As I settle into the role of “entrepreneur” and lock down the type of work I want to be doing and the value I can deliver, I’ve been thinking a lot about employee engagement. I’m still working through the elevator pitch and elegant prose versions of this, but here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
Employee engagement is participation.
It’s employees participating in:
the 401k because they understand the program and why it’s important for their futures.
the wellness program, because it’s easy to understand, easy to use, and accessible – no matter where an employee is on her wellness journey.
actively selecting an insurance plan. Every. Single. Year. And being able to do so because the plan options, along with the pros and cons of each, have been clearly communicated. Actively participating in the process means employees don’t have to worry about whether they are paying too much or if their families have enough coverage.
learning and development opportunities because they’re accessible and the employees understand how learning and development can help in their current and future roles.
employee resource groups because they’re aligned with employees’ interests and deliver professional and personal value.
the job referral program because employees are proud of their employer and think the people in their network would thrive if they had the opportunity to join the team.
corporate values. This means employees understand them, have internalized them, and allow them to influence their day-to-day decisions.
showing up and bringing their best. Not every day, because no one is their best every day. But most days. Because doing well matters to them. Because they understand the big picture.
achieving goals. This will look different for everyone, and every role, but employees know the strategy, they understand the vision, and are empowered to take the relevant actions they need to in order to drive results.
the community. This means asking for help when needed. Or taking on a challenging assignment. Or volunteering to help a teammate who needs some assistance. It could be checking in on a sick coworker. Or asking about someone’s weekend and not being annoyed if they respond with something more than, “Fine.” It means asking the new person to lunch…or asking anyone to lunch for that matter.
recognition. It means giving credit where credit is due. Not just for big achievements. But for little ones too. And that’s across all levels of the organization. You don’t need to be a manager to recognize someone’s good work.
the decision-making process – in whatever capacity they can. Not everyone can chart the course. But once the course has been charted, a lot of things must happen to actually get to that next destination. That means there are thousands of individual decisions that need to be made by every single employee – whether it’s the tone of their voice when they answer the phone, how they draft an email to their colleague, or respond to an unforeseen challenge.
balancing (as best as anyone can) their work and life, because they feel they have the tools and autonomy to do so.
building the brand – because the best brands are built from the inside out.
And finally, it’s employees participating in the big picture. They know where the company is going, are clear about what’s expected of them, their unique role, and their value in helping the company, their team, their family, get there.
If you’re not empowering your employees to participate, you’re not going to have an engaged workforce.
NOTE: This is just an initial list of ways employees can participate. If anyone is reading this I would encourage you add your own.