Are you or your employees engaged with your organisation? (Article)

Employee engagement is important

This free High Performance Newsletter article explores the growing importance of the employee engagement process.

Derek Stockley is a training, learning and performance consultant based in Melbourne, Australia.

Employee engagement definition

In a previous article, I defined employee engagement as:

The extent that an employee believes in the mission, purpose and values of an organisation and demonstrates that commitment through their actions as an employee and their attitude towards the employer and customers. Employee engagement is high when the statements and conversations held reflect a natural enthusiasm for the company, its employees and the products or services provided. (Derek Stockley 2005)

Although the term 'employee engagement' is relatively new, the underlying concepts have been around for many years. Cultural change programs often have a similar focus, as do internal branding programs.

Almost every contact I have these days highlights the importance of encouraging employee engagement. There is no doubt in my mind that successful organisations have high employee engagement levels.

Do you have it? Does your organisation have it?

If you do, congratulations!

If you don’t, take action NOW.

Employee engagement steps

A report by the Mercer Delta Executive Learning Center cites four key challenges to growing revenue: "increased competition; the need for fast response to changing market conditions; the need to innovate; and the need to satisfy customer expectations".*

Employees and managers need to be fully focused and committed if they are going to rise to meet these challenges.

It requires a total approach. Every aspect of the organisation’s operations has to be supportive and have an encouraging effect.

The starting point is ensuring that the basics are all in place. These include:

• High quality goods and services that staff can recommend with confidence.
  
  
• Good delivery systems that ensure promises and commitments made to customers are met.
  
  
• Good business practices - honest, straightforward and carried out with integrity.
  
  

The business operation provides the strong foundation that is needed.

What provides the impetus for employee motivation?

Good management! How the staff are treated determines how far they will commit to the organisation. Enthusiasm is a good measure.

Summary

Concentrating on employee engagement issues can make a big difference to organisational performance.

Further reading

The articles listed below identify some of the key elements to achieving employee engagement.

Roles and responsibilities - highlights how essential clear roles and responsibilities are.

Importance of frontline staff - uses an example from the Walt Disney organisation to show the unexpected importance of some staff roles.

Work enjoyment and motivation - starts with a familiar image to show some approaches are not correct.

The power of management influence - management have to help, not hinder organisational development.

The importance of teamwork - highlights the role of teamwork in achieving improved organisation performance and better morale.

References

* Cost Cutting No Longer Cuts It - an article on the ITBusiness Edge website.

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Derek Stockley conducts public training courses in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, including a Public Train the Trainer Program.

This article was last modified on 19 October 2006.