engaging your business - a demystified approach to employee engagement

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Engaging your bus iness - a d e m y s t i f i e d a p p r o a c h

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This workshop is aimed to awaken the inspiration in you as a visionary CEO or Leader to take the courageous step of moving your organisation to the next level of performance with an engaged team of contributors. What will we achieve:

• The answers to these questions and the fundamental principles can be adapted to suit the character and personality of your organisation.

The Workshop.

• The objective of this workshop is to deliver solutions with a series of thought provoking questions and principles for all levels of leadership within the business.

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The Workshop Objectives.

• Approaches to build an engaged hi-performance workforce.

• Techniques to deal with cynics, victims, and bystanders, a new generation of performance management.

• Ways to create an environment where people choose accountability.

• Methods to overcome the cycle of blame and defence.

• Techniques to lead and engage in powerful ways.

• Approaches to deal with difficult relationship issues.

• Methods to shift from lip service to authenticity.

• Implementing and maintaining a high performance culture.

• Measurement tools to create business focussed engagement metrics.

• Developing a plan to implement these processes.

• 2 hours post workshop support.

Is employee engagement a new concept?

Nelson, amongst other greats, did not label his leadership as ‘employee engagement’ however he was an early advocate of the process. He discussed and agreed objectives with his captains, allowed them to take the initiative and interpret the objectives as the battle progressed.

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Nelsons French counterpart Villeneuve was an advocate of control and command and his captains had to follow his instructions no matter what, and the outcome was......?

No this is nothing new, however the complexities of implementation within business has only become more challenging but equally more rewarding for the business as it is for the employee.

What is engagement and what is its potential to my business?

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The Engagement Process.

Amongst the many definitions by a magnitude of experts, engagement can best be defined as: • The degree to which a person or group of people commit to an organization, • The impact that commitment has on;

• how they perform, • the business performs and • their length of productive tenure .

Proportionate to the degree of engagement, is the degree to which the organisation can deliver its true capability. Fact not assumption!

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What does Engagement deliver?

A transformative partnership for those who are ready, enabling them to function with mutually shared expectations, adequate resources, expertise and values, with mutually beneficial rewards, this resulting from the holistic processes and actions that will:

• meet and exceed the organisations client expectations externally as well as internally.

• deliver beyond the expectations of the organisational and business plans.

• meet and potentially exceed the needs of stakeholders and investors.

• recognise the expectations of, and provide a foundation for appropriately rewarding the participants that contribute to the business success.

DEPARTURE ANXIETY HOPE FEAR ANGER

The faces of disengagement.

(A)+(F)+(H)+(A)+(D)

management practice

= DISENGAGEMENT

DISCIPLINE TERMINATION ON-BOARDING WORK

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To ENGAGE or NOT?

MILLION IS LOST

ANNUALLY DUE TO EMPLOYEE

TURNOVER R11

COMPANIES WITH

ENGAGED EMPLOYEES OUTPERFORM THOSE WITHOUT BY UP TO

202%

OF ALL EMPLOYEES ARE

NOT FULLY ENGAGED 71%

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To ENGAGE or NOT?

ACCESSIBLE 7%

HIGH RISK 38%

TRAPPED 26%

These employees plan to remain employed and want to work for your organization.

Accessible employees want to remain employed but may not be able to, because of outside circumstances or better opportunities elsewhere.

Trapped employees plan to remain employed, but would prefer to work elsewhere.

High Risk employees do not plan to remain employed and no longer want to work for your organization.

With only 1/3 of your team truly engaged can you afford not to place ENGAGEMENT at the top of your Human Resources agenda.

Alignment =

Discretionary effort

FULL ENGAGEMENT OCCURS

AT THE ALIGNMENT OF

MAXIMUM SATISFACTION &

MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION

Organisation vs Individual Relationship Challenge

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Other Factors vs Relationship Challenge 12

1939-1947 1948–1963

1964–1978 1979–1991

Socialism vs Capitalism dilemma

Business fundamentals

Trade Union – Business relationships

International influences

Value systems

Unique dynamics Managerial capability & practice

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The Reality of Engagement

Moderate to Hi Competence

Variable

Commitment

Lo Competence

Lo Commitment

Lo to Some Competence

Low Commitment

Can we expect to create a warm, fuzzy , utopian environment, where everyone is “happy” - sadly not, as this is not in the character or in the best interests of business. There is an realistic and practical alternative

DELEGATING

SUPPORTING COACHING

DIRECTING

TRULY LOYAL 31%

ACCESSIBLE 7%

HIGH RISK 38%

TRAPPED 26%

There are varying levels of organisational maturity which by implication means some are readier for engagement than others and that is key to the success of the process.

Lo Med Med/Hi ENGAGEMENT READINESS

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Arguing the statistics

Whichever school of thought or guru you wish to support, there are certain realities we cant escape. So instead of getting bogged down in paralysis by analysis, the reality is:

• Whether it is 14% , 22% or 35%, the biggest proportion of most employees in

businesses are not engaged and for any business leader, this must represent an enormous potential for any business to “step up a gear”

In itself a compelling reason to embark on an ENGAGEMENT process that builds your employer brand and fully harnesses skill, talent and ability to deliver the results expected of us.

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About statistics & tools

• The only true measure is a set of business metrics that indicate delivery against a holistic set of performance criteria contained in the business plan and budgets - no plan no measurement , no result.

• Attitude and Engagement surveys are merely diagnostic tools but do invoke an air of expectation.

• Survey results are not the only reliable metrics or indicators of

engagement performance in isolation.

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Leadership & Engagement

The impetus of any ENGAGEMENT process is vested at the very top of the organisation, the CEO. • Unequivocally the starting point for a successful

engagement programme. • A visionary CEO, with the style and charisma to

translate the goals of the business, in a manner that invokes the passion in each member of the organisation, the desire to WANT TO and not HAVE TO deliver.

• There is a significant difference between the CEO

trying to enforce compliance and that of engendering commitment.

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The Chain of Change

KEY PRINCIPLE- The CEO is the first link in the chain of change.

I learned what I had to in order to succeed, but I never thought that learning was all that important. My willingness to do whatever it takes succeed is what fuelled Johnsonville’s growth. However Johnsonville hit the wall of inevitability. I realized that if I kept doing what I had always done, I was going to keep getting what I was getting. And I didn’t like what I was getting.. I could see the rest of my business life being a never-ending stream of crises, problems, and dropped balls. We could keep growing and have decent profits, but it wasn’t the success I was looking for. Ralph Stayer, CEO of Johnsonville Sausage. In the book, Flight of the Buffalo: Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let Employees Lead,

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Reduce your vulnerability.

• The CEO potentially is a lonely figure within the business, closeted in a sacred office grappling with the problems of business, babysitting the managers and employees of the business.

• Never before has the CEO been more vulnerable than in the current economy. A lone figure who lives and dies by his own sword.

KEY PRINCIPLE- It is not up to you as the CEO to make the team listen to what you have to say; it is about setting up the system so that people want to listen. The combination of the right environment and a culture that creates desire instead of requirements, places few limits on what the team can achieve. • That, reduces your vulnerability and raises the bar on success.

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The impact of Engagement .

THE PRINCIPLE: is, it is the CEO who should be the visionary leader.

The average tenure of a CEO is around 5 years, no sooner do employees get used to one strategy and approach and it changes.

Typically the control and command approach proliferates a child – adult mentality and dependency, where the child will only react if the parent commands and pulls the strings.

In what becomes a control and command environment it is inevitable that in most instances the CEO is reduced to grappling with the task of babysitting managers and employees alike.

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Are you ready for change?

• Change has become a phenomenal “buzz word” in business today. A panacea for all ills, as soon as we come under pressure, out of the closet springs a guru who prophesises the gospel of ‘CHANGE’.

• Nothing wrong with that, however;

• Does it mean change is good so long as everyone else is willing to change but me?

• Why should I change when no one else changes?

• Do we appoint some poor unsuspecting disempowered already de-motivated underling, with the mandate to drive change in the organisation?

THE PRINCIPLE - No, I am afraid it does not, it is the vision,

commitment and demonstration of purposeful change from a credible leadership that determines readiness.

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DEPARTURE

The faces of demotivation.

ANXIETY HOPE FEAR ANGER

• The faces and emotions of the disengaged, ranging from anxiety as a consequence of poor initial integration into the organisation, the fear of the unknown, hope that things will change, anger that it hasn’t, leading to ultimate departure.

Yet another compelling reason for ensuring your leadership is sufficiently inspirational to genuinely engage each and every team member.

Lets draw an analogy using a marathon runner. How likely is success of the runner standing on the starting line with no

idea where the finishing line is or how long the run is. My guess the chances of even completion is slim, never mind success……….

Human behaviour dictates we perform at our best when we know what we are doing, where we are going and what the end result is likely to be. It is much easier to develop a sense of pride and engagement in something tangible. KEY PRINCIPLE- “I can force you to run, or, you run the marathon because you truly want to, enduring the sacrifice and celebrate the success”.

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The Big Picture & Engagement

As the architect of the big picture for the business you have the choice of being the sole, isolated custodian, at the mercy of disengaged employees whom you have to force to take action, baby sit and fix errors, or alternatively, you share your vision in a manner that inspires them to be a part of.

Back to our analogy, share with the runner exactly where the finishing line is and what it is going to take to run the full distance, what the winners trophy looks like and not end up quitting at mile 20. Runners refer to it as the brick wall. It is the point when their body shuts down and their spirit quits……….

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The Big Picture

DEPARTURE

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The Work & Engagement

The work an individual performs is within the top 5 contributors to every human beings existence.

• Considering an average working person devotes approximately 1/3 of the wake hours in a year at work.

• The question posed to any business leader; would you be willing to invest 1/3 of your revenue into an undefined scheme where you no idea how it is going to be used, by whom, when, for what and potentially not knowing your return on the investment?

The answer to that question is pretty obvious!

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Consider this statement made by the average team member, “Day after day, I work hard. I like my work, I am paid well, and I get along with my co-workers. But I am considering looking for work elsewhere”. Why? “Because I don’t have a clue of the company's goals or where they are heading. Everyone is kept in the dark about the company's goals. Whenever the question is asked, it is waived of as non of your business. As a result, commitment is starting to wear thin”. “I only want what most workers want. That is to understand how my work contributes to the big picture. This investment of 1/3 of my life”.

ANXIETY

ANGER

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• People need to be brought into the loop on the direction of their company or the company will have a tough time developing passion within its teams.

It ought to be common sense: When employees understand the goals of the company and how their actions align with those goals, employees are more productive—and the company is more profitable.

• Conversely, human nature abhors a vacuum. When no clear goals exist, or when

they're not publicised so that people can subscribe to them and/or promote them, individual missions and visions tend to rise up in competition. In other words, people start promoting their own agendas.

• The result is unnecessary conflict, delays, and lost revenue. Personal agendas and turf wars consume valuable time and energy.

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It is the degree that I regard my investment in the work I do as meaningful and contributory, using my mind, my hands, having my heart in it and knowing that we can be open and honest, that I am either engaged or disengaged.

MIND

HANDS HEART

Using me creatively and allowing me to apply my mind in providing solutions, giving me opportunity to grow and develop and telling me what you expect of me.

Treating me with respect, recognising achievement and creating a sense of belonging

Rewarding me fairly and ensuring I have the skills to deliver what you expect of me and the systems allow me to do what is expected.

SOUL

ENGAGED

We are open, honest and behave with integrity – “a promise we make is a promise we keep

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The Work and Engagement applied

In any organisation there are typically team members at two ends of the scale: • those who are totally demotivated and at the point of exit making no real contribution to the business. • Those who appear highly motivated and are seen to be significant contributors, in

other words, engaged.

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There is however another core of team members who are:

Neither demotivated Nor motivated

They simply exist, moving up and down the stages of demotivation and likely to exit at some point in time.

Typically referred to as “high maintenance”, having to be told what to do day in and day out.

HI RISK – LO ENGAGEMENT

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Quite simply, adopting a process that accepts that we are dealing with humans whose behaviour will be directly in relation to the extent we address the whole being,

HANDS

SOUL

HEART

MIND

HANDS

MIND

HANDS

This will determine the extent to which our teams are either,

DISENGAGED ENGAGED or

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Core Elements of Engagement

Fundamental to ENGAGEMENT are *six primary building blocks with Leadership at the core.

*Based on a Six Sigma foundation

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Defining ENGAGEMENT is not complex, however it needs to be viewed holistically if it is produce meaning results. The foregoing has the imperative for success which is the unequivocal buy-in and commitment of leadership.

Engagement reflects alignment of each employee’s very personal goals and drivers of job satisfaction with the organization’s strategy and contribution requirements.

We need to provide clear objectives and a work environment that recognizes the value of employees. Retention and engagement is not achieved through organization wide work/life policies, talent management systems or culture initiatives alone. Realistically, if employees themselves aren’t clear on what they do well and what matters most to them, it’s unlikely that any work situation will engage them. (It’s the “You can’t get what you want if you don’t know what you’re looking for” dilemma.) Managers can make a difference, but not if they themselves aren’t crystal clear on what the organization needs or their well-intentioned coaching misses the mark.

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ORGANISATION Clear unambiguous communication of what the business definition of success is: • the values and mission. • the goals for the ensuing period. • the strategy by which it intends

achieving those goals. • etc.

INDIVIDUAL Clear unambiguous definition and understanding of what the employees own definition of personal success is: • career growth. • financial reward • worklife quality. • etc.

When we both know what represents success and the business merges, shrinks or shift strategies and employees wade through quagmires of to-dos, meetings and information overload, it’s more important than ever that individuals at all levels engage and focus on what matters most. We can only do that when we know ‘WHAT’ matters.

The core fundamental principle is OPENESS – HONESTY – INTEGRITY .

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The Engagement Map

The ENGAGEMENT MAP serves as the definitive base that drives the entire engagement process from measurement through to the delivery of results. It is also the basis for the development of an holistic and commercial HR strategy.

NEITHER ENGAGED

DISENGAGED

DISENGAGED

SELDOM

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT

ENGAGED

ENGAGED

24%

6%

37% 17%

16%

ENGAGEMENT INDEX

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE

Business strategy

Values/Mission/Direction

Business confidence

COMMUNICATION

Business information

Consultation/involvement

Feedback

JOB ENVIRONMENT

Goals/Objectives

Opportunity/Practices

Individual job content

LEARNING DEVELOPMENT

Skills/knowledge

Development/Growth

Career planning

MANAGEMENT

Confidence

Role models

Support/Involvement

Visibility

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Performance standards

Fairness

Productivity

REWARD

Remuneration

Benefits

Recognition

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Equipment/resources

Technology

Facilities/ H & S

HRIS & Support

Wellness

CSR

The Elements of Employee Engagement

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The Engagement Map – Dimensions Defined

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE Dimensions Defined

(Q8)I am aware of the vision senior management has for the future of this organisation (Q9)I am aware of the values of this organisation (Q10)I am aware of the overall strategy senior management has for this organisation (Q16)I believe in the overall purpose of this organisation (Q17)I believe in the values of this organisation (Q18)I believe in the work done by this organisation (Q20)This organisation is ethical (Q21)This organisation is socially responsible (Q22)This organisation is environmentally responsible (Q115)The goals and objectives of this organisation are being reached (Q116)The future for this organisation is positive (Q117)Overall, this organisation is successful (Q119)Change is handled well in this organisation (Q120)The way this organisation is run has improved over the last year (Q121)This organisation is innovative (Q122)This organisation is good at learning from its mistakes and successes (Q124)This organisation offers products and/or services that are high quality (Q125)This organisation understands the needs of its customers (Q126)Customers are satisfied with our products and/or services

BUSINESS is basis upon which to construct all human capital engagement processes and is intended to foster confidence in the future of the organization with a positive perception of the culture and strategy. Facilitating a work ethic which meets both the needs of the individual contributor and the organization.

DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

COMMUNICATION Dimensions Defined

(Q56)Senior management keep people informed about what's going on (Q57)Senior management listen to other staff (Q63)There is good communication across all sections of this organisation (Q72)I am encouraged to give feedback about things that concern me (Q73)I am consulted before decisions that affect me are made (Q85)My manager listens to what I have to say

Communication comprising processes and actions that support effective communication across the business. The primary areas include the effective communication of company vision and goals, ongoing communication from the desk of the CEO, general business communication facilitating collaboration within the business and individual communication between employees. .

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

JOB ENVIRONMENT Dimensions Defined

(Q56)Senior management keep people informed about what's going on (Q24)I understand my goals and objectives and what is requiredin my job (Q25)I understand how my job contributes to the overall success, (Q28)Sexual harassment is prevented and discouraged (Q29)Discrimination is prevented and discouraged (Q30)There is equal opportunity for all staff in this organisation (Q31)Bullying and abusive behaviours are prevented and discouraged (Q38)In this organisation it is clear who has the responsibility for what (Q59)This organisation is good at selecting the right people for the right jobs (Q65)There is cooperation between different sections in this organisation (Q71)I have input into everyday decision-making in this organisation (Q87)My manager treats me and my work colleagues fairly (Q91)There are enough opportunities for my career to progress in this organisation (Q93)My co-workers put in extra effort whenever necessary (Q95)My co-workers take the initiative in solving problems (Q97)I have confidence in the ability of my co-workers (Q101)I have good working relationships with my co-workers (Q102)My co-workers give me help and support (Q134)I like the kind of work I do (Q135)Overall, I am satisfied with my job (Q137)I am likely to still be working in this organisation in 2 years time (Q138)I would like to still be working in this organisation in 5 years time (Q139)I can see a future for me in this organisation (Q141)When I work I really exert myself as much as I can (Q142)I put in extra effort whenever necessary (Q143)I work harder than is required (Q145)I carry out core parts of my job well (Q146)I cope with changes to the way I have to do tasks (Q147)I complete tasks well using standard procedures (Q149)I initiate better ways of doing tasks (Q150)I come up with ideas to improve the way tasks are done (Q151)I make changes to the way tasks are done

Job Environment which is made up of all elements around functional positions and roles performed by individuals and the teams in which they exist, operate and collaborate within.

.

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT Dimensions Defined

(Q43)Staff have good skills at using the technology (Q64)Knowledge and information is shared throughout. (Q67)When people start in new jobs here they are trained (Q68)There is a commitment to ongoing training and development of staff (Q69)The training and development received has improved my performance (Q89)Enough time and effort is spent on career planning (Q90)I am given opportunities to develop skills for career progression

Learning & Development embraces actions and activities that support a continuous learning culture where skills are developed to ensure current delivery requirements both technical and managerial. The development of talent to reduce operational risk within the context of structured succession planning. The facilitation of an environment where career development expectations of employees are realistically met and/or managed.

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

MANAGEMENT Dimensions Defined

((Q55)Senior management are good role models for staff (Q60)Managers in this organisation know the benefits of employing the right people (Q61)Managers in this organisation are clear about the type of people we need to employ (Q84)I have confidence in the ability of my manager (Q86)My manager gives me help and support

Management which constitutes appropriate management actions and behaviors spanning all levels of management throughout the business. These include direct and immediate managers, senior managers, the leadership team within the Board. .

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Dimensions Defined

(Q12)Staff are encouraged to continually improve their performance (Q13)High standards of performance are expected (Q14)This organisation has a strong focus on achieving positive results (Q26)During my day-to-day duties I understand how well I am doing (Q80)My performance is reviewed and evaluated often enough (Q81)The way my performance is evaluated is fair (Q82)The way my performance is evaluated provides me with clear guidance for improvement (Q98)My co-workers are productive in their jobs (Q99)My co-workers do their jobs quickly and efficiently

Performance Management incorporates all aspects of the performance management process including a consistent systemized approach across the entire business which adopts a process addressing current performance and development process. This is facilitated with rigorous training to ensure all users conform to and can manage the Group performance management systems.

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

REWARD Dimensions Defined

((Q75)The rewards and recognition I receive from this job are fair (Q76)This organisation fulfills its obligation to me (Q77)I am satisfied with the income I receive (Q78)I am satisfied with the benefits I receive (super, leave etc)

Reward categories include policies and practices that evolve around:

REMUNERATION

RECOGNITION

APPRECIATION

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

WORK ENVIRONMENT Dimensions Defined

(Q33)I have access to the right equipment and resources to do my job well (Q34)I have easy access to all the information I need to do my job well (Q35)We can get access to additional resources when we need to (Q37)There are clear policies and procedures for how work is to be done (Q39)Our policies and procedures are efficient and well-designed (Q41)The technology used in this organisation is kept up to date (Q42)This organisation makes good use of technology (Q45)Keeping high levels of health and safety is a priority of this organisation (Q46)We are given all necessary safety equipment and training (Q47)Staff are aware of their occupational health and safety responsibilities (Q48)Supervisors and management engage in good safety behaviour (Q50)The buildings, grounds and facilities I use are in good condition (Q51)Condition of the buildings, grounds and facilities is regularly reviewed (Q52)The buildings, grounds and facilities I use are regularly upgraded

Work Environment incorporates both the hygiene principles and the physical facilities that engenders a positive perception of the workplace within which service delivery is initiated. Included in this dimension is the effective use of technology and technology platforms. This is supplemented by rational and planned social responsibility actions

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DISENGAGED RARELY

ENGAGED

NEITHER ENGAGED/DIS

ENGAGED

SOMEWHAT ENGAGED

ENGAGED

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The Engagement Index - Analysis

Paramount to the success of the ENGAGEMENT PROCESS is the data supporting the measurement. This is obtained via a confidential survey process. Before you execute any type of employee survey—you should be aware that it may backfire

if you do not plan to take action on learning the results. The employee survey is a starting point for organizational change. The survey helps you pinpoint areas that need to be addressed from your employee’s perspective in order to engage them in their work and make them motivated, committed and satisfied within the business. Management should incorporate a communication plan in the employee survey process to increase participation and encourage submission of honest feedback.

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The Engagement Index - Communication

A substantial survey response rate is imperative – response rates in excess of 90%+ is achievable and adds credibility to the entire process for very obvious reasons

The communication plan should include how the employee and the organization will benefit from the survey, and what you intend to do with the information you gather from the survey. The best way to get employees to believe in the process is to remind them of the goals, ask for feedback and show them progress and results. When planning to administer a survey, a good way to instill confidence in the process is by having a third-party involved. Employees will feel more comfortable and respond more openly and honestly when they know their responses are anonymous and being gathered by an outside organization.

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Employee survey results are useless without insightful analysis and detailed comparison. Too many organizations look at employee survey data as a reactive process. Find the problem and fix it and your numbers will go up. Unfortunately, it’s rarely that easy. An organization should analyse the problem, understand the root cause(s) and take appropriate actions that address the root cause(s).

• Many organizations wonder if they have to share a summary of the results with their employees.

• What if you choose to communicate only strengths and top goals?

In almost all scenarios—transparency beats concealment.

Your top performers are already aware of organizational issues and are waiting to see if you are too. More importantly, they are waiting to see if you are willing to admit what they are and what you plan to do about them.

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• An employee survey focusing on engagement and business execution gives you measurable insights into the factors that influence your business success.

• For example, a company with a strategy of focusing on improving customer service might find that

locations that receive higher customer service scores also have higher engagement.

• In this situation you would probably want to understand what engages these employees. You can also look further at organizational changes and how the changes may impact employee engagement and ability to execute company strategy.

• For example, are employees who have changed managers frequently more or less engaged? Are the more engaged employees higher performers? How is engagement related to retention? These are just a few important questions to ask and answer.

• Obviously, implementing an employee survey is only the beginning in the process of getting to know what drives engagement, how effective your organization is at communicating and executing the business strategy, and what actions your organization should take to have the most impact.

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The Team & Engagement

The choice:

or

The answer is pretty obvious. However what is not so obvious is the route to get from one to the other. It is this ambiguity and the plethora of views, attitudes and opinions which presents the biggest mental block to employee engagement programmes.

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The Team and Engagement

At the risk of invoking the patriotic wrath of sports lovers, there are so many examples of teams entering a tournament as the underdogs, but for inherent skill, vast amounts of passion and inspirational leadership have ended up victorious. There is no difference between the characteristics of a successful sports team to which we can all relate, and that of a team in the workplace. What are those characteristics:

• Clear purpose and goals to which the team is willing to commit. • Honest two-way communication, when things are good and when they are not.

• Roles and expectations that are defined, understood and accepted. • • Clear decision-making and communication processes.

This is not difficult to achieve, nor does it entail the investment of large sums of money.

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The Team and Engagement

You engage teams by engaging individuals. When people individually understand, own, believe in and commit to their responsibility in the team, they will be engaged. There are many analogies that can be drawn from sport to illustrate this, baseball offers the most classic example.

Nine players across the baseball diamond who individually at every innings have a specialist, active offensive and defensive job.

Although the Pitcher is a single specialist in his team, he has to perform individually and throw a “strike”. He is absolutely dependant on all 8 of his team members to complete the task and get the ball back on base to get the out, should the batter hit the ball. This applies to every other specialist position on the field

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In Summary, key concepts to consider

• Engagement is the primary enabler of successful execution of any business strategy. An engaged workforce is your only true competitive advantage. It is almost impossible for your opposition to copy. • Engagement is not a short-term initiative. Because engagement is simple in concept but complex and continuously evolves in execution, it is never achieved or finished—only improved. • Engagement must be driven from the top. Engagement is a business imperative, not an HR initiative, though HR should be a key player in driving higher levels of engagement. Support from the top also means senior leaders must be highly engaged themselves. • One of the best ways to have highly engaged employees is to hire them! Certain people have a set of characteristics or attributes that increase their

propensity for engagement. Close attention should be paid to these characteristics in the hiring process.

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• Engagement is all about fit. People are more likely to be engaged if their jobs and the culture of the

organization match, both their abilities and skills, their motivation and values. In addition to ability and skill consider the individual motivation and value match in hiring and promotions.

• No one impacts the state of engagement more than an employee’s immediate

leader. People do not leave their jobs; they leave their bosses. A leader who is coaching for success, setting clear goals, empowering others, providing open and honest feedback and making the winners feel valued will always be ahead of the pack.

• Measuring engagement and demonstrating its business impact is crucial, but it’s

only a diagnostic tool. There is little value to pour resources into measuring and re-measuring,

leaving little energy or budget for actually improving engagement levels. Spend your resources and energy moving engagement in the right direction and produce commercial results.


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• Engagement means reaching the heart. Highly engaged employees give that extra effort because they care. They care because they feel respected, acknowledged and cared for. The recognition of the “whole person” and evoking the PASSION within the individual is key to your engagement initiatives.


• Last but not least, this is not all just about money. A significant proportion of an engagement

programme is about leadership willingness to exert effort and energy.

Throwing money at the problem will not in itself

generate long term sustainable engagement.

DISCIPLINE TERMINATIONS

THE ALTERNATIVE

TIME CONSUMING

• It is already broken

PROACTIVE REACTIVE

DISRUPTIVE – conflict laden

NON CONTRIBUTING COST

PRODUCTIVE

PLANNED

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT

Our options in creating an engaged hi-performance culture

A chance to reach maturity

54

Prepare & Design

1

Survey

2

Results Analysis

3

Action Planning

4

Action follow-up

5

The process to make it happen

55

56

Conclusion

As indicated at the beginning of the presentation the intention has not been to provide you with a compendium of tricks by which to magically achieve employee engagement. The objective has been to invoke your thought process as a respected business leader. • There are alternative routes to achieving the success in the business you are

passionate about. • There is no logical need for you to be the sole bearer of that passion, when you

potentially have an organisation full of like minded participants, who are in many ways are chomping at the bit to be given the opportunity to share your passion.