The Engagement Agenda: Implications for Managers and Leaders
Given the clear association between engagement, job satisfaction and performance, it is clear that there is a big incentive for managers to seek to drive up levels of engagement in their workforce. But in difficult economic times there are some specific obstacles that organisational leaders need to be aware of.
- Many managers and leaders will tend to keep their heads down and will spend most of their time fire fighting at times of economic uncertainty. This is a stress reaction to danger and will have people using all sorts of excuses not to change their behaviour.
- Many managers will also wonder if they really need to make a step change in this area. After all they’ve got to where they are in their career without being champions of engagement. Why should they now start behaving in a way that is so out of step with what they know?
- Many technical managers will also find it uncomfortable to be more relational which is what is required in engagement. Emotional openness, robust dialogue, care and invitation are core qualities that have to become commonplace in engagement cultures.
- Investment in people development when financial performance is under such pressure will lead some companies to slash their budgets. Again this is a short term response to stress and an approach certain to have them responding defensively rather than being on the front foot.
It won’t be easy or quick for companies to overcome these hurdles. If they are committed to doing so, they will need to help people understand what the benefits are, how they need to behave and why it’s important to change (cognitive engagement). They will then need to practice having more open, people focused conversations which encourage employee involvement (emotional engagement). And on top of that they will have to motivate and support people along the way as they go that extra mile (physical engagement).
The long and short of this is that engagement is a journey. Some companies may have a long way to go to recognise its benefits but others will surely be ready for the ambition, the performance and the raise in standards that it promises.
Find out more about our engagement and motivation programmes:
Find out more about the PassionWorks online diagnostic here.
