How to build daily engagement
In my last blog post I talked about how to build a culture of high engagement. The Corporate Leadership Council outlined a number of levers across three categories: the first category of day-to-day work levers to promote engagement is covered in this blog.
Connection between work and organisational strategy
In all organisations I have worked in, this is critical part of building employee engagement. If my work (regardless of level and role) contributes to the overall strategy, I can clearly see the link and clearly understand how my performance will be held to account against this strategy.
Employees that have opportunity to be part of creating the strategy (strategic, operational or work unit) have a stronger ownership of it as it is a shared strategy, not just the CEO or CFO’s strategy.
Importance of job to organisational success
This lever relates to that connection. If I can see how my job links to strategy and overall success I can see the value and commit to getting there. In human service organisations I have worked with, that value often directly relates to how many people I can support through my role to reduce homelessness or increase literacy levels of children, for example. So there is a stronger engagement as staff can see how their job contributes to the organisation’s goals and aspirations in these areas.
Understanding of how to complete work projects
In organisational change this is vital; if you don’t know how to do your job in the new environment and are not adequately supported you will feel disengaged. This lever is a key link to good change management within a project context to ensure that as a result of change, the move to a new business as usual is as smooth as possible.
Success is based on that smooth transition and whether staff are ready for the change and able to fulfil tasks to the quality and acceptance levels of change sponsors.
