“Making assumptions about an employee’s engagement is a dangerous practice,” says Michelle Primus of Momentum Partners, a leadership development consulting firm. “Instead, we need to teach leaders to be explicit in their communication. We know, in working with our clients, that communication is not easy. It takes work and practice”.
Key findings from a workforce survey conducted by Achievers regarding the North American workforce:
• 51% of employees are not happy at work.
• 61% do not know their company’s cultural values.
• 53% do not feel recognized for their work.
As a manager or senior executive, what are you doing to ensure your employees are recognized and support your cultural values? Do you have a way to measure their engagement and happiness with work?
Core Business Solutions recommends developing authentic employee engagement, which not only improves morale, but also the positive impact to the bottom line. Core has a strategic relationship with the team at Momentum Partners, who work with organizations to inspire effective leaders, build strong teams and coach for career fulfillment.
Engaged employees may be the solution to more innovation, increased profitability, organizational growth and satisfied customers. The Gallup Organization and Willis Towers Watson independently conducted surveys to validate the statement “Engagement is critical to business success”, and here’s what they found. Companies with engaged employees had:
· two-and-a-half times the financial gains
· a 19% increase in operating income
Without engagement, operating income decreased to about 30%. As business leaders, we need to remember our employees are relying on us to lead them to success! What strategies around talent acquisition, talent development and employee engagement do you have in place?
Maureen Hurd, President of Core Business Solutions, agrees with Derek Irvine from TLNT, a leading Human Resource news company, that presents the following strategies to overcome this problem successfully:
· Support the creativity and authenticity of your employees. As a manager, are you nurturing the kind of individual’s creativity across the entire organization?
· Enhance meaningful interaction. Employees who know how their work is meaningful to the beneficiary of that work are both happier and more productive than employees who lack that line of sight.
· Open more employee opportunities and have them support the organization the way they see fit. Make sure we give them room to be themselves.
· Recognition of good work results in happiness and increased productivity.
Core Business Solutions focuses on recruiting employees that will be strongly engaged in their client’s organization. The Core Team spends the critical time on the front end to understand company culture and benefits, to market opportunities effectively to prospective candidates. Companies should consider the value of attracting and retaining top talent. To discuss best practices for both engaging employees and retaining top talent, contact Maureen Hurd at Core Business Solutions.