In addition to employee satisfaction employee engagement plays an important role in every organisation. In fact, engaged employees are up to 43% more productive. In addition, these employees are more loyal which makes them less likely to leave the organisation and think further than the average employee. Thanks to employee engagement, organisations' competitive edge can grow.
Employee engagement definition
An engaged employee exhibits positive behaviour towards the organisation and its values. This commitment strongly determines employees' motivation, enthusiasm, high spirits and emotional attachment. As a result, engaged employees are more likely to go the extra mile when needed. This shows that engaged employees are more aware of the context of the organisation and work with colleagues to improve individual performance, for the benefit of the organisation. This results in higher productivity and less unwanted staff turnover.
Factors for engagement
As shown above, higher employee engagement drives better performance. So how can this engagement best be encouraged? Here is a list of the most important factors:
1. Perception of importance work
When employees recognise that their work content and organisation have impact to the environment, this will lead to higher involvement. Therefore, it is important that employees maintain a good relationship with the final product being created.
2. Expectations function
Without a clear objective or proper resources, employees are more focused on "survival" than looking at adding value in the organisation.
3. Development opportunities
At both individual and departmental levels, at least the perception of influence on improvement is important. If these decisions are taken outside employees, employee engagement will decrease.
4. Feedback and dialogue
Employees sometimes simply want to hear that they have done something well. Sometimes this is not tangible, which is why a compliment like "Thank you, looks good!" is is important.
5. Inspiring leadership
Without clear values or a vision, it is very difficult to engage employees in the organisational interest.
Evidently, sometimes behavioural change is needed to get more involvement to create, and that takes time. Often this change is about communication between departments and employees. Sometimes managers are unaware that they forget to compliment or dialogue. Awareness is therefore perhaps even more important than the actual involvement itself.
Literature
Bockerman, Petri; Ilmakunnas, Pekka (2012). "The Job Satisfaction-productivity Nexus: A Study Using Matched Survey and Register Data". Industrial and Labor Relations Review. 65 (2): 244-262.
Crim, Dan; Gerard H. Seijts (2006). "What Engages Employees the Most or, The Ten Cs of Employee Engagement".. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
