If you’ve been reading any articles about leadership or employment recently you know that employee engagement is a hot topic. And for good reason. Companies with engaged, loyal employees have been shown to have higher profit margins and less turnover than their counterparts with low engagement scores.
Although there are many factors that contribute to employee engagement, ongoing, open communication is a common thread among them. Communication between the direct supervisor and the employee. Communication from upper management to employees. Team and intra-organization communication.
As a result of the economic downturn over the past several years, many employees are feeling less than confident about their jobs, the stability of the organization they work for, and the sense of loyalty their organization feels to them. In fact, various studies show that about one in three employees is searching for a new job.
Giving your employees a sense of connection to your organization by keeping them informed will improve their engagement and loyalty. Here are some tips for doing that.
- Provide regular, effective feedback. Employees need to know how they’re doing. Don’t wait until the annual performance review to praise their accomplishments or address opportunities for improvement.
- Communicate company goals and objectives. Let each employee know how he or she contributes to achieving those goals. When employees see a direct correlation between what they do and company results they feel more connected and valued.
- Share good news…and bad. “We’re doing fine,” will most likely be met with skepticism. Share as much detail as you can. If there are problems, enlist your employees’ support and ask for – and listen to- their ideas for turning things around.
- Provide – and communicate – growth opportunities and a clearly defined career path. Let employees know that you see a place for them with the organization for the long term.
- Say “thank you.” Loud, clear, early and often.
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