Engagement - The Role of the Employee
Engagement - The Role of the Employee
Engagement - The Role of the Employee
The workforce is the driver of growth that sets a company into greater heights. It is imperative that employees be given an active role in mapping out the future of the company. To engage means to involve, to involve means providing an active part, how active is it? Based on what standards? Will the company benefit more from it? How will the employee react? - these are just some questions to think of in developing programs for employee engagement.
There are drivers of employee engagement, these involve the basic needs, social needs and esteem needs. The basic needs stem from what makes one employed in the first place, that is to earn money, fend for oneself and family and earn a decent living. It is imperative that this is addressed for an employee to feel that his worth is given attention; it is valued and aptly rewarded. Social needs can be viewed in terms of the value of the relationships that the employee fosters in the working environment, how it creates camaraderie, teamwork, and ensure productivity through a seamless work environment and relationship. Esteem needs is how the workplace boosts the worth of an employee in terms of his capability to perform, exceed his potentials and determine his self-worth in the process. It is essential to provide timely recognition. The company that empowers and addresses the needs of the employees from these three bring out a sense of fulfillment in the employee. Job satisfaction though it is tricky is addressed if the employee is well equipped and independent in making sound decisions for problem solving even in the minute proportions. If one feels empowered to create a positive change, then one feels that he is engaged in the functions and growth of the company.
Four dimensions of employee engagement can be addressed: these are on the perspective of the employee. First is "What do I get", next is "What do I give?" followed by "Do I belong?" and lastly "How can we grow?". Answering these four questions paves the way for a better understanding of what and how the employee is phased in for his role in be an engaging member of the team. How involved will one be to carry out tasks for the company and how it will eventually translate to better working conditions, job satisfaction and good employee relations. A good example would be a shoe manufacturer that employs roughly 50 employees. In what do I get, employees can be given better working conditions, salary increases, flexible time-offs, that is a segue to "what do I give?" - the employee ensures that he diligently does his work, lessens errors, minimize costs by maximizing on materials needed, doing the work right the first time, producing quality products for effective merchandising, next is "do I belong?" - in here, the employer attributes the success of his shoe business not just to himself as the financer, but to the little people, the "elves" that slave it out to churn shoes for the company, by being recognized in terms of a simple pat on the back for a job well done, or a recognition of sorts as a viable employee of the week/month, one's entitlement to the job and how it translates to productivity is heightened. In "how can we grow?" participative management seeks out ways to deliver the goods and at the same time aspire for the future and growth of the company. How one strives to improve, innovate and implement change is crucial in ensuring the fresh approach that the company will always have in the eyes of its employees and the general public.
In as much as we have discussed the four dimensions, it is worth mentioning that employee engagement divides the type of employees into three, an organization that promotes this cause can relatively consider the three as: Engaged, Not Engaged, and Actively Engaged. Take the case of a simple web-based start up company - the members can be divided into the three. The core members, the programmers, web developers and software engineers can be engaged but how do we say they are actively engaged if they define their roles as just merely doing the job. If one goes the extra mile for the sake of the company, then it can be termed as being actively engaged. The receptionist who carries out calls and transmits information can be engaged by actively seeking ways to make things happen for the company in her role, as a catalyst for engaging inquiries for the company, utilizing the phone system and generating interest among clients and potential investors by satisfying their requests for information. Not engaged can be in terms of not caring enough for what happens to the company, like the delivery kid that is always late, missing parcels and is out of tune with the rest of the workers, he doesn't care and this commitment is not indicative of full employee engagement.
It is often that the strategy in engaging the employees to participate more, be proactive members and be stakeholders in their own right are thought of as the key ingredients to the success of this undertaking. To foster results and develop an open line of communication, there are four to's to consider: these are To Grow, To Do, To Know and To Be.
Let's examine each closely, in To Grow, employers are actively engaging their workers by providing the necessary training and development programs. By equipping the workers with what is necessary for them to do their job effectively, they are given the free reign to learn, adjust their skills and hone their craft. This is indirect active participation in the form of job training and seminar, the employees join these seminars and represent the company, it provides them an active role in charting what it is the company needs, how they can contribute and what their future role will be in mapping out a successful business plan.
In To Do, the employer engages the members through collaboration and innovation, how is it possible? This time creativity in terms of out of the box ideas are sought for, ways to improve productivity, limit waste and the active use of current technology. Ways to do this include proactive meetings and team building seminars outside the office where everyone is relaxed, coming up with ways to improve processes with the best idea being implemented and the proponent earning a prize for coming up with it. Ensuring that the project goes well and that the proponent sees it is a good way to show everyone that yes, management heeds your suggestions and that it is appreciated. Recognition, as it is largely unutilized, yet offers so much and costs very little.
In To Know, the role of communication is highlighted as the key ingredient in enabling active participation in the organization. By coming up with monthly updates, weekly meetings and small group discussions, communication is fostered and strengthened. The employee joins his superiors in channeling positive energy through informed decisions based on what it is that is provided, thereby limiting distrust and promoting openness.
In To Be, employees are recognized for their efforts, they may be in the form of monetary compensation, overseas trips, salary increases. These are simple ways to acknowledge the effort that the employees poured in for the company, by doing this, bonds and a healthy working relationship is established and strengthened, making and forging an effective way of employee engagement. The feeling of I am being valued is a good way to enjoin and develop loyalty.
Various concepts can be borne out of employee engagement, these are all relative to a company, one is applicable to all but not to some, in any way, they may be interchanged and seen as positive drivers of growth in interpersonal as well and within the office working relationships.
Motivation is one example, it is an inherent concept that is developed when an employee is given confidence to do substantial work with considerable consequences for the company, the fact that an enormous responsibility is handed to one is enough motivation for one to excel and do greater things for the company. It inspires others to do more and engage in activities that will prove to be beneficial to all in the long run.
Trust is an important facet of employee engagement; it is by trust that a company allows its workers to be active players in its growth. How can one company function without its people and their trust with one another? It is imperative that the top management pick the right people to trust and at the same time the ripple effect of it goes to all, from middle managers up to the rank and file. Trust bolsters employee's worth and motivates him to do more beyond what is expected.
Loyalty and commitment are oftentimes interchanged but they are relatively a pair that goes together in engagement factors. One's loyalty is often measured by years of tenure, but arguably the question is how committed was he during those years, if both are positive and functioned well beyond what is ought to be then it is brought out in the effective flow of work in the company. These two simple facets of employee engagement revokes the notion that tenured workers are often not committed to the job. It can be thought of as providing enough challenges to test the loyalty and commitment, but inevitably the reason for staying can be attributed to effective management principles in practice, those that brings out the best in everyone.
A service oriented organization often thinks of its customers, their welfare and how they respond to the provided services, but it is must not be neglected that customer management begins within the organization, the internal customers that it serves and how they are motivated to perform well, given roles to participate in the direction projected by the company and how engaged they are in doing work both for the internal and external customers.
Profitability and sales growth is given emphasis for they are the two important factors that allow the company to exist, unless it is for pure social work, each organization strives hard to be profitable to say the least, and this is measured by periodical sales growth, targets must be reached and accomplished. Various strategies are employed to achieve this. By incorporating everyone to achieve goals, a sales team will look to marketing for programs to deliver the merchandise as it will be acceptable to an ordinary consumer to procure it. Taking care of clients, long term especially is directed towards maintaining a loyal clientele that would stay on whatever changes may occur in the future. Public relations must always be enhanced and taken care of, publicity - negative or positive must be utilized for the benefit of the company. It is up for spin-doctors to channel these energies that will eventually be beneficial for the organization it serves. People within the organization must be given the entitlement to what is theirs and how their contribution is shared and enjoyed by many. A plurality of sorts is integral and not limiting it to a singular voice that channels the energy. This electricity must be spread to the rest to create vibrancy and generate interest to succeed and be important.
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