Engaged employees show up at work every day and get involved, not just because they’re being paid to do so, but because they are invested, emotionally and otherwise, in their work, their future, and the ongoing success of their company.
An organization whose team members are actively engaged will benefit from higher productivity, enhanced customer satisfaction, and lower turnover, as its employees live company values every day. As noted by Ann Lantham at Forbes, engagement is a symptom of success.
The Role of Managers in Engagement
Employees with higher levels of engagement with their managers tend to feel they’re getting better direction on the work they do and feedback on their performance. Their mutual feelings of trust and respect with their supervisors leads to them having a stronger sense of ownership and value within your organization.
Managers can become more engaged with their employees by:
- Getting to know them better. This simply involves spending more time with employees and learning about their lives, their families, and their hobbies, interests, and passions. As a result, people feel like their presence is known, and management cares about them. Research consistently proves that employees who feel valued tend to be more engaged and productive.
- Equipping them for success. As they oversee day-to-day operations, managers need to ensure that employees have the training, tools, and resources they need to do their jobs and advance in their careers. Provide them with a strong foundation for the tasks they need to complete and the challenges and achievements ahead.
- Keeping them in the loop. In a word, this boils down to communication. Managers should regularly update employees on company progress, news, and developments – and their role in them. Otherwise, how can they possibly be vested in how things are going?
- Listening to them. Communication is only successful if it’s a two-way process. Whether it’s one-on-one, during team meetings, or via company surveys, managers need to listen to what their team members have to say. Consider communication training for managers to focus on active listening skills.
- Allowing them to grow. Managers choose their teams for a reason. Once people are on board, it’s important to let them do their jobs and showcase their best skills. This means not micromanaging and supporting ideas and suggestions that come from employees.
- Encouraging their development. As they get to know their employees, managers should be thinking about the company and different areas in which it specializes. Is each employee in the right place within the organization – or could they better grow and contribute elsewhere? For instance, that warehouse stocker who loves graphic design may be able to transition into a marketing role that would benefit everyone involved.
- Recognizing their accomplishments. Appropriate acknowledgment and reward for a job well done goes a long way toward building and maintaining employee engagement. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just meaningful to the individual. And heartfelt. Otherwise, it can backfire and erase any engagement progress that may have been made.
The PrideStaff Fresno team can assist you with strategic staffing, employee engagement, and workforce development, with solutions custom designed for your company and its unique culture. Read our related posts or contact us today for more information.