Groundhog Day has come and gone, and we have quite a bit of winter still to weather.  During these cold and dreary months, it’s natural for our morale to dip.  That’s why this month we’re focussing on employee engagement.  

Just Another Buzzword?

Oftentimes vague corporate buzzwords can be thrown around, making conversations seem important, but seldom insightful.  So let’s nail down the definition of “employee engagement.”  

What it’s not:

• Employee Happiness: An employee might be happy at their job. There may be many enjoyable perks, wonderful coworkers, and fun events - and that’s great! However, a happy employee isn’t necessarily the most productive or going above and beyond for their company.
• Employee Satisfaction: Many business leaders try to survey and measure employee satisfaction, but the conditions for “satisfaction” are the bare minimum. An employee who doesn’t have much to complain about might not have much to rave about either. An employee who is only satisfied with their job is more likely to leave your company for a modest increase in pay somewhere else.

Employee engagement is the employee’s emotional investment and dedication to the company’s goals and values.  An engaged employee has a sense of duty to perform their job and go the extra mile.  

Why Is It Important?

From a business perspective, the math is quite simple: employees committed to the company’s success will perform better and create superior customer experiences than those who are not.  Engaged employees also mean longer retention, a more positive company reputation, and more stability in operations.  As Kevin Kruse, author of Employee Engagement 2.0, puts it:

“Engaged Employees lead to…

     higher service, quality, and productivity, which leads to…

              higher customer satisfaction, which leads to…

                           increased sales (repeat business and referrals), which leads to…

                                     higher levels of profit, which leads to…

                                                higher shareholder returns (i.e., stock price)”

A Two-Way Street

Engagement is based on a mutual respect and trust between the employer and employee.  This isn’t “just a job” for them.  It is more meaningful and requires healthy communication.  Engaged employees feel comfortable speaking up because they know their voice has value.  They know that they’re recognized and appreciated for what they do, and that the recognition is personal and meaningful.  Their vision and goals match that of the company’s, and they feel supported in their day-to-day activities.

What we’re saying is, if you truly listen to and invest in your employees, you’ll see some powerful results.  Stay tuned this month for more on employee engagement!

By Aubrey Dion

Aubrey Dion is proud to be back working for the family business she grew up in. Over the years, she has performed a wide variety of jobs in both the office and factory, becoming a true "jack of all trades." Aubrey credits her quick learning ability to her strong theatre background, where memorization and attention to detail are vital. Working in the marketing department allows her to stay creative and work on exciting new projects for the company.

Sources

Forbes - What is Employee Enagagement?

Engage For Success - What is Employee Engagement?

SHRM - Developing and Sustaint Employee Engagement