Help Employees to Get Engaged
Happy humans
How leaders can help employees to get more engaged at work
Last week, I ended my work on a change and engagement project and I was reminded of a basic but challenging principle; that to have engaged employees, we need to engage with employees.
The task of engaging often comes down to the job of the leader or manager. Many times the leader has a long list of duties that include- connecting with and keeping the team engaged. This involves nurturing a relationship and communicating in a clear, concise and empathetic way. A human way.
This is challenging in good times but when we busy and under pressure it gets harder.
How to spot engagement? The engaged employees in your teams are precious. These are the people who self-motivated, who put in that extra effort and inspire others to do the same. They care, they have an attitude and a way of thinking, a state of being that can be felt- they are great to work with and be around. The environment can impact them, but there is an intrinsic motivation towards the purpose. “I believe in the work I do”.
Reflection: Think about time when you have felt this, maybe it is your current job? Or one from the past?
Decades of data tell us how well businesses perform when their employees are engaged. All sounds smashing, but according to Gallup, in 2020 only 20% of the workforce felt engaged. Think about that! In a team of 10 people only two are fully engaged.
But who can blame them, look at the challenges we each face today, the last two years turned our work life upside down, challenged family dynamics and relationships, asked us to take look at our health and mental wellbeing. It also asked us to look at the bias and privilege, inclusion and belonging, conflict and inequality.
What are the challenges you are facing? How does that show up in how you feel at work?
Try this: google the words … “My boss makes me feel”
Stop and read the suggestions… I know that Google itself is suggestive (I am sure I don’t understand the algorithms and data that drive this) but there is something shocking about the most googled phrases about bosses, leaders and managers.
Check out he gif… to the right>>>
The message here is, leadership matters
There are many contributing factors to how we feel at work but leaders and managers in particular are often cited and the reason that people leave their jobs. This sounds like the leaders get the blame again- but this is exciting for me, I am an optimist at heart! I believe that leaders and manager are the key – and the good news is, you are human.
Humans seek connection, humans can learn and grow, humans can rewire and rethink.
Humans can learn from mistakes.
Humans can care and support each other,
Humans can communicate with a high level of sophistication,
Humans can listen with presence and compassion.
1) Be aware of your viewpoint.
For any leader, one of the most important tips to improve your communication is to realise that what you want to communicate is viewed from your eyes, with your knowledge and your experience. The impact of the communication is more likely to be as you intended it when you can leave your own perspective and place yourself in to the shoes of the people you are leading. See though their eyes, tap into their knowledge and feel their experiences
2) Have your finger on the pulse.
Stop and reflect- How much do you know about your teams? What is going on in their world? What does their day-to-day life look like? Listen- Do you find yourself drifting off when someone is talking? Have you been in a conversation and been triggered by something they said, which distracts you? Do you interrupt people when they talk?
Of course we all do these things, because we are human, it is normal. But when it is an important conversation, for us or for the other person these natural responses can hold us back from really understanding what the person is trying to share. When someone is not listening well to us, we sense it and we are more guarded and we share less of what we really think. Ultimately it can impact the trust and connection in a relationship.
Read my past blog on <<How to listen better>>
3) Be intentional.
What is the goal or intention. What impact are you trying to have? Do you want them to know something? Do they need to do something different? Do you need them to think or feel a different way? Are you trying to shift a belief. How can we approach each of these will be different depending on the intention we have and the result we want to see. Plan for the outcome you want… >>>Check out the levels of engagement on the right>>> to see how what the difference between each level >>>
Communicate in ways that are approriate for the objective we have. For example:
- An email is fine for a FYI update but posting it on Yammer will give people see but only the option to interact with what you share.
- Some news that needs to be shared to many people at one time- announcement of changes, but smaller team meeting are better for getting the questions that address what is really on people’s minds
- 1-1 meeting in informal and private setting are conversations about difficult emotions in a conflict situation or giving personal feedback.
Engagement- is not just a state, it is also a behaviour- it is what happens to and with our people, more engagement means more connection. This is the experience we have on a human level that makes us act, the relationships with the people we work with and how connected we feel. It is not the events and meetings – it is the actions that occur as a result.
We can all lead and communicate in more engaging ways. We can listen- deeply, with presence and compassion. We can have many conversations in a day- but have some that leave an impression. That help people to be see and heard, help people to find meaning and inspiration.
Help them to turn on and unlock the potential engagement that lives in us all.
DO you need help with leading and communicating for engagement?
If this article made you think about your own team or business challenges we would love to see if we can support you.
Talk to us at Humanly about coaching and support
“Employee engagement reflects the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace. Business units with high employee engagement achieve higher productivity, higher customer loyalty/ engagement, better safety, lower turnover and higher profitability, among other positive business outcomes”- Gallup, State of the workplace 2021
The levels of engagement and communication methods to acheive them
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I know it exists- A basic knowledge
Via- mass communication, formal and impersonal- send out a mass email announcement -
I know it exists, but I also understand enough to describe it to another person- A basic knowledge
Via- mass communication, formal and impersonal, with the option and ability to interact with it- Post on social media -
I know it exists, understand enough to describe it to another person but now I have a positive sentiment towards it.
Via- Conversation and translation, less formal and more personal, with the option and ability to ask questions and find meaning- Departmental meetings -
I know and understand it, have a positive sentiment towards it and I take actions consistently towards it.
Via- Conversation and translation, informal and personal, with majority of time dedicated to exploring questions translating to help find meaning- Active listening in Team meetings and 1-1 conversations -
I know and understand it, have a positive sentiment towards it, I take actions consistently towards it and I lead and support others to do the same.
Via- Deep Conversation and consultation on decision making, informal and personal, with majority of time dedicated to exploring and co-creating- Deepest Listening - Team meetings and 1-1 conversations
