| In my Manager's Views of Employee Engagement | | | | satisfaction, profitability, and more. |
| survey, a substantial number of respondents | | | | Curt Coffman and Gabriel Gonzalez-Molina, co-authors |
| requested definition of employee engagement. Below, I | | | | of Follow This Path and associated with the Gallup |
| cite several definitions and explanations from websites, | | | | Organization, give us a substantive list of traits |
| blogs, and corporate communications. | | | | demonstrated by engaged employees: |
| The Conference Board report, "Employee | | | | • Use their talents everyday. |
| Engagement, A Review of Current Research and Its | | | | • Consistent levels of high performance. |
| Implications," offers this definition: | | | | • Natural innovation and drive for efficiency. |
| Employee engagement is a heightened emotional | | | | • Intentional building of supportive relationships. |
| connection that an employee feels for his or her | | | | • Clear about the desired outcomes of their |
| organization, and that influences him or her to exert | | | | role. |
| greater discretionary effort to his or her work. | | | | • Emotionally committed to what they do. |
| The key words are emotion and discretionary effort. | | | | • Challenge purpose to achieve goals. |
| An engaged employee has good feelings for the job, | | | | • High energy and enthusiasm. |
| the boss, and/or the company and chooses to put | | | | • Never run out of things to do, create |
| forth more effort than is minimally expected. | | | | positive things to act on. |
| Chris Gay, consultant with Bridge Consulting, offers a | | | | • Broaden what they do and build on it. |
| more explanatory definition: | | | | • Commitment to company, work group, and |
| Whether you choose to call this a high-performing | | | | role. |
| culture, a highly engaged organization, or aligning | | | | Characteristics of engaged employees-as listed above |
| employees with the business strategy, there are four | | | | and that come to your mind of those with whom |
| key issues that describe an end state where | | | | you've worked--can have more value than a definition. |
| employees are truly committed to helping the | | | | (I always understand the word better from the |
| organization succeed in the marketplace. | | | | sentence or phrase that comes after the dictionary's |
| • Understand the business and their role in its | | | | definition!) |
| success. | | | | From research such as the above and from my |
| • Trust leadership and believe they are | | | | company's involvement in employee engagement and |
| making decisions with the best interest of the business | | | | performance improvement, I have developed a slightly |
| and the people in mind. | | | | different definition of employee engagement. My |
| • Are engaged in making a difference in their | | | | definition comes from 5 years' work with clients |
| jobs every day. | | | | seeking tools and techniques to improve personnel |
| • Feel valued and appreciated. | | | | performance. Here's my definition: |
| The above lists emotional involvements (commitment) | | | | The individual's investment of energy, skill, ability, and |
| for the organization: understanding, trusting and feeling. | | | | eagerness in the work performed. |
| We can assume that they are causes of making a | | | | Engagement includes "involvement" and "commitment" |
| difference. | | | | yet goes beyond to include observable behaviors such |
| Bob Hayward of OPC-UK, also a consulting firm, | | | | as: |
| offers a definition I find interesting, and not just | | | | • Attention to task detail |
| because of the s instead of the z. | | | | • Commitment to assignment completion |
| Employee Engagement is the means or strategy by | | | | • Involvement in special projects |
| which an organisation seeks to build a partnership | | | | • Communication willingly, effectively with |
| between the organisation and its employees, such that: | | | | others |
| • Employee fully understands and is | | | | • Demonstration of personal/professional |
| committed to achieve the organisation's objectives, | | | | improvement |
| and | | | | • Initiation of problem-solving and/or conflict |
| • The organisation respects the personal | | | | resolution |
| aspirations and ambitions of its employees. | | | | • Innovation regarding processes and |
| Interesting that they define employee engagement as | | | | procedures |
| a means or strategy more than a result. I see it as | | | | The items listed are neither requisites for engagement |
| both. | | | | nor the sum total of characteristic behaviors. I hope |
| An effective organizational culture generates and | | | | they stimulate your thoughts of other behaviors that |
| reinforces employee engagement (result). That | | | | say to you an employee--better yet, your body of |
| engagement (means or strategy) produces desired | | | | employees--is engaged. |
| business results such as customer loyalty, employee | | | | |