Employee engagement ideas every senior leader should know

Some organisations have a reputation as a great place to work, while others struggle to retain their employees. Employee engagement, level of commitment, and the willingness of employees to recommend their company as a great place to work and do business can make or break an organisation.

In a research study, Dale Carnegie Training examined the factors that directly impact engagement at the workplace and came up with some employee engagement ideas for senior leadership.

Belief in the senior leadership ability to lead the organisation in the right way was determined to be one of three key factors of employee engagement. The other two are “relationship with immediate supervisor” and “pride in working for the organisation.” Learn the five employee engagement ideas for senior leadership and behaviours that are critical to retain employees, improve customer satisfaction, and increase ROI (return on investment).

Create a culture that encourages engagement: Set strategic and cultural goals to steer the company in the right direction to achieve its vision. Leading with positive attitude and action can create a culture of engagement that inspires all employees.

Listen to the employees’ opinions: When an organisation encourages open and honest communication, employees feel more engaged. They welcome the opportunity to share concerns and work together to find solutions. Sixty-five percent of employees who say they are satisfied with the amount of input they have in decisions affecting their work are engaged.

Provide coaching and training: Provide employees with coaching and the opportunity to develop new skills and grow. Senior leadership can create engagement by also ensuring employees receive immediate and helpful (contractive) feedback. Investing in internal or external training programs is another way to increase engagement. Workers need to feel that what they do is meaningful and that they work for a successful company.

Align employees’ values to the company’s values: Employees need to feel that they belong to a community that shares their values. When employees see the organisational behaviour align with their values, they are engaged. “The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organisational objectives is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Andrew Carnegie.

Promote a spirit of teamwork and cooperation: Positive peer interaction allows employees to look forward to going to work and helps them create long-lasting friendship among their colleagues. These employees feel pride and act as ambassadors for their organisation.

Patrick Nwakogo