I gave a webinar two weeks ago on employee engagement: 10 Reasons Why, 10 Ways How. It wasn't my best sermon on the topic, but I found my rhythm about ten minutes into it.
One theme in the handful of post-webinar comments was ... I've already heard all this.
No doubt. Who hasn't heard all this? There are 15 million results on Google when you search the term 'employee engagement.'
There are 7500 books on Amazon tagged with that term.
And yet, employee engagement numbers haven't changed.
The problem is, employee engagement in America isn’t budging. Of the country’s roughly 100 million full-time employees, an alarming 70 million (70%) are either not engaged at work or are actively disengaged. That number has remained stagnant since Gallup began tracking the U.S. working population's engagement levels in 2000. Talk about a lost decade. How to Tackle U.S.Employee's Stagnating Engagement
The numbers haven't changed but a percent or two. I lost track. I'm sure if there was significant change, like 10 or 15 percentage points I'd hear about it.
So, clearly, people are looking for the same kind of solution they look for with the challenges of diet, fitness, children's education, relationships, income inequality/economy, infrastructure, energy, Congress ...
Some want a 'program' they can launch like a drone-strike and go home at the end of the day. Some want a catch-phrase, a slogan, something that slides into an existing HR program with a company whose employee engagement is about average, 30% are and 70% aren't. They'll rain that program down on the heads of everyone as they ran all the other programs down on those 30% engaged and 70% disengaged.
Others want 'an ap for that.' Something they can plug in, hit once or twice, watch the spinning disc, see a color-coded spreadsheet of numbers that leave them feeling easy and comfortable behind our smartphones and in our offices.
Some want a checklist item. Check. Yep, I did that employee engagement thing we have here. Exaggerates checking off a tic-sheet, a checklist, an online survey. Good to go. One more big smile. Heads nodded in agreement on Good to go.
Frustrated, they call a meeting 'about this employee engagement thing.' They'll be too busy to invite the other employees, the rank-and-file, the ones who build the brand, deliver the services, create the 'experiences' that are all part of the latest rage: customer experience.
At the end of the meeting they'll announce a new initiative, newer and better than the last one, in the same way in a corporate-speak manifestation of Same day, different ... or Same ..., different day.
Truly, people haven't heard all this before. Had they heard it all, they'd be doing it all. I'm not speaking just about my ten steps, either. There's a plenty of doable, affordable steps you can take right now.
What if you just walked out of your office and ... and ... engaged with your colleagues and co-workers? In a conversation, like we once did with neighbors and strangers at the grocery store?
See? That's the real employee engagement challenge.
Not everyone is comfortable stepping out from behind the safety glass of a command-and-control-style engagement in order to mingle with employees and customers in open digital venues. After all, many of today's leaders rose through the ranks by following established rules ... The shift is disorienting. From an uncorrected author's proof of Charlene Li's The Engaged Leader - A Strategy for Your Digital Transformation.
That's the one thing no one's talking about. Rising through the ranks means disengaging ... jettisoning your former co-workers and peers, even friends, in order to trail after those who occupy the higher ranks.
Corporate hierarchy is in place to buffer leadership from employees, not to engage with employees. To now say No, we have to turn around and engage with employees is like turning a snowglobe upside down and shaking it. For those inside the company, the shift is disorienting.
But, it gets better. Each time you step out from behind the safety glass of a command-and-control-style engagement in order to mingle with employees ... it gets easier. Like a riding a bike, you remember how to keep your balance and move forward, navigate through topics and issues and concerns and most importantly being accountable. You. You being accountable to them. That's one thing you haven't heard much about when the conversation turns to 'this employee engagement thing.'
Shake that globe and keep mingling.
My friend Stephen Lynch devised a plan. He spends two more minutes with everyone each day and asks them two more questions during that time. You get to know them. They get to know you. You start trusting each other. Once you trust someone you start sharing with them what's important to you, what you need. And they do the same with you.
See? That's engaging. Have you heard that? You have, haven't you? So, what are you waiting on?
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