Does engaging employees have to cost time and money?
Employee disengagement has become one of the biggest challenges organizations face in this modern economy. Some blame it on Millennials who disrupted how the world thinks and functions. Gen Z has taken it even further away from established principals and common practices. It’s time to adapt and embrace the value they’ve brought to business and commerce.
Does engaging your employees have to cost you time and money? NO.
The “no” applies to money. Everything costs us time… however, with an affective strategy and mindset, time is an asset. By investing quality time into your employees and your culture, you save time long term.
There are endless short term magic pills on offer to “resolve this problem”. Incentives and increased salary doesn’t have the impact most executives believe. There is a much more simple and effective strategy that doesn’t require financial investment: re-hiring, training or restructuring.
The Power of Purpose in the Workplace
In the book, The Power of Moments, by Chip and Dan Heath, they outline how the value of meaning or purpose at work can shift the dynamics of a team. It all has to do with the element of connection to elevate engagement.
Employee engagement is based on the level of meaning your team has in the work they do, and the level of social impact your company has. In other words, if the work is just about a paycheck, you’re losing. Morten Hansen, a University of California, Berkley professor, surveyed 5,000 employees and managers to gain insight on they psychological DNA of star performers. 17% of those surveyed agreed that a sense of contribution to society made a large impact on their work.
There is another level to consider beyond the social mission (or lack of), of your company or brand. Employees often times have a personal purpose... they want and need flexibility to nurture that personal purpose. If your company acknowledges, feeds and encourages their personal purpose, you will experience a high return on engagement. Take the time to emotionally invest in your team. Be curious. Care about them.
As executives, make time to put your finger on the personal pulse of your employees.
Get to know them personally
Who are they?
What drives them?
What inspires them?
Why do they wish to become (personally and professionally)?
What keeps them up at night?
What are their dreams and aspirations
How do they feel about their job, their position and YOU (the boss)?
Leverage that connection and their purpose to the benefit of all involved, starting with yourself and ending with your customer base. Employees who feel valued stick around and deliver on your brand promise. Now the question is, are you effectively communicating these elements: Asking the right questions? Expressing gratitude, appreciation and understanding? Want to improve your communication skills? Take our PURPOSE-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION online course.
Vital Germaine
President of ENGAGE Teams 360
Vital is Las Vegas' most dynamic keynotes speaker and corporate trainer. His executive leadership experiences are designed to inspire extraordinary performance. BOOK VITAL TODAY for: