During the pandemic, the boost in engagement resulted from the focus that we are all in it together, having a greater emphasis on staying in touch, and importantly prominent leadership reassuring employees.  

Even knowing the positive impact of getting it right, if there is no responsibility or accountability, then a good engagement programme will not gain traction and will not have the desired impact - it requires senior supporters and a key agenda topic on any board.

The first aspect is to gain engagement and a collective approach from the leadership team. A leader advocating the value of employee engagement and driving it forward is key. But employees understanding the purpose and goals of the organisation, is essential in the baseline approach from leadership.

Ultimately the approach will be implemented by HR and reward; they will need to understand what components already exist and what is missing. HR leaders are often already promoting internal reward schemes, but they are fragmented and require pulling together into a coherent action plan before kick-starting the quick wins.

Line managers are also key to success, they can influence engagement in either a positive or negative way. It is important to anticipate how line managers will engage and plan around it. David MacLeod and Nita Clarke noted in organisations with both high levels of employee engagement and high levels of performance, there were engaging managers who focus on their people and give them scope, treat them as individuals, coach and stretch them too.

Afterall, employees' are at the heart of the engagement programme, they should be listened to and involved in the process. They will have views and ideas that should not be ignored - ensuring the programme will resonate with the recipients.
 
Internal Communication is vital when pulling together compelling employee engagement branding and materials. All internal comms need to be consistent, recognizable and polished, so they can be shared during onboarding or externally - while keeping the key messages and purposes clear and consistent. 

There will be challenges, so it is important to anticipate and prepare for  them. Let's talk about the common aspects that typically derail best intentions. Leadership often think engagement is all about the money; it is about paying more or spending more on things such as team away days. It is up to HR leaders to show that it is not the case, not all of it requires investment, and it is a great chance to get creative. 

Building the picture of what is already in place and where that aligns with employee engagement will help lift the fog for senior leaders. They will start to understand the concept more clearly and see the opportunities. 
Line Managers play a crucial role in this - it is at this level that managers need to keep reinforcing employee engagement. 

Being clear on the employee proposition helps with retention and recruitment. Therefore, it is in their best interests to get behind it. We often see that other business priorities deemed more important and take precedence, so it is about building the business case and engaging stakeholders.

Employee engagement is for all employees, not just a few. It is vital that any programme reaches and resonates with all employees to make a positive difference. But how do we do that? Firstly, we need to understand how engaged employees are and whether there are any areas of concern – this will also help with targeting any communications.

Next, you need to identify what you are trying to establish. Having highlighted those who are engaged, you can then understand the contributing factors and how to keep them engaged. Critically, identifying the group that are not engaged and why, will allow the creation of strategies to help improve and maintain engagement. Moving the not engaged to engaged will positively impact the business. 

We have to understand it is not a one-time-only exercise, it is about continuous improvement. A process in which you can review and measure employee engagement at any given time will put your organisation in a stronger position where you can manage the narrative. Any issues that start to present themselves can be dealt with quickly. Keep it agile and have an ongoing cycle of activity – this is essentially your ongoing business case; to ensure leaders stay committed to the engagement programme.

At Innecto, we can work with you to help identify your current employee engagement strategy and enable the development of tailored approaches that will make the most impact. Our levels of service can be tailored to your current strategy and challenges. To find out more, email me (sarah.lardner@innecto.com) or call our consultancy team on +44 (0)20 3457 0894.

 

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