Employee engagement is a strategic imperative for organizations that want to be successful in attracting and retaining talent. As I heard Dr. Lisa Nishii, Associate Professor and Chair of Industrial and Labor Relations International Programs at Cornell University, describe it in a class once, employee engagement is how work does or does not get done in an organization. Engaged employees are connected to the organization and its goals, and invested in outcomes. Disengaged employees are trying to do just enough not to get fired (at best) or may be sabotaging the organization (at worst).
From special perks and benefits to measuring engagement levels of employees, this is a booming industry. The good news is that there are many experts who are ready, willing and able to help organizations and leaders with their employee engagement efforts. The better news is that there are three effective strategies you can begin using right now that will not deplete the budget.
Start With A Solid Foundation
One key component of employee engagement is to provide an environment where everyone can be heard, valued and respected. Organizations are well-advised to implement policies of respect and openness in the workplace that reach beyond compulsory compliance with state and federal laws.
Hold Everyone Accountable
Leaders should be vigilant to ensure employee behaviors are congruent with expectations and step in when they are not to hold everyone — including themselves and other leaders — accountable for the work environment. Workplace practices eat policies out of the organization.
Have An Open-Door Policy
Just about every company I know has some sort of open-door policy and, in theory, this is an excellent way to help employees feel heard, valued, and respected — until it's not. Distractions, competing priorities and lack of openness to new perspectives often close those doors we claim to push apart. Here are some suggestions for swinging those doors wide open:
• Put down the phone and move away from your monitor. Employees need your undivided attention in order to connect and feel heard. Don't make them compete with your email, texts or phone calls.
• Consider scheduling time to speak with employees. Agreeing to speak with someone who drops by when you have a meeting in five minutes may cause you to be preoccupied or hurried. Rushing through a conversation will have the opposite effect you were striving for.
• Resist the urge to rush to a solution. Do not make these interactions into a to-do list that you move through quickly to get them off your already overflowing plate.
• Listen with intentionality, ask clarifying questions and jot down notes when appropriate.
• Do not pull the "boss" card. Nobody liked the "because I said so" response from Mom and Dad when they were a child and they do not appreciate it as an adult. Everyone knows you are the boss — that's why you get to have the open door.
• Try to see things from their perspective before you respond. Franklin Covey had it right when he said, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."
• Follow up to ensure the issues have been resolved or to see how things are going. This is an often missed, but critically important, part of the open-door policy, and it is essential for employee engagement.
Employee engagement is critically important to the success of your organization whether you are a behemoth company, a small business or anywhere in between. Luckily, good people practices that lead to increased engagement do not require astronomical budgets. Begin with solid policies and leadership accountability, and swing those doors wide open.
