A 2015 Gallup poll measuring employee engagement in the US found that just 32 percent of employees are engaged.
The majority of employees (50.8 percent) were “not engaged,” while 17.2 percent were “actively disengaged.”
Find out how creating an employee-centric culture can help organizations beat these odds:
1. Flip the paradigm. The most innovative and engaged workplaces are ones that have flipped the management-employee relationships. When decisions are based more on employee feedback and less on top-down initiatives, employees feel valued and inspired to be present in their day-to-day work.
2. Having a voice. Employees are happier and more engaged in their roles if they feel they have a say in the outcome, especially in decisions that directly impact their position and future within the company. Management and HR should really respond to employee requests and managing initiatives, not the other way around.
3. Actively reevaluate. The simplest way to improve workplace engagement is to seek out weaknesses, address them and offer realistic solutions. Sending out employee surveys quarterly or yearly is a great tool to manage progress and identify areas for improvement.
4. Increase response rate. The faster management responds to employee requests and issues, the more employees feel valued and cared for. Communication is key. Shortening the distance between leadership and employees allows for enhanced understanding across the organization.
5. Run an autonomous shop. A common phrase heard throughout Vaco is, “be the CEO of your own desk.” This means being in control of how one achieves the goals they are tasked with. This is a great way to attract talent that will be excited and fully present day-to-day. If the idea of managing themselves doesn’t excite a prospect, chances are they will be disengaged regardless of how positive a company’s culture is.
6. Growth opportunities. Whenever possible, HR and management should create positions with room for growth. Allowing employees the flexibility to take on new responsibility or move into a different area of the company, encourages employees to chase after success.
7. Foster teamwork. A major determinate of on-the-job satisfaction is the relationship among coworkers. Good companies will actively foster teamwork, open communication and collaboration.
8. Recognize a job well done. Recognition goes a long way. Employees prone to disengagement will be inspired by the idea of winning an award, a promotion or praise from a leader.
9. Flexibility. The “flexibility” trend is here to stay. Giving employees the leeway to work from home or telecommute is a great way to retain top employees. Having the flexibility to fit work around busy schedules and major life events is a great incentive for employees to show up engaged.
10.Lead by example. Without a leader or leadership team that leads by example, organizations will fail. All organization should strive to create a community of ethical, collaborative individuals who are passionate about achieving company goals. This is only possible if senior leadership extends the same level of engagement, passion and collaboration.
Sara Abbasi is the Technical Talent Acquisition Lead at Vaco Arizona, the local office of Vaco, a $350M consulting and strategic solutions firm. Sara specializes in matching high caliber technology professionals with Arizona’s top companies.
Abbassi, Sarah. Thurs, 15 Sept 2016. “10 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged” BizJournals.com. Retrieved from: http://ow.ly/4wtD304fE64
