Introduction
Have you ever showed up at a social event and felt like you didn’t fit in? Awkward moments like this can leave us feeling out of place. It’s the moment when we sense that we just don’t belong. Some of us have experienced this in social settings, and others have experienced this in the workplace. There are several reasons why employees disengage in the workplace; this is one of them. Regardless of the reason, we believe that a majority of people would prefer to be engaged in their work. Unfortunately, that’s not the experience of the majority and that comes with a cost to organizations. This is why employee engagement is so important to talk about.
What is Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is the level of dedication and connection employees feel toward their job and organization. It is the feeling of belonging and a desire to work for a company or someone. With that in mind, it makes sense why employee engagement is so critical. Some of us are familiar with the experience of feeling disconnected from our team members and an organization. It can create a desire to eject ourselves from the situation in pursuit of something better. Since COVID-19, the need for employee engagement has been at an all-time high. Employee retention rates have plummeted, and leaders are scrambling to find ways to keep employees from leaving. Increasing employee engagement is one of the ways this can be done. Employees who are engaged are less likely to become a turnover statistic as they often experience lower rates of burnout and increased job satisfaction. For this reason, it is vital that leaders are aware of the ways they can assist with their team members’ engagement.
How to Engage
In 2021, a group of researchers wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review titled, How Companies Can Improve Employee Engagement Right Now. The researchers highlighted three of the most critical drivers of employee engagement. As a leader, you may be able to leverage these drivers to assist your team with feeling engaged:
- “Connect what employees do to what they care about.” Leaders must first appeal to what their team members value. Team members feel inspired to work when leaders demonstrate genuine concern for them as a person by honoring their values. This support provides security and communicates that team members are more than just a tool to get a job done. Leaders must also connect team members’ daily responsibilities to the mission of the organization. Communicate that every positive contribution a team member makes is a step in the direction of accomplishing the organization’s mission.
- “Make the work itself less stressful and more enjoyable.” It is important that leaders discover the intrinsic interests of team members. Individuals who are passionate about their work tend to have greater life satisfaction. Employees feeling their autonomy is promoted is a way intrinsic motivation is fostered. Leaders can demonstrate they trust team members’ ability to be a star in their role by encouraging innovation and allowing them to find their way of delivering tasks. Another way to make work enjoyable is by building team members’ confidence. Acknowledge when your team member does something well and offer encouragement when things don’t go as planned.
- “Create time affluence.” You cannot put a price tag on time. Leaders who encourage and allow their team members to take time create increased engagement. Extra time off, limiting emails after hours, and/or prioritizing PTO are great ways to demonstrate that you care about your team members’ well-being. The key is for leaders to not only respect their team members’ boundaries when they are taking time off but to lead by example and prioritize time off for themselves as well.
Reflection: What factors hinder your team members from engaging? How will you utilize the three drivers of engagement to increase team members’ engagement?
