If it were only that simple to hire and retain engaged employees. But people are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.
So what is the anatomy of an engaged employee? How will you know when you see one?
Look into their eyes. Do they have a clear vision of the organization, where it’s come from and where it’s going? Can they see themselves there for years to come, and do they see colleagues as friends, not as potential threats or competition?
Follow your nose. Does the employee eagerly sniff out new opportunities? Do they accept more projects, keen to take on new challenges, instead of avoiding them?
Your employee should readily taste success. They should realize that a good performance speaks for itself and take pride, but not boast or feel entitled. Be sure they put their money where their mouth is. Smiling, being a positive influence to all around, and speaking highly of the company when interacting with others, should all be traits that an engaged staff member packs in their lunchbox each and every day.
If there is a staff member who listens with both ears instead of interrupting constantly and focusing on their reply, you have an engaged employee. This employee possesses a problem solving attitude that demands to be heard. It’s crucial to listen when they go to peers or management with an observation or an idea. They will typically go above and beyond, having given it a lot of thought, proactively discussing things that detract from engagement and offering a solution that makes people sit up and take notice.
“A breath of fresh air” is often how management will describe an engaged employee. They are enthusiastic, often asking ask “Why not?” instead of negatively stating “That won’t work!” This person routinely passes along credit when things go well, while accepting blame when things go wrong. They keep their chin up with a good attitude that infects clients and peers.
Who is the employee that everyone gravitates to? Who welcomes all others with open arms, reaching out to co-workers regularly, and offing to mentor or orient new employees? They know they work in a great environment, and they want others to succeed and thrive there as well. Recognizing people spend as much time at work as they do at home, they want to make the workplace as pleasant an environment as possible.
Engaged employees connect with others in positive ways. They cheer on co-workers, and lend two helping hands, anticipating where people might fall short. They work jointly with others, offering to help overwhelmed colleagues, proactively sharing creative and cost-saving ideas. This sets this employee apart from the rest, making them an exemplary team player, hands down.
An engaged employee doesn’t sit around crying, “Engage me! Why won’t anyone engage me?!” Accepting responsibility for their own engagement, this person takes deliberate steps to engage themselves, and others. They stay balanced, grounded, and their career has legs. Constantly stretching their muscles, engaged people connect, learn and stretch in order to succeed and make consistent and meaningful contributions.
But what about the two most important parts of the anatomy? Where would any of us be without the head and the heart? Connecting those, ensuring that an employee has emotional intelligence as well as workplace savvy, isn’t as easy or always intuitive. Often the sum of the whole doesn’t equal all of the parts. Even the most engaged employees can suffer a disconnect unable to routinely internalize the value of their role in the organization and the company’s mission, vision and values. They don’t understand how the body of their work makes a difference.
One of the leading indicators of employee engagement is a sense of opportunity, optimism, loyalty and belonging in the mind of the employee. Shining a light on employee contributions with frequent, specific and timely recognition will help intertwine the head and the heart in a memorable way. Let employees sink their teeth into some positive reinforcement and constructive feedback.
And engagement isn’t just for employees, it’s for business owners and managers as well. Recent research from the Survey Solutions Employee Engagement National Database shows that people who rate their managers as excellent are five times more engaged than those who rate their managers as poor.
Some of the best leaders are engaged, ensuring that their own head and heart remain connected at all times, embodying the company’s mission, vision and values with a positive attitude. Giving their staff the tools they need to do their job effectively, they walk the walk by trusting employees, helping them feel confident and secure with their knowledge and place in the company. Engagement should be an innate part of a successful company’s work culture.
What traits of an engaged employee or leader will you embody today?