4 Steps to Overhaul Low Engagement Scores and get Great Retention during ‘The Great Resignation.’

It’s no secret that employees now suffer from workplace stress and anxiety more than ever before. Stress results in low engagement, low performance, higher absenteeism, and resentment. A Johnson & Johnson ?? Human Performance Institute survey of more than 100,000 workers indicated that 65% of respondents are disengaged at work, 21% of them in toxic disengagement. Furthermore, this same study reports that employee engagement can determine an “organization’s ability to weather a downturn – particularly in the face of a system-wide financial crisis, fierce competition or any other serious or protracted business crisis.”?

Did you say pandemic?

For these reasons, it’s critical, now more than ever, that leaders learn what they can start doing today to improve employee engagement and overall performance. It’s a process so easy; you can count the steps on one hand!?

Step 1

Build trust. Trust begins when you develop credibility. Make it a point to deliver on promises and be as transparent as possible with your employees. You will naturally gain the trust of your team when your behavior is honorable and respectful of others. Remember, you can’t ask people to trust you without actually being trustworthy. The old leadership approach of “direct and correct” that leverages fear to compel compliance prevents any work from getting done at all. Fearful people aren’t open to doing; they start to see every task as a possible failure, which becomes a risk they won’t take. As a result, you lose momentum. This is how the human brain is wired; when people are frightened, they put all their energy into keeping themselves safe by reducing perceived risks. Additionally, you run the risk that your most valuable team members, employees who know their value or resent bullying, will leave. On the other hand, trust fuels commitment, collaboration, speed, and innovation.?

Step 2

Communicate with intention. Many consultants will say, “Communicate often with your employees,” but tons of nonsense communication will turn into white noise. Meaningful communication at scheduled intervals of time without failure is what to focus on here. This makes you reliable, accessible, and prevents your team from tuning out. Conversely, keep in mind that this is not quantity over quality; both are equally important! A good communication strategy keeps employees in the loop, sets clear expectations, reassures everyone that they are part of a team, and welcomes employee input. When employees don’t know what is expected of them or why the work matters, they are less likely to perform well. This leads right into the next step…

Step 3

Provide meaningful work. This is adding context to help each employee understand why the things they are tasked with are essential. The key in this step is to get to know each employee related to their natural talent, skill set, and goals. You may need to reassign some positions on the team, but you must try to ensure that it’s exciting and meaningful when you give your teamwork. When people do work they understand and enjoy, they feel inspired and motivated to do their best! You will also notice increased productivity when each player is well-positioned to do the work assigned.?

An added benefit to ensuring you take the time to provide meaningful work is growing your teams’ strength. Once you help employees establish career goals, you can offer them opportunities to stretch their skills and talents within the group’s support network. Which naturally leads to developing new leaders and succession planning.

Step 4

Let employees know they are valued. If you follow the steps above, there’s no way you could avoid establishing positive relationships with your staff. How an employee feels about their supervisor determines how engaged they are in the job. Employees that feel valued by their cohort and immediate manager perform better. So be sure to openly congratulate and credit employees for jobs well done and encourage the team to support and appreciate each other. While many managers quickly tell employees when they missed the mark, effective managers never forget to praise them for good work. Balance your criticism with credit, and you will find that your team will be happier in their roles and go the extra mile because it gives them a sense of satisfaction and pride in a job well done. Now your employees like their work, find it manageable, and enjoy doing it every day!?

Leadership needs to recognize that the ‘Great Resignation’ may not be a short-term issue and has the potential to be a long-term opportunity. Those most successful at employee retention convince people not just to stay in their jobs but motivate employees to throw their whole selves into a company’s mission. Consider what you can do to positively influence your team, make your people happier, and make your organization a great place to work. Your efforts will not only help you battle the current storm, but they will also help your organization be more attractive to future candidates.

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Author: Susan Magill is an operations executive with expertise in leading business transformations that significantly grow revenue, employee retention, and profitability. She is skilled at cultivating collaboration experienced in designing growth strategies and executing business turnarounds. Susan builds organizational sustainability and capability through people and compassionate processes.?

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