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Tops Tips to Deal with Employee Engagement

The View: Employee Engagement

We talk to thousands of individuals across UK businesses every year in over 300 of the UK’s best organisations.  Every organisation is different, yet, despite differing structures, cultures and management styles the challenges are often very similar.

This month we explore the reasons for disengagement in organisations and tackle the ways in which you can improve your employees’ engagement.

1. “Where do I fit into my organisation’s future?”

Too often people don’t see the importance of the role that they play within the organisation.  Where staff perceive a gradient of importance, people can become apathetic, lose commitment which can result in poor internal and external service.

To remedy this, an organisation should recognise the importance of clearly and regularly communicating the company’s vision and direction. Efforts should be made to ensure that everyone understands how they fit into the vision, using as much face-to-face communication as possible.

Be open about the organisation and its future. Many employees feel that they gain most of the information regarding their organisation from gossip and hear-say rather than organised communication. 

Make time for company meetings, team briefs, and be sure that the messages are consistent. Be prepared to answer the difficult questions and tackle the tricky issues. Openness leads to a unified company who understand the long-term vision.

2. “No-one recognises the contribution I make”

Many employees tell us that they lack recognition, both formal and informal from their organisation.  Through our work in organisations, we recognise that there is a direct correlation between the contribution a colleague will make and the recognition given to them for doing so.   

It is important to understand how people want to be recognised. Not everyone wants to be ‘Employee of the Month’ or heralded in front of their team.  Managers should make sure that recognition is personalised, individual and heart-felt.

3. “They don’t really care about us”

It is not always appropriate that managers are at the beck-and-call of their team, yet the degree to which they are visible and approachable is something that even the most successful organisations struggle with.

The ‘word from the floor’ is often that managers don’t really understand what’s going on at the front-end of delivery and are not approachable to hear it when they are.
The results can be a widening gap between roles, breakdown in understanding and ultimately disillusionment.

To overcome this managers must make the effort to know their staff. Get to know people, invite feedback and invest time in individual relationships.

4. “There is a blame culture within this place”

Many organisations suffer from a ‘silo mentality’ – where a lack of effective communication and openness between departments creates division and a lack of understanding.  Departments with differing goals can conflict with those that have different priorities which can lead to cynicism and a blame culture.

To help tackle this we should be encouraging cross-department working and socialising. Ensure regular meetings are held to thrash out issues, encourage a praise culture and communicate how everyone contributes to making a difference.

5. “I don’t have any faith in my boss”

An organisation must make sure that managers live by the values and communicate the right messages internally and externally, to positively influence their employees.  Ask the difficult questions: Do your managers have the right skills, attitudes and experience to their job well? If not, what are you going to do about it?

Do your managers make the effort? Sometimes people know all the ideas and all the theory, but are they doing it? Managers need to choose to lead by example, choose to engage, choose to say ‘good morning’ and choose to connect with the customer, colleague and stakeholder.

Remember that the lowest standards that a manager displays are the highest standard that they can expect from those that they are leading.

6. “Nobody listens to us”

Even the best organisations struggle with the perception from staff that their ideas aren’t listened to.  Listening to employees and taking their ideas forward is imperative in keeping them engaged. 

Allow your staff to get involved with the decision making, especially when the outcomes directly involve them.  Explain how their ideas are being developed, or discuss why they are not. This way they are both informed and motivated to keep suggesting their thoughts, and remain engaged.

There is no substitute for time spent listening to staff.

7. “Everyone is miserable around here”

The organisational culture will have a huge effect upon how people engage. In many organisations employees can feel stifled and unable to be themselves, which means they are less likely to have their say.

Encourage discussion and dialogue about things out side of work at certain times.  Develop a culture whereby people are not afraid to speak out; create a praise culture, encourage team activities and get people involved in social and charity events.

8) “My company is only interested in profit”

Organisations that really engage with their employees have an ingrained sense of belief in what they are doing makes a difference to people’s lives.

This may not be the core product or service that the organisation provides, but knowing that you have a programme in place that ‘gives back’ or actively encourages employees to be involved in worthwhile activities, increases staff engagement and job satisfaction.

Organisations should allow staff to get involved in Corporate Social Responsibility, mentoring, supporting local charities and organising social activities for staff and their families. This helps shift people’s perceptions away from the own problems and towards helping others and making a difference.

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