What is Employee Engagement anyway?

Today in North America job satisfaction is at an all time low with fewer than 1 in 3 people being engaged at work. In the past 25 years a marked loss of "job satisfaction" has put less then 35% of people happy or proud of their work, the environment they work in or their current position within a corporation.

Disengaged employees cost the North American economy up to $350 billion per year in lost productivity.

What can be done?

GREAT leaders need to focus on engaging employees with :

GROWTH

• Meet one-on-one to assess the career goals of your employees
• Acknowledge what skills, experience and knowledge they need in order to identify those goals
• HELP them to identify ways to close the gaps between their goals and the where they are now in their career
• Offer mentorships, job rotations, meetings and job training

RECOGNITION

• Show appreciation readily, but make sure it is deserved
• Don't just say it or use email. Written notes are highly valued
• Offer recognition in public or with their peers or a boss present
• Ask people their opinion; get them involved

TRUST

• Your words and deeds must match
• Be transparent; share the bad news along with the good news
• When you make a mistake; acknowledge it
• Never say anything about a person that your wouldn't say to their face
• Constantly remind everyone of the Big Goal and the Plan that will get them there