Employee Engagement Defined
I started the Agent In Engagement blog as an opportunity to connect with fellow “Agents” on employee engagement topics. The prior post provided a little background on how I became “Perfectly Matched.” This post kicks-off our employee engagement discussions by defining the meaning of employee engagement. These are a few of the definitions that resonated with me.
- Forrester Research defines employee engagement using three criteria:
- A deep emotional connection with the brand
- High levels of active participation
- A long-term relationship
- Kevin Kruse defines employee engagement as “the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.” (Employee Engagement for Everyone: 4 Keys to Happiness and Fulfillment at Work)
- Leigh Branham and Mark Hirschfeld define employee engagement as “a heightened emotional and intellectual connection that an employee has for his or her job, organization, manager, or co-workers that, in turn, influences him or her to apply additional discretionary effort to his or her work.” (Re-engage: How America’s Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times)
What do you think about these definitions? What are some other definitions that you prefer?
It’s the emotional commitment/connection wording within each definition above that is particularly appealing to me. Without that emotional connection, how can we create bonds with our coworkers or company? What sort of vested interest would we have in our job besides a paycheck? We probably wouldn’t…and that’s what causes people to disengage from the organization.
Current State of Engagement
Unfortunately, disengagement is the norm. Various studies, such as Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace Survey, show that the majority of people (60%-70%) are disengaged from their job. The result is higher absenteeism, lower morale, increased turnover, lower profits, less satisfied customers, and the list goes on.
It’s not hard to find Agents of Disengagement. They are everywhere. You know who they are. You’ve seen them. Disengaged employees are the ones doing just enough to get by and looking for greener grasses. And why is that? It’s most likely because their company has not communicated a clear sense of purpose and/or understanding of how their work contributes to and impacts the success of the organization. The only positive takeaway is that there is a great deal of room for improvement. That’s where we come in!
Agents in Engagement
We get it. We like to be challenged. We stand out in the crowd. We work to make ourselves, our teams, and our companies better. We understand our purpose and how our efforts benefit the organization. Agents in Engagement are vital…and we need to grow our ranks!
And let’s be realistic; it’s not always easy. No one can be an Agent in Engagement all the time. How can anyone be when 60-70% of our coworkers are unsympathetic to us and the company? So when you find yourself temporarily joining the legions of the disengaged, remember that this Agent In Engagement blog is here as a resource for you to use to connect with and learn from one another.
Let’s get engaged and let’s stay engaged!
Follow me on Twitter: @agtinengagement or email me at g…@a…t.com.
