today's marketplace
11: Talk to Me About My Progress
The best managers recognize that a performance review
provides time to discuss the progress and growth of an employee. It can help
employees understand themselves better and give them a clear perspective on how
their contributions really make a difference to the organization. Quality,
individualized feedback is very valuable.
12: Opportunities to Learn and Grow
The need to learn and grow is a natural instinct for human
beings. We can learn and grow by finding more efficient ways to do our jobs.
Where there is growth, there is innovation, and this is a breeding ground for
more positive and refreshing perspectives toward ourselves and others.
Productivity does not come from working harder, it comes from working
"smarter." Work environments that promote learning and growth on the
job are attractive to employees.
Sources:
(1) Kevin Kruse, “What Is Employee Engagement,”
Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/
sites/kevinkruse/2012/06/22/employee-engagement-what-and-why/
(2) “State
of the Global Workforce Report 2013,” Gallup, http://www.gallup.com/
strategicconsulting/164735/state-global-workplace.aspx
(3) Andrea Chilcote, “Employee Engagement in the
Face of Change,” EzineArticles, http://ezinearticles.com/?Employee-Engagement-in-the-Face-of-Change&id=1102094
(4) Tom Byrne, “History of employee engagement -
from satisfaction to sustainability,” HRZone, http://www.hrzone.com/feature/people/history-employee-engagement-satisfaction-sustainability/141048
(5) “W. L. Gore &
Associates Named a Top U.S. Workplace in 2014,” Gore Website, http://www.gore.com/en_xx/news/FORTUNE-2014.html
(6) Steve Macaulay & Sarah Cook, “Employee
Engagement to Commitment,“ The Stairway Consultancy, http://www.thestairway.co.uk/Articles/employee-engagement-to-commitment.html
(7) Tina Nelson, “Company Profile – WL Gore,”
Director Magazine, http://www.director.co.uk/magazine/2010/2_Feb/WLGore_63_06.html
(8) “What is a Great Workplace? The Twelve
Dimensions that Describe Great
Workgroups,” Gallup
Management Journal, http://thepeoplegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/article-gallup
