What Employee Engagement is not !!

"I organise fun events every month and have a calendar in place for the entire year" she said. "And why do you do that" I asked. "To increase employee engagement" was the reply instantly. "Hmmm, does it work ? Are your employees engaged as a result" I asked. "Yes, they give positive feedback about it in the ESat survey" she said. This is one of many such conversations I have had while interviewing HR Folks, especially for a HR Business Partner position. This has led me to believe that Employee Engagement is now being perceived as a result of fun activity, only it is not.

Employee Engagement is an approach, a continuous process that includes creating the right work conditions to bonds that go as deep as the Organisation's culture, employee engagement is everything that makes an employee excited about coming to work each day and gives them an emotional context to be associated with the Organisation and feel Proud. Having said that, clearly this has to be a combination of a multitude of things done correctly. Starting from hiring the right people who can be culture carriers, to having the right career planning frameworks in place, to the kind of work environment, everything and anything that happens within the Organisation and the Image that it creates outside influence employee engagement in a big way.

Why is it so important to ensure employees are engaged ? The avenues to try out new things are plenty, the wants are needs today. Career changes are a common phenomena and patience is a virtue only a few possess, while creativity and imagination are abundant. Employees expect more from a workplace unlike a couple of a years ago. The blazing speed with which things move today, employees reach the Self-Actualization stage much more quickly. Not experiencing events that create a sense of fulfillment for one for even a little while lead to a feeling of disengagement and rejection.

The key here is to be genuine and not do things to be perceived as Ideal. It rather helps to let employee engagement be one of the values that guide all decisions and processes within the Organisation. Use this parameter to ask, will this have an impact on engagement ? As a result of this, will we achieve higher engagement ? It is a good idea to have a employee engagement angle to all people processes and changes affecting employees. Fun activities could be a part of this, these help lighten the environment, bring about a change in the daily routine and encourage people to relax and release stress.

As an employee, being engaged is feeling excited about going back to work each day  where you can be yourself, being surrounded by like minded folks who care for you and who you care for, making a difference in the Organisation by doing what you love doing and in turn making a difference to the world.

To an employer, an engaged workforce would mean people who can be trusted unconditionally, who believe in one common vision, who go out of the way to make things happen, who create the brand for what it is, people who take everyone ahead with them.