Welcome back to existing readers, and greetings to all newbies!
Last week I wrote that if there is no engagement, you are making money the only motivator. The most important skill a manager must learn is how to engage associates. The challenge is that no two associates are engaged the same way.
Before sharing some engagement strategies, let’s look at some well known, but worth reiterating stats. (Source: Gallup)
Gallup research has consistently shown that engaged teams do better on several key performance measures. Gallup’s latest employee engagement research found that business units and teams scoring in the top quartile in engagement had the following impressive differences in business outcomes when compared to the lowest quartile group:
78% less absenteeism
21% less turnover for normally high-turnover organizations
51% less turnover for low-turnover organizations
28% less theft
63% fewer safety incidents/accidents
32% fewer quality defects
At the same time, Gallup finds that engaged employees achieve multiple positive impacts for the business:
10% higher customer loyalty/engagement
18% higher productivity according to sales data
14% higher productivity through production records and evaluations
23% higher profitability for their organizations
22% higher organizational participation from employees
So, how do we engage our teams? Lets look at 5 strategies.
Start with a survey (and once every two years is not getting it done). Think about the amount of associate turnover; are you really getting relevant feedback? Think about management turnover; are the results a manager issue? Once you have your results, you can focus on repetitive concerns. The key to this is meeting with your teams, and digging deeper. For example, if associates have said they are frustrated with their managers’ responses to issues, ask for specific examples. If associates have asked for replacement of broken work “tools”, has the manager delivered on their promise of getting associate the necessary tools to do their job? Empty promises in any relationship erode trust. Don’t over promise and under deliver.
Next - foster workplace autonomy. Set expectations from Day 1. Let associates know the issues/problems they can solve on their own. Provide specific examples and the resolutions that are available.
People are 12% more likely to report being happy with their job when they have freedom and autonomy in their work environment.
One study showed that a lack of autonomy in the form of a micro-manager led to a decrease in employee morale for 68% of the respondents.
Setting up a buddy or mentorship program is the third strategy. Choose a buddy/mentor that you would like the associate to emulate. Perhaps you could provide a financial incentive for the buddy/mentor, give them some skin in the game. You are also providing a growth opportunity while giving your new associate with a great start. The key to success of this program - regular follow-ups, separately, with mentor and mentee.
Research by the Association of Talent Development found that organizations with mentoring programs in the workplace saw 57% higher employee engagement and retention.
Another study found that 87% of mentors and mentees felt empowered by their mentoring relationship and developed more confidence.
Next, make sure associates understand goals and results. The best way to do this? Create a visual scorecard, post it, update it, and review the results with the team. Every team member wants to know how they impact the work being done. If results fall below the goal, ask the team why, and what they could have done to improve the results.
Gartner research shows that when employee goals align their personal needs with those of the organization their performance increases by up to 22%.
Employees who feel their voices are heard are almost 5 times more likely to give their best effort.
Last one for tonight: Cross-train or provide internal mobility. The benefit for the organization? Provides training without hiring. For the associate? Provides opportunity to feel trusted and to learn a new skill and become more valuable.
According to a Deloitte report, an organization experienced a 30% increase in employee engagement after introducing an internal career program to help employees learn new skills and seek alternative roles.
LinkedIn’s 2020 Global Talent Trends report found that 41% of employees will likely stay longer with an organization that regularly hires from within.
Can you employ these strategies? What is hindering you from implementing? Do you have support from your manager to promote engagement within your department? Your answers to these questions is the first step.
Thank you for reading.
Please share with friends and peers.
Until next week, be kind to everyone you meet.