In today's corporate world there are a lot of initiatives that are run for improving their employee engagement index. Somewhere, I think there is a disconnect on what it means to the employee. In my view, I think, the more often than not, the whole discussion of Employee engagement for some strange but valid reasons are revolving around fun, outing, lunch, family and so on. I feel it is absolutely necessary, however, in my view it just probably 10% of it.
The other 90% is all about (not in any particular order). There could be many more to this list as well.
- line of sight (how do I contribute to overall organization’s goals)
- how employees feel valued (rewards, recognition, appreciation)
- am I listened (skip levels, luncheons)?
- how my mistakes are received (encouragement to be innovative, am I shielded by my manager)?
- how is my team environment (support from my peers, friends)
- how secured do I feel about my company’s prospects (any press release or rumors within market)?
- am I respected for what I’m (Manager treating everyone equitably)?
- do I have a work environment where I can contribute (training's/support system)?
- does my manager care about me and my well being (professionally and also personally)?
- am I learning constantly (new challenge)?
- are my ideas received well (or at least not ridiculed)?
- have I grown (career progression, new role)?
It is also all about those intangible emotions like passion, pride, honesty, integrity, commitment, respect trust and so on and this has to be exhibited by the manager first and which will trickle down to the team. These can never be measured with numbers!
To me, Employee Engagement starts and stops with the immediate manager! It is a huge responsibility on the manager's shoulders to keep an employee feeling engaged and have him/her motivated to be committed to the organization, particularly in these trying times that we have put ourselves in!
- Raj
3 comments:
Raj..
Well writing article. Agree with most of points ( don’t ask me which point you are not agreeing )
This is a difficult topic Raj. In my view company is like any other social organization – Religion , family etc. So how a person gets bond with these social organization will be applicable for company too at least in principle.
When one feel my existence is deeply connected to a social organization , he will be connected to that. He will keep on investing his potential for protecting that structure. But it is no longer much valid for company, as our existence is no longer limited to the company we are working. That in the first place makes the “connect” difficult topic to think through.
Same is some what happening in current marriages also correct ? People longer feel their existence is bound to a person. That makes modern marriages more complex.
So in the first place we need to agree that we are looking into a scenario where elements are more loosely connected.
But human longing for security , social reorganization , self esteem and deep desire to move to higher plane is not diminished. So we need to think process of connect in method to meet this basic desires.
How we can make an employee feel he is secure ? How we can make him feel he is “important” to the organization ? How we can ensure employee culturally aligned to the organization ( it is important . That is Y rituals are important for survival for religion )
Complete agreement on immediate managers role in this. I consider it as same shift like importance of family ( family of husband and wife ) in sustaining the marriage to immediate contact point ( each other ).
Good topic to think.. Let me go through your post again later.
Raj..
Well writing article. Agree with most of points ( don’t ask me which point you are not agreeing )
This is a difficult topic Raj. In my view company is like any other social organization – Religion , family etc. So how a person gets bond with these social organization will be applicable for company too at least in principle.
When one feel my existence is deeply connected to a social organization , he will be connected to that. He will keep on investing his potential for protecting that structure. But it is no longer much valid for company, as our existence is no longer limited to the company we are working. That in the first place makes the “connect” difficult topic to think through.
Same is some what happening in current marriages also correct ? People longer feel their existence is bound to a person. That makes modern marriages more complex.
So in the first place we need to agree that we are looking into a scenario where elements are more loosely connected.
But human longing for security , social reorganization , self esteem and deep desire to move to higher plane is not diminished. So we need to think process of connect in method to meet this basic desires.
How we can make an employee feel he is secure ? How we can make him feel he is “important” to the organization ? How we can ensure employee culturally aligned to the organization ( it is important . That is Y rituals are important for survival for religion )
Complete agreement on immediate managers role in this. I consider it as same shift like importance of family ( family of husband and wife ) in sustaining the marriage to immediate contact point ( each other ).
Good topic to think.. Let me go through your post again later.
--Birosh
Raj..
Well writing article. Agree with most of points ( don’t ask me which point you are not agreeing )
This is a difficult topic Raj. In my view company is like any other social organization – Religion , family etc. So how a person gets bond with these social organization will be applicable for company too at least in principle.
When one feel my existence is deeply connected to a social organization , he will be connected to that. He will keep on investing his potential for protecting that structure. But it is no longer much valid for company, as our existence is no longer limited to the company we are working. That in the first place makes the “connect” difficult topic to think through.
Same is some what happening in current marriages also correct ? People longer feel their existence is bound to a person. That makes modern marriages more complex.
So in the first place we need to agree that we are looking into a scenario where elements are more loosely connected.
But human longing for security , social reorganization , self esteem and deep desire to move to higher plane is not diminished. So we need to think process of connect in method to meet this basic desires.
How we can make an employee feel he is secure ? How we can make him feel he is “important” to the organization ? How we can ensure employee culturally aligned to the organization ( it is important . That is Y rituals are important for survival for religion )
Complete agreement on immediate managers role in this. I consider it as same shift like importance of family ( family of husband and wife ) in sustaining the marriage to immediate contact point ( each other ).
Good topic to think.. Let me go through your post again later.
--Birosh
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