Employee Engagement - The Leaders’ Challenge

MUMBAI, India - April 7, 2014 - PRLog -- There’s a good reason why employee engagement has taken centre stage in the world of HR. Employees who are engaged are more productive, more deeply committed to their work and are more likely to stick on with the company.  They have an emotional connect with their leaders, which makes them want to give more than what is expected of them.

Employee surveys consistently cite Management and Leadership Credibility as a critical factor in creating Employee Engagement. Effective leaders can chart a path for employees to make that crucial connection.

Employees who are engaged are motivated by shared values, trust and a common vision.As a leader, you must put in place a compelling culture that resonates your company’s core mission. You are their role model, so you should above all be a convincing and engaged leader who leads with emotion.

A positive emotional connection to their leaders and to the work they do is all important in getting your employees engaged. Money and success aren’t enough to forge an emotional connection- while people love the money, if they haven’t forged an emotional bond with the leaders, they may not feel inclined to stick around for the long haul. Cool start-ups soon lose their shine if the leaders don’t take the time to get to know their employees.

Employee Engagement doesn’t happen overnight- it’s a long journey that you must make along with your employees! Engagement is fostered by building trust, which engenders loyalty. This takes honest and open communication, clearly-articulated goals and well-defined expectations. Set in place incentive schemes to stoke motivation levels.

There are no set rules for creating better employee engagement. It takes a lot of emotional commitment on the part of leaders, compelling branding, and a great work culture. The results are there for the world to see: a happy workplace, more productive employees, loyal customers, and profits on an upward spiral.

Employee Engagement takes a lot of hard work, but its well worth the effort. Engaged employees were more committed to the organization, realize significantly higher business outcomes, and are able to achieve corporate goals.

When leaders are able to positively influence employees to willingly become engaged, it’s a powerful investment that reaps rich dividends!