Are Your Employees In It For More Than The Paycheck?

What is the level of enthusiasm within your work force? Are your employees driven to go the extra mile, or do they settle for bare minimum? Do they feel that their efforts make a difference? 

These are pertinent questions that every employer needs to ask themselves. Employee Engagement is a HR concept describing the dedication that a staff member has towards their job.

Creating an environment at the workplace where employees can thrive is an important facet in HR leadership.

As Gallup recently reported, $7.8 trillion is lost in productivity. This is equivalent to 11% of Global GDP. These statistics clearly show that the future trajectory of employee engagement will be a measure of success.

As HR leaders we need to investigate strategies to improve the psychological commitment of staff to their work, their teams, and the organization. Financial incentives do not necessarily create a psychological commitment to one’s work.

I propose the following as solutions to the perennial problems of disengagement.

1. Inclusion. This will assist to meet employees’ psychological need for safety.
2. A Leadership that brings out the H in Human Resources, a leadership that cares, A Trust based relationship with leadership.
3. Learning and Development Opportunities. Being deliberate in empowering and enabling your staff to develop new skills and grow professionally
4. Purpose. Meaningful work will, help your employees find purpose in their work.
5. Recognition. Recognizing and appreciating a job well done and an extra mile taken by an employee while in executing their duties.
6. Work life integration. Granted work life balance is not achievable, but wellness and wellbeing initiatives plus providing for flexibility will create synergy between work, personal wellbeing, family, and community.  

While it is challenging to create a culture of engagement and it sure can be difficult to measure employee engagement, the results of an engaged workforce, is worth it.