I’m working with a client organisation at the moment that is growing extremely fast. So much so it is experiencing the classic signs of growing pains; the HR team are focusing so much on recruitment and bringing people into the business, that strategic HR initiatives keep getting pushed to one side. The consequence they are seeing is that people joining the organisation experience a sensation of feeling slightly lost. They don’t quite understand how things work and what it means for them in the longer term, especially around their pay and career progression.
You would think that talking to this cohort of employees they would feel quite dejected and not motivated or engaged. But while there are things they would like, including obvious career paths and clarity about pay progression, they are actually extremely engaged. So what kind of mysterious magic is going on here?
Well, it’s a mixture of things, but it boils down to:
- Clear visible leadership: the senior team are available and encourage everyone to input ideas and thoughts.
- Trust: there is an implied understanding that employees will do what they need to do, without the need for micromanaging.
- Genuine manager relationships: where there is regular contact and recognition of effort - nothing fancy, no big recognition initiatives or bonus schemes, but the common thank you and well done.
- Alignment to organisational purpose and real belief they can have an impact: they really believe in their product and its potential to make a positive difference to people’s lives.
- Opportunity to develop and be part of something exciting: there is a culture where people are encouraged to put themselves forward and try new things if they want to.
The words ‘employee engagement’ are often bandied around. They can mean a multitude of things, but to me, the level of attachment felt by these employees to their organisation and its raison d’être, is what true employee engagement is all about. It’s where people really want to be part of the organisation journey. That their input is meaningful and valued, and most importantly, that they feel they can make a difference. A recent article in Employee Benefits magazine described it as “the energised state in which staff are willing and able to go the extra mile in their work and to give it their best.”
And that ‘giving their best’ matters. It’s long proven that improving engagement correlates with improved organisational performance, increased productivity, operating income, customer satisfaction, retention and innovation, and with reduced costs and sick days. Companies viewed as ‘world-class’ have been found to have a much higher ration of engagement to disengaged employees compared to other companies in their sector. So why do some organisations get it so right and others so wrong?
I believe it’s because the ingredients are not mixed correctly or are parked on the shelf and have passed their sell by date. Just because they may have happened once upon a time, there is a mistaken belief that without attention or focus they continue to happen. But an organisation is nothing without its employees. If you really want the best return on your most expensive asset, a dedicated focus is needed – simply conducting an engagement survey won’t do it. Engagement is not a one off initiative – it reflects the values and culture of an organisation. In my client example, an organisation that has grown extremely fast but hasn’t lost touch with its roots. It treats its people well, it wants to be inclusive and the senior team live these values.
Take a look at your list of ingredients and ask yourself do we really do these things well? If you think there’s room for improvement, examine each ingredient closely to identify how you can do it better. I can’t give you the exact recipe, the weight of each ingredient will vary depending on your organisation, and what works for my client may not work for you.
With a recent CEB report suggesting that high levels of job dissatisfaction is costing employers £16,000 per employee in staff turnover, think about the impact you could have if you made engagement more of a priority. Having examined the ingredients, if your cupboard looks a bit bare, you at least know what to put on your shopping list!
