Create a Work Environment That Encourages Engagement

Create a Work Environment That Encourages EngagementCreate a Work Environment That Encourages EngagementDoes your workplace encourage employee engagement? If not it should. Employee engagement can be a powerful factor in your geschftsleben success. Engaged employees are more productive, customer-focused, and profit-generating and employers are more likely to retain them. Employee engagement is not a Human Resources initiative that managers are reminded to do once a year. Its a key strategic initiative that drives employee performance, accomplishment, and continuous improvement all year long. Just like organizations cant create employee empowerment, employee motivation, or employee satisfaction, engagement is up to the employees who make decisions and choices about how involved they want to be at work. Employees make choices relative to their empowerment, motivation, and satisfaction. These choices are not up to you, the employer. What is the employers responsibility, however, is to c reate a culture and an environment that is conducive to employees making the choices that are good for your geschftsleben. And, engaged employees are good for your business. What Produces an Environment Conducive to Engagement? Consider the following if you need your employees to become more engaged and involved in their work Employee engagement must be a business strategy that focuses on finding engaged employees and then, keeping the employee engaged throughout the whole employment relationship.Employee engagement must focus on business results. Employees are most engaged when they are accountable and can see and measure the outcomes of their performance.Employee engagement occurs when the goals of the business are aligned with the employees goals and how the employee spends his or her time. The glue that holds the strategic objectives of the employee and the business together is frequent, effective communication that reaches and informs the employee at the level and practice of his or her job. Engaged employees have the information that they need to understand exactly and precisely how what they do at work every day affects the companys business goals and priorities. These goals and measurements relate to the Human Resources department, but every department should have a set of metrics.Employee engagement thrives when organizations are committed to management and leadership development in performance development plans that are performance-driven and provide clear succession plans. What Makes Organizations Fail at Employee Engagement? If employee engagement is so crucial to an organizations success, why do organizations pursue it so ineffectively? The answer is that incorporating a business strategy such as employee engagement is hard work- work that many employers dont see as affecting their bottom line immediately. Most organizations implement engagement as a program thats ancillary to the actual business. But, by thinking about employee engagement as a planned business strategy- with expected and measured business results- employee engagement becomes possible. With this in mind, employee engagement as a successful business strategy needs effective managers who are committed to Measuring employee performance and holding employees accountable.Providing the communication necessary to align each employees actions with the organizations overall business goals.Pursuing the employee development required to ensure success.Making a commitment (in time, tools, attention, reinforcement, training, etc.) to keeping employees engaged over the long haul because they fundamentally believe no other strategy will produce as much success- for both the business and the employees. Additional Critical Factors The following factors also influence the willingness of employees to stay engaged and contributing Effective recognition and reward system. Theres valuein a recognition system that lets employees know they are truly worthy. Effective rec ognition always involves verbal or written acknowledgment from the employees manager in addition to any physical reward.Frequent feedback.The downside of the standard employee performance appraisal is that it is a one-time deal. Effective performance feedback takes place every day (minimally, weekly) and there should be interaction with the employees manager. Effective feedback focuses on what the employee is doing well and what needs improvement. It is clear and specific and reinforces the actions that the manager wants to see the employee regularly perform. Shared values and guiding principles.Engaged employees thrive in an environment that reinforces their most deeply held values and beliefs. Employees are most successful in an organization in which their personal values are in sync with the organizations stated values and guiding principles.Demonstrated respect, trust, and emotional intelligence.Employees direct supervisors need to demonstrate that they are personally interested in and care about their employees.Positive relationships with coworkers.Engaged employees need to work, not just with nice people, but with coworkers who are equivalently engaged. Coworkers who demonstrate integrity, teamwork, a passion for quality and serving customers, and are passionate about what they do, make for ideal coworkers who help fosteremployee engagement.