Engaged Employees Are Your Greatest Competitive Advantage. Here's How You Engage The Disengaged.

It's easier said than done right? Here’s a reminder of some key statistics. First the downside.

• Disengaged employees cost the UK ￡52-￡70 billion per year in lost productivity. These are the most negative figures in western Europe.
• In the US the comparable figures are $450-$550 billion per year.
• Gallup’s most recent State of the American Workforce Report suggests that 51% of US employees are not engaged. 
• Their research in the UK suggests that a staggering 83% of the UK workforce is either disengaged or ambivalent about their job and/or company.
• The expectation of most employees is that engagement initiatives should be driven by their manager, with 70% of an individual’s motivation being influenced by his/her manager. No surprise then that people don’t leave jobs, they leave poor managers!

 If people simply do what they have to do, the best you are going to get is average performance. But if you can get people to want to do what they have to do, you can achieve superior performance. A big difference in results arises from that small word ‘want.’

 The upside? 

• Taken together the behaviours of highly engaged employees show 21% more profitability. 
• Companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors by 147%.

Arguably, engaged employees are therefore be the greatest competitive advantage your organisation can have. 

So what if it was easy? What could your managers be doing that they are not? Sometimes it does come down to basics. 

There are 4 things leaders and managers can do to build engagement.

1. Provide direction – clarify expectations; agree with your staff WHAT you want them to do.
2. Build competence – ensure that they have the tools and resources they need to be effective; give feedback about HOW they are doing on a regular basis.
3. Promote influence – communicate how they fit in to the bigger picture and what they contribute; include them in decisions that affect them.
4. Give recognition – treat staff as they need to be treated; adjust your behaviour to meet their needs; if you don’t know what motivates your staff then ask!

Do these 4 things and people will want to do what they have to do.

Culturally, this develops confidence and trust, creating a virtuous, reinforcing cycle with engagement.

Start today! Go and create competitive advantage by engaging your employees.

What is it that you do to engage your staff? Let us know in the comments.

Why not see what Saker Lynd can do for you? For more information, please visit us at https://sakerlynd.com or contact Giles Raymond MA MSc at [email protected]