Fill in the blank: Employee engagement is best described as ________
To help you define employee engagement, we asked CEOs and thought leaders this question for their best ideas. From being your company’s lifeline to fostering open communication, there are several definitions that may help you see the importance of positive engagement between employees and their organizations.
Here are eight ideas about employee engagement:
- Your Company’s Lifeline
- Voluntary Interaction Among Coworkers
- Looking Out for All Stakeholders
- Purposeful Commitment To Organization
- Positive or Negative Reviews from Employees
- Genuine Appreciation from Leadership
- An Empowered Workforce
- Open Communication
Your Company’s Lifeline
Employee engagement is best described as your company’s lifeline. Retention always falls back on employee engagement. Are your team members happy? Do you offer them opportunities for growth? What about on-the-job training for other roles?
Today, more than ever, people are looking for a “career” and not just a “job.” So, when you can offer a company culture that is full of growth and engaging situations, then your employees are more likely to stick around.
Ryan Rottman, OSDB Sports
Voluntary Interaction Among Coworkers
Engaged employees are the ones who are leaning in to communicate with each other. They are interacting with other teams and colleagues in order to accomplish great things. Unengaged employees on the other hand are quiet, silent, and not participating in helping to build a healthy team culture.
Ed Stevens, Preciate
Looking Out for All Stakeholders
Employee engagement is best described as a willingness to learn, implement, and do the right things for the right reasons on behalf of the company, for themselves, customers, colleagues, and the brand. Disengaged employees are a bit checked out, while engaged employees provide feedback and action to improve processes, service, the environment, and protect all stakeholders.
Benjamin Meskin, Cabrella
Purposeful Commitment To Organization
Employee engagement is best described as commitment. Engaged employees show a high level of mental and emotional commitment to the work they do, the teams they work with, and the organization as a whole. Employees who are engaged look at the company collectively and see their purpose and how their role fits into the overall success of the company. These employees are key factors in driving almost every aspect of the organization including profitability, customer experience, and turnover. Pinning down an exact definition for employee engagement can be difficult because of the multitude of factors that play into it and the nuances across different industries. However, defining employee engagement and understanding the factors that drive it can help organizations create strategies to account for employees’ unique needs.
Jeffrey Pitrak, Transient Specialists
Positive or Negative Review from Employees
I like the traditional NPS (Net Promoter Score) question that we see when evaluating a product or service. Would the person recommend the product or service to a friend? From an employee perspective, would the employee recommend the company to a friend or relative as a great place to work? It is as simple as that. If an employee would not recommend a company as a place to work to a friend, then it is clear that they are not fully engaged in their role.
Scott Baker, Stage 3 Leadership
Genuine Appreciation from Leadership
Genuine interactions and appreciation. Quality employee engagement is a vital aspect of any thriving workplace. The more engaged employees are, the more productive they’ll be. Leadership should prioritize creating a culture where employees feel welcomed and appreciated as a valued member of the team. Encourage employees to communicate openly with management. Make an effort to get to know the people who do great work for you and the company on a daily basis. Reward notable achievements and consistently high-performing workers. Arrange occasional team gatherings to strengthen everyone’s trust and camaraderie with one another. Employee engagement is an invaluable concept that shows employees that they are appreciated.
Jordan Duran, 6 ICE
An Empowered Workforce
Employee engagement is best described as a worker who feels empowered. Employees want to feel valued, appreciated, and respected in the workplace, which includes paying them what they’re worth. Workers who get the job done in a positive work environment with opportunity for growth, and receiving benefits that will support them as they move forward with the company is what defines the employee experience. No one wants to come into the office and feel uninspired, unmotivated and don’t have support from management. Leaders should encourage their staff to new ideas all while giving them the benefits they deserve, such as unlimited PTO or student loan repayment. When businesses put emphasis on the company experience, the employee retention rates improve as well as employee engagement and productivity.
Natália Sadowski, Nourishing Biologicals
Open Communication
Keeping employees engaged remotely can be difficult, however, managers who focus on open lines of communication at all times provide the key. Leaders should require video meetings when doing internal check-ins to create a face-to-face interaction, ensuring employees’ participation and productivity. Offering casual, virtual hangouts is also beneficial for employees to ask questions and develops a personal connection in the workplace. While businesses may not be working in the office, a sense of unity while operating virtually will be just as important as an in-person work environment.
Jodi Neuhauser, Ovaterra
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