Employee Engagement

It is no secret that fully engaged employees are those most likely to be long-term employees. They have made a personal commitment to the team, their managers, and the organization. They look forward to coming to work each day. They are fun to be around and they help generate a creative and cooperative mindset for their team. Because of this, they exert a powerful effect on the productivity and bottom-line of an organization.

1.   Provide the right tools for them to do their job. Most times, employees will tell you what they need without you even having to ask. It might be a quieter work environment, more communication between departments, more frequent [or less frequent] meetings, specific guidance relating to the mission of the organization. Sometimes, you will only be able to rely on a core group of people to tell you the things you need to hear. Those are the ones with courage, vision, and an understanding of the pitfalls that may lie ahead in any team effort.

2.   Utilize their best talents and drives. There is nothing more invigorating or stimulating for an employee than to be put in a position where they can utilize their strengths to have a positive effect on the team and on the company. An added benefit for them is to see their own personal growth and enhanced career objectives.

3.   Praise worthy efforts. Why is this often forgotten? We become accustomed to getting top-notch performance from top performers - it becomes commonplace for us, and we begin to accept the fact that it is there on a daily basis. Do not let yourself be lulled into a feeling that this is business-as-usual, because it is not. Consider yourself extremely lucky to have tapped into these kinds of resources - and do not let it go unnoticed.

4.   Build trust. Trust is the foundation upon which all solid relationships rest, and for which all ideas take on the shape of possibilities. If your intentions are suspect, you cannot move any project or idea forward. Resistance is intensified without trust, but with trust, all things are possible.

      5. Listen. You should actively seek and encourage the views and ideas of your employees.    Things can look very different from another tier in the organization. Many times, when people reach a certain level of management, they get stuck in a groove of what I call "in-the-box" thinking and they cannot see past that groove. Then, it is time to air out the cobwebs and view things from another perspective.