The Gandalf of Employee Engagement: Abracadabra! Morale Boost!

Fun Friday, traditional dress-up day, Rangoli competition! Sound familiar?  I think all of us have, and then there are several memes on Instagram and Facebook, that make us smile, laugh, and upset as well. Let’s just take those as "pinch of salt".

The question I have always had in my mind is this how we really engage with others? Are these activities really engaging people in the office or they are creating a sense of community connection? Maybe they really are however, when we look at engagement from a purpose perspective, the way parents engage with their children—teaching them how to play a sport, ride a bicycle, help them with studies, or even festival celebrations—all have one thing in common. There is always a goal and there is a process of connecting with the child, so he/she is engaged.

Similarly, what if employee engagement is much more and beyond those events (I am not saying they are not important), I am just saying that engaging with our employees requires a bit more than just the events.

Let us understand the engagement journey from perspective of the image above. There are 2 players and one object. Manager, Team Member, and Goal.

Team Members, the foundation of any organization, wield their influence by actively participating in the engagement process. Their dedication, collaboration, and willingness to take ownership of their work contribute significantly to the overall engagement equation. Goals, the north stars guiding workplace efforts, serve as the driving force behind meaningful engagement. When aligned with an employee's intrinsic values and ambitions, goals become powerful motivators, propelling individuals and teams toward success.

While Team Members and Goals are important; however, Managers, as the custodians of leadership, culture, and engagement, play a key role in nurturing a culture of engagement. Their ability to inspire, communicate effectively, and provide meaningful feedback directly impacts team morale and individual motivation.

Employee Engagement is generally viewed as series of events, usually organized by HR and Engagement teams, but if we change our approach and make this real, we will realize that it is more than events and all our practices, including feedback, talent, career, performance conversations are essentially “The engagement” in any organization.

Leader needs to connect with the employee, create clarity in his mind and empower him to engage with the goal. During this process, the manager “Empowers” the employee, continuously supporting through regular performance feedback, discussing his strengths and opportunities, his aspirations and making him aware of the reality. When Employee engages with the goal and he gets the support from the manager, he would be able to internalize “Success”, he will get emotionally connected with the goal. At the same time manager also “Enables” the goal, by making it sustainable, breaking it down for employee and therefore engaging in a purposeful conversation about the person, the goal, and himself.

"Harmonizing Employee Engagement," is a journey through the intricate interplay of Managers, Team Members, and Goals, discovering the art of cultivating a workplace where engagement thrives. Through real-world insights, practical strategies, and inspiring anecdotes, this exploration empowers organizations to unlock their full potential by fostering a culture of engagement.

The magic wand really is with the manager, and we just need to simplify so she/he can just say Abracadabra!! And Whoosh!!