Employee Engagement is a LOT MORE than Fun and Games

Contrary to popular belief, employee engagement is not a construct that originated in the last decade. I first heard about it in July 2008 when I was interviewed for the role of Manager of Employee Marketing- a cooler (and perhaps more inclusive way) of saying employee engagement, internal communications and employer branding all in one neat job title.

However, research shows that it goes way back to 1990, (and perhaps even earlier), when the founding father of employee engagement- Dr. William A. Khan- a professor of organisational behavior, coined the phrase “employee engagement”, which made significant reference to how people felt at work and with the people around them.   

If we take a step back even further, research dating as far as the 1920s, namely the famous Hawthorne Studies, focused on organisational behavior and provided the cornerstones for future studies on the influences and drivers of human productivity. Focusing on what is wrong in an organisation and dealing with it- may prevent dissatisfaction, but it does not necessarily lead to positive outcomes, higher satisfaction and better performance. Instead, we need a positive approach to managing human resources in order to witness positive attitudes, employee engagement and a thriving business performance.

High employee engagement is necessary if organizations are looking at low absenteeism rates, low cost of turnover and an extraordinary customer experience. 

Through my years of experience and also through studying, I have come to a conclusion that the concept of employee engagement refers to the motivational state of an individual. Employees offer different degrees and dimensions of themselves at work. Engaged employees feel a connection between the work they do and their own personal meanings and purpose in life.

Engagement is recognized when people put in the extra effort to do well at work, remain focused and are completely involved with and committed to what they do.

Engaged employees are physically and psychologically present at work and this is demonstrated when they are attentive, connected, integrated and absorbed. 

Workplaces can shape the extent to which employees feel engaged by fostering the necessary conditions for engagement to thrive. Research has demonstrated that engagement varies over periods of time, and an employee’s experience of the workplace at different moments in time can cause fluctuations in engagement. This enables employers to create a safe and stable environment where engagement can consistently flourish. The necessary conditions for this to happen, according to Kahn are: 

1. Meaningfulness: Does the employee find their work meaningful enough to commit completely?

2. Safety: Does the employee feel safe expressing their views without losing their jobs?

3. Availability: Is the employee mentally and physically able to commit to work?

People derive meaning from work when they know their voices matter, especially if they have meaningful relationships with those around them. According to scientific studies, work matters more to people if they feel connected to others than if they feel alone. Work is more meaningful when employees do things together, have fun and learn about themselves and each other.

Employee engagement is first and foremost the responsibility of the employee; their supervisors, managers, leaders, Human Resource representatives also play an essential role.

I recommend the following essential drivers of engagement that leaders can focus on:

1.      Having employees do something meaningful, altruistic and important that contributes to workplace success: ex. CSR activities and applying for Sustainability Certifications such as EarthCheck

2.      Fostering mentorship and leadership programs, where junior employees are guided towards self-actualization and being/becoming their best

3.      Creating open and honest frequent two-way communication channels

4.      Celebrating the small and the big wins within individual units/departments as an organization

5.      Celebrating and rewarding individuals who excel at work, by aligning to the pillars of the company’s culture, vision, mission, core values and service philosophy

6.      Creating avenues where relationships can be fostered and developed- having a best friend at work is important  

7.      Training employees on the importance of using their character strengths, rather than focusing on their weaknesses (ex. VIA, Gallup StrengthsFinder)

8.      Learning about individual personalities and team dynamics through behavioral tools (ex. DISC Assessment, Insights, Predictive Index)   

9.      Talent Management: identifying your top talents and employees with high potential and creating succession plans and career development road maps

10.  Creating workplace pride through group activities: participating in inter-company sports competitions (ex. basketball, cricket, bowling, go karting, football etc.) and ensuring that the team selected to represent your company is top notch, thus winning as many competitions as possible

11.  Employee referral programs: are your employees proud of where they work; what do they say to others about their workplace? Would they recommend to a friend to join the company?

Research carried out over decades by numerous data analytics companies, shows that there is a direct correlation between high employee engagement and:

-         Low absenteeism

-         Increased employee productivity

-         Increased employee loyalty and tenure

-         Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty

-         Decreased attrition/voluntary employee turnover 

-         Decreased cost of turnover- have you ever wondered how much it costs to lose an employee?

For business to be successful, they must embrace a meaningful employee engagement strategy. It’s not just fun and games! Frequent qualitative and quantitative measurement of engagement trends, connectivity, and focusing on the employee experience are essential. Measurement demonstrates positive business impact of the engagement strategy.

Through measurement, employee engagement becomes a living, organic and tangible business metric which influences business outcomes. Employees’ voices must be continuously heard, and they must be involved and empowered in building the future of the workplace that they choose to be at. This way, they will feel more safe and secure, well-connected emotionally with their team members and leaders and highly vested in their work.