Consultants are typically paid to dole out words of wisdom and provide a concrete strategy to help companies succeed. Recently, the
Advancement of Consulting Society for the Advancement of Consultants asked its member consultants to speak freely and share advice on the
best way to engage employees in a company's goals. Most of the consultants surveyed noted that getting employees engaged is dependant upon the type of relationship they have with their employer, and the type of conversations being fostered.
According to Dr. Maynard Brusman, a consulting psychologist and president of Working Resources, a strategic talent management firm in San Francisco, CA, "The manager who takes the time to have a dialogue about an employee’s strengths and how these can make a difference forges essential ties and connections that lead to employee commitment.” But, offering recognition and rewards may also be a key to engaging employees, according to a member consultant from Maryland. “The single best way to improve employee involvement is to make it easy for your people to experience the positive impact of their contributions,” observes Seth Kahan, president of Performance Management Group.
But getting employers on board of such issues, especially during a time when budgets are being cut, can be challenging. Perhaps the first step is reminding clients (the employers) why engagement is important.
According to a Gallup Management Journal survey of U.S. workers, over 20 million employees classified themselves as being disengaged in the 2006 study. That number translated into lower productivity rates which was estimated to cost the U.S. economy more than $328 billion. In addition to lost productivity, Gallup research indicated that low levels of employee engagement also impacted profitability, safety, creativity, customer relationships, and the length of time employees stay with a company.
Do you agree with this take on employee engagement? Better yet, do you think the concept of employee engagement is still an important issue for organizations? Take the poll and let us know if your clients are willing to invest in employee engagement.
I believe that Gallup has accurately identified employee and customer engagement at the differentiating factor that drives successful organizations. Engagement is a technique that does not require high tech equipment or expensive training – it is really about getting back to the basics of human nature.