Put Another Blog on the Wire
Wahoo! I’m so excited to be blogging again. I’m doing this to start/continue a dialogue with YOU so please chime in and share your thoughts and ideas. In the bi-weekly blog, I’ll share insights about things that I encounter in my travels, reading or interactions with folks. The topics will always have some connection to engagement at work.
These posts are meant to stimulate your thinking and encourage discussions with me and others who read the posts. Please feel free to share the blog if you think others would enjoy the discussion. If you are looking for specific tools and tips for employee engagement, every step of the way…please sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter, SimpleSTEPS (Shortcuts to Engagement, Productivity & Satisfaction) or check out the Free Resources tab on the website.
Let’s start today with a shared definition of Employee Engagement. I typically use the one that Hewitt & Associates shared in 2009. It seems to sum up what’s important.
“Engagement is the emotional and intellectual commitment of an individual
to build and sustain strong business performance.”
The three things that have been shown to be important are 1) the heart part (emotional commitment); 2) the head part (intellectual commitment); and 3) strong business performance (who cares about the other two if you aren’t meeting your goals at work?)
I think that first and foremost, it’s the employee’s job to connect these 3 components together to create engagement. Each time an employee shows up at work, there is an implied contract that good work will be delivered for a fair pay. Finding a sense of self-engagement benefits the employee more than anyone else.
Of course the manager plays a role in the engagement equation. I believe managers are responsible for listening, sharing information and removing obstacles to help the employees. And finally, I know that the executive leadership team owns the role of creating and sharing a compelling vision and providing the rewards (tangible and intangible) for the employees.
Who’s responsible for keeping YOU engaged, every step of the way?