en•gage•ment (ĕn-gāj’ment) — the act of participating or being in a state
of participation; being in gear; meshed.
I recently read the most current study about employee engagement. In a nutshell, the report from Modern Survey revealed the following results:
- 23% of employees are disengaged
- 35% are under engaged
- 29% are moderately engaged
- 14% are fully engaged
What do these numbers really reveal? To me, these numbers mean that a high percentage of your team members are not “buying” into your brand and company culture—your mission and vision, your values, and your policies and procedures. And a lack of active participation by team members in your company culture can prove disastrous to your customer service reputation and, ultimately, your bottom line.
On the employee side of staff engagement, we need to realize that life is too short to be spending time at a job in which we are unhappy and disengaged. Think about it—most of us spend more time at work than we do at home. So, what can we do about this lack of engagement?
Strategies that Turn it Around:
From the book First Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham, the definition of engagement involves choices based on four questions:
- What do I get? (Am I clear of what’s expected of me?)
- What do I give? (What do I do well?)
- Do I belong here? (Do I have friends here?)
- How can we all grow? (Are there learning opportunities here?)
So the major question becomes, where am I in the engagement scale? First, focus on the four questions listed above and determine where you are lacking in those areas. Second, do something about those shortcomings. For example, if you’re not clear on what is expected of you, sit down with your supervisor and find out what exactly he or she expects from you—in the short term and long term. Third, evaluate what you do, growth opportunities, and the people with whom you work. If you’re not doing something that you’re good at and enjoy doing for at least 80% of your job duties, perhaps you need to make a change in position or company. If you dislike everyone you work with or there are not opportunities for growth, it might be time to make a change.
Remember: When you are an engaged team member, it is easier to deal with customers AND co-workers, which will make your life, overall, more rewarding. And isn’t that what happiness is all about?
What do YOU do to be engaged at work, or what do you do as a supervisor to maintain an engaged team of happy employees? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments section below.