Building a Culture That Engages Employees

A recent study by Towers Watson shows that just over a third (35%) of the 32,000 full time employees who participated in the study are “highly engaged.” Of the remaining participants, 39% are “unsupported” or “detached” and fully 26% are actively disengaged. The impact of disengaged employees is startling. In fact, Gallup estimates that the lost productivity of actively disengaged employees costs the US economy at least $370 billion annually.

Keeping employees engaged is essential to organizational success.

A key driver of employee engagement is effective leadership. While HR programs and perks may increase employee satisfaction, the number one contributor to whether an employee feels valued, connected and challenged is the employee’s immediate leader. 
In our increasingly global environment, we need leaders who can engage the workforce, motivate virtual teams, communicate effectively across borders and attract and retain diverse talent.  

But how do we develop and support those leaders?

By providing leadership development that helps leaders understand their preferences in the four dimensions of leadership – Leading through People, Leading with Vision, Leading to Deliver and Leading with Drive – and how they can adapt to a given situation or person to produce maximum results.

A culture of engagement includes two-way communication and feedback, trust in leadership, opportunities for development, employees who clearly understand how they contribute to organizational success, and shared decision-making.  Leaders contribute to this culture by recognizing the unique value that each member of the team brings to the organization, and by adapting to different communication styles, motivation triggers, and work style preferences.

The proof is in the numbers.

According to Towers Watson, those companies with a highly engaged workforce improved operating income by 19.2% over a period of 12 months. Companies with low engagement scores saw operating income decline by 32.7% over the same period. 

What are you doing to create a culture that promotes employee engagement?