Employee Engagement: Do Your Part
Pick a company, any company, and on some level, employee satisfaction is most likely measured. This may be through net promoter scores, annual employee surveys or something similar. What do these measurements really tell us about true employee engagement?
When you delve into employee engagement, it’s obvious that satisfaction and happiness are certainly an essential component of employee engagement — but alone, they’re not enough.
According to Office Vibe’s Global & Real-Time State of Employee Engagement, employee engagement is on the decline:
60% of employees notice that their job is taking a toll on their personal life
63% of employees feel like they don’t get enough praise
57% of employees wouldn’t recommend their organization as a good place to work
56% of employees believe that they don’t have any career advancement opportunities
Many companies send out surveys on pre-determined intervals to solicit feedback from their employees. Short and simple pulse surveys are one-question assessments that attempt to obtain a snapshot of the organization’s feelings on a particular topic at that particular time. Annual surveys are also a great tool but can be cumbersome and time-consuming. A better approach for companies is to utilize more frequent feedback methods which allows faster measuring of the impact of actions like major changes and program implementations long before annual survey time.
By implementing frequent surveys, more open communication is encouraged from all employees. Open-door policies are one thing, but when an employee has something critical to say, these policies don’t typically work like they’re expected to.
The ability to provide suggestions, comments and criticisms at any time is invaluable when soliciting feedback. Many times employees just want to have a voice, be heard or feel like they have a communication channel. Everyone needs to vent every once in a while — sometimes that’s all an employee needs to do move on.
Nevertheless, the statistics don’t lie. With companies investing substantial dollars into employee engagement programs, many employees are still not engaged at work. On the other hand, employee engagement isn’t all up to the employer. I firmly believe that employee engagement is a two-way street. Employers (managers included) should be engaging with their employees to build meaningful relationships. Employees should also take some initiative and become a more engaged employee.
Having personally read through hundreds of employee-submitted comments over the years, I’ve found myself repeatedly providing the same tips and advice to employees. Below are my suggestions on how to do your part to become a more engaged employee.
PROVIDE FEEDBACK
How’s a company supposed to fix a problem they aren’t aware the problem exists? If your company is investing in surveys and feedback tools, the least you can do is engage and provide your thoughts and feedback. If your organization doesn’t have these tools, request them!
Transparency is expected in most organizations today. Let your employer know if you don’t understand a certain policy or don’t agree with something. If you have a great suggestion — share it! It doesn't necessarily mean your new idea will be implemented, but at least you can have your voice heard and be a trusted source of feedback for your employer.
If you don’t speak up now, it’s hard to complain later. Just remember, feedback is nothing without honesty – that’s what your employer should be looking and asking for.
ASK QUESTIONS
Question your employer. Not in a rude or gotcha fashion, but ask tough questions. I’ve found that when an employee asks a question and I’m able to provide context as to why a decision was made, it benefits all parties involved.
Communication teams are constantly trying to measure their words and be as clear and concise as possible, though ometimes that company email isn’t enough. Utilize feedback systems to get more information from your employer. Not only do you get your answers, but you’re also showing your employer that you’re invested in the company.
Set-up a regular meeting cadence with your manager — you can ask questions, talk about your performance and set career goals. These meetings don’t have to be long, but dedicating time on you and your manager’s calendar shows how important this meeting is to your success.
BECOME AN AMBASSADOR
You hear a lot about employer branding (in a nutshell, it’s a company’s ability to differentiate and promote its identity to a defined group of candidates that they’re interested in hiring). HR writer, speaker and advisor William Tincup simply states employer branding is “your unique scent.”
There’s no one better to help share your company’s message than you — an employee of the company. Studies show repeatedly that employees are viewed as more trustworthy than CEOs and/or marketing departments, and recommendations from friends and family always rank near the top with respect to trusted referral sources.
When your employer publishes a great blog post, share it with your network. At the next company event, take some fun photos and post them using the company’s branded hashtag. Being your brand’s ambassador will show employers you value the company and its success, not simply your career.
GIVE BACK
To give is better than to receive — whether it’s presents or philanthropy, this statement always rings true. Many companies are fully on-board with social responsibility and giving back to the communities where their employees live, work and play.
If your organization sponsors and/or volunteers at these events, do yourself a favor — be present. Sometimes these charitable events are after hours or are on the weekends and not necessarily convenient. However, your attendance will not only impress your employer, but more often than not, will also enrich your life in more ways than one.
When employees are engaged, they’ll go above and beyond for their company. If you read through these tips and already feel like you’re an engaged employee, that’s great. Now, help one of your coworkers who might be struggling.
No one person or team is responsible for employee engagement — every employee at an organization adds to or detracts from the company culture. We spend a tremendous portion of our waking hours at work — why not be engaged while you’re there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Skaggs is the co-founder of BODDHI Branding, a creative agency with a vision to authentically and creatively construct stories to help your brand grow. Digital and social media, branding, recruitment and content strategy are all functions Chris has developed building teams, processes and strategies from the ground-up. Dedicated to giving back Chris also co-founded Leighton’s Gift, a non-profit with a mission of turning a tragedy into something positive. He also serves on the boards of a variety of different organizations. A natural storyteller, Chris’ work and experiences have been featured on CNN, Marketing Sherpa, Thrive Global, CBS Radio, Recruiter.com and Glassdoor. Get connected online, @chrislskaggs.