Management advice

Employee engagement - reap the benefits

One way to maintain happy, motivated staff and retain your most talented employees is through employee engagement. Some of the most successful companies do this, realising that when people feel good about where they work, they tend to perform better. Good employee engagement breaks down the ‘them and us’ barriers that can develop between management and workers, ensuring a dedicated workforce, all pulling in the same direction.

Empowering breeds loyalty

 One of the most popular ways to boost your employees feeling of self-worth is through empowerment. In organisations where empowerment is a policy, the company creates an environment of sharing information, openness around the office and a culture of recognising performance. Staff are encouraged to think about ways to improve how the company works or solve daily common problems making independent, autonomous decisions.

 People feel valued and recognised

 These people appreciate being given the green light to express their ideas and readily accept the challenge. They feel trusted, part of the company and fully inclusive. That trust is usually rewarded as employees respond positively, and up their productivity levels as a result.

 Employee empowerment begins at the top and often the most important lesson learnt is the need to listen to team members; to give them their voice and express their ideas that will improve the business. Some of the key things to remember with employee engagement are:

• Sharing information – keep employees up to date with company goals, objectives and financial performance so they feel included. Create autonomy – share power with employees, giving them the authority to implement ideas, self-manage and make decisions for themselves.

• Structure – try to avoid a traditional hierarchy structure and create self-managed teams, working closely together.

• Seek feedback – some companies conduct employee questionnaires to gain insights into how they’re feeling about the company. These are only useful if the information gathered is acted upon.

Investment in employees through training

 Empowerment isn’t just about allocating project management and responsibility. It also means providing training opportunities and attending seminars and workshops. This not only improves the skills of the employee but also demonstrates that you are investing in their future; that you believe in them and aware of their skills needs. The response will nearly always be positive and see a worker return from such an event with positive thoughts and keen to share their knowledge with colleagues.

 Another clear benefit of empowerment is that it generally avoids back-stabbing and office politics, as each individual feels self-confident and valued. The morale within empowered companies is often high with a positive atmosphere

 Everyone wins

 Employee engagement is a company-wide policy that needs to be embraced fully. The benefits are clear: high levels of employee satisfaction, a real sense of shared purpose and total team collaboration. And in a company that promotes promotion from within, that culture is passed on as employees, totally on board with the company ethos and culture, go on to become managers. Of course, ultimately, it’s the clients who benefit as they receive a quality service from a company with dedicated, motivated employees. For the employer, it means having happy, loyal staff that will perform to their maximum.