Employee Engagement: If It Was Really That Simple We Would All Do It

Sometimes the solution seems blindingly obvious

, yet few people decide to execute that solution. It doesn't seem to matter what the issue is, or how simple or complex the issue, people have a tendency to avoid the obvious, and often proven, solution time and again.

Many people struggle with their weight. They lead very busy lives and the easy access to quick, less healthy food means they don't have to interrupt their busy schedule. They haven't got time to prepare healthy food or to exercise, even though they may be very unhappy with their weight. The irony is that most people understand the core solution for the majority is to eat less and exercise more: yet our population continues getting larger.

Someone once said that the definition of insanity is consistently doing the same things whilst expecting a different result. So true we say, and then continue doing our own version of the same things.

Reading a management blog recently, I was struck by the message that poor management was the root cause of most business problems, including low levels of engagement. What surprised me was the article then went on to suggest making elements of reporting on employee engagement compulsory for businesses. In some ways the idea is appealing on "what gets measured gets done" grounds, yet there is a danger that the fundamental point has been missed.

In my experience businesses and their managers still tend to follow the old command and control management practices. In a raw and perhaps untrained state, managers issue instructions and detailed task lists that they expect to be carried out. After some development managers become more sophisticated at telling, trying very hard to make it appear to be asking or consulting. They even come to believe that is what they are doing. In reality they are still seeking to control. A manager is a key influence in an employee's working life and as in all things; we tend to judge people by their behaviour rather than their intention. However it is dressed up control still feels like control.

Many businesses recognise that employee engagement is a key business issue with many real benefits on offer. Unfortunately, they fall into the trap of either making little or no real change in their approach, or they effectively go on a diet. In this case the diet is a latest fad or idea applied with great gusto for a short period of time. Much like a diet, it may have some encouraging effects, but things are very likely to revert back to normal when the diet is finished. Alternatively the messages and rhetoric coming from the senior management of the business, which then cascade through the management structure, are very favourable towards engagement. They make their ideal intentions very clear. However, as before, the employees will make their judgement on the actual behaviours they encounter day-to-day rather than the top line management press releases.

There are far too many examples in the media of business leaders who have expressed great intentions of engaging their workforce and even their wider community who have then gone on to demonstrate high levels of a short-term personal gain focus above all else.

In theory engagement is simple: in order to encourage our people to engage, we have to be truly engaged ourselves and not just appearing to be. Results from The Sunday Times 2012 "Best Companies To Work For" survey demonstrate how businesses are tackling this challenge and provides some straight-forward advice on what employees believe separates those who succeed and those who struggle.

by: Mayuri

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