Employee Engagement

Daphne FrankenEvan O’BrienLaura Pilone

13 November 2014

Content: Introducing topicHow to create an engaged environmentModels

Level of engagement Factors that influence employee engagement Framework for employee engagement

Organisations Unicef Vodafone

Conclusion / Summary

Why is employee engagement important?

Advantages of engaged employees …

Are more productive

Go the extra mile

Want to stay in the organization

Are passionate, energetic and more committed

Take personal initiative

Generate their own feedback

Are engaged outside of their work

Are healthier!

Engaged employees are more successful in work and life

- Xanthopoulou et al.

How to create an engaged environment

Employee engagement ≠ one size fits all

It is about …Social connection in the organizationAligning work experience with employee’s cultural

needsHaving a purpose in the organisationGetting the feeling you belongBeing valuable and important to the organisation

Ways to create employee engagement:

Structural and social job resources E.g. Job control, Performance feedback

Challenging job demands E.g. Work load, Mental demands, Responsibility

Hindering job demands E.g. Work stress

Letting employees know they matterWork-family enrichmentsRight reward policies

Outcomes for Engagement

Highest employee satisfaction x highest contribution for employer fully engaged employees

Turn enthusiasm into action

It is all about motivating the employee to go the extra mile!

A fun anecdoteAccording to legend, an engaged

janitorial employee at NASA, when asked what he was doing, is said to have replied "I'm helping to put a man on the Moon".

(Cengia,2008) Levels of Engagement

(Anitha,2012) Factors influencing Engagement

(Dubin,1978) Framework for Engagement

Steps Towards Creating an Engaged Workforce

Step 1—Assess employee engagement levelsStep 2—Be realisticStep 3—Form a plan that targets basic

engagement factorsStep 4—Implement the action plan with open

communication

Steps Towards Creating an Engaged Workforce

• Step 5—Assess the changes in engagement and organizational performance

• Step 6—Develop a plan for maintenance or reevaluate unsuccessful efforts

Steps Towards Creating and Engaged Workforce

The understanding an application of employee engagement plans, activities and frameworks is vital for the companies operating in a modern context. These will be illustrated in the following cases and examples.

UnicefUnicef is a not for profit organisation founded in New York

in 1946. It is an organisation that was founded with an aim to providing emergency food and care supplies to children in regions of conflict.

Unicef works diligently to ensure that their employees are workplace leaders engendering a degree of responsibility.

Enforce the notion that their employees are the company’s greatest assets

Though it’s aims are not for profit, it’s approach is largely in line with how engagement is applied in many companies

UnicefUnicef have very generous pay and rewards

packages however many of their employees go above and beyond their duties and as a result strive for social change

Enforce leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour within their organisation.

Unicef’s Approach to Employee Engagement

Arrange meetings between high performing employees and the CEO

Award Prizes to Employee’s who display organizational leadership

Include an article including a picture in the company’s newsletter

Publicly recognise through internal, external memos Facebook and Twitter the employees who achieve this level of excellence.

Is is clear that Unicef Is an organisation that understands the drivers of

employee engagement.Has clear transparent lines of communication.Asseses the changes in employee performance and

organizational commitmentConstantly examining and re-evaluating their

employee engagement activities.Unicef have reached out to other companies asking

them specifically how to recognise employees for excellence.

The Vodafone Way “We value diversity and proactively recruit and retain people with diverse backgrounds and experiences who can bring new ideas and better reflect the markets we serve”

Vodafone is at the heart of the mobile future where telecommunications, entertainment and information technology meet.

It is a highly customer driven organization and believes that happy, fun people who enjoy coming to work

equate to a great experience

Vodafone has around 100,000 employees worldwide that are spread over more than 30 countries. Improving collaboration and sharing information is one of the key focuses for the company

STRATEGIES:Online engagement: Vodafone has developed a number of different platforms and software that enable the employees to be connected.Share Point, Intranet and Internal TV Channel keep people up to date. Promotes discussion, creates and joins communities, shares information and increases collaboration from across the organisation.

Employee wellbeing: There is a strict relationship between work engagement and employee wellbeing Vodafone underline:“We want to help employees balance work and family commitments, manage stress and have a healthy lifestyle”Group Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy sets out global commitment to wellbeing and there is also a “Health, Safety and Wellbeing Network” where it is possible to share information and initiatives tailored to the needs of the employees.

Employee consultation: Vodafone follows an inclusive policy where the consult is directly with the employees(among others round table sessions and employee representatives). They participate on changes both business and organisational; those are communicated clearly to employees through Group events and affected employees are offered one-to-one meetings with human resources teams. There is also a general meeting called “Vodafone European Employee Consultative Council” that gives employee representatives an opportunity to raise any concerns with the executive management team

Recognition programme: ADMIRED5 steps to celebrate the good, the great and the extraordinary:1-APPRECIATED:

2-AWESOMELY RED

3-INSPIRED

4-INCREDIBLE

5-GLOBAL HEROES

Appreciated: Appreciated e-cards as a simple way to say thanks for a good job well done

Awesomely Red: Recognise people who make an extra mile for the company trough nominating them for an Awesomely Red award. They also receive a voucher to spend online at many retailers and are considered for the next level of recognition Inspired.

Inspired: On a quarterly basis Vodafone recognise the best of the Awesomely Red winners. Inspired recipients attend a very special lunch hosted by a member of the Executive team and have the opportunity for further recognition to our pinnacle of recognition Global Heroes and Incredible awards.

Incredible: Every year about 30 of the best are rewarded with a fully-paid overseas trip for two.  Global Heroes: This is the pinnacle of Vodafone Global’s recognition programme.  One lucky overall Global Hero will be chosen to attend an all expenses paid VIP weekend in London with their partner, and all the other overall Global Heroes from around the Vodafone world, hosted by the Vodafone Group CEO