Stop reading the articles and book some time with your team.
Does your search history include any of these?: “How to Increase Employee Engagement in the Workplace.” “10 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement.” “Is Your Employee Engagement Suffering?” It’s a topic that won’t ever go away, and it will always be an element that can be improved in the workplace. We know that employee engagement is a reflection of job satisfaction and employee happiness. We know it’s the difference between being committed to the company and watching the clock impatiently to clock out. So how do we, as HR leaders and managers, improve it? Where is the answer? Why do we seek over and over to improve this “thing” in our workplace?
Because ultimately, the answer is we can’t.
I know, hot take.
Don’t run away, yet…
In general, people inherently don’t like to be preached to. We don’t like being told what to do or being told what’s good for us. We like to think the decisions we make when purchasing our next kitchen appliance are made by us, but really we know why we all own an air fryer at this point.
The typical “How To Increase Employee Engagement” article is filled with 10 ideas you’ve probably heard already and have agreed that at least 4 of them are not going to work with your workforce. “Engagement” has become a buzzword at this point, so as leaders in businesses we need to get a little more creative. The more “Lunch and Learns” and “Pizza Fridays” we add, the less engaged employees might become knowing they’re essentially being manipulated. So do we pretend the concept will fix itself?
No, because we all know it won’t. 2020 has now come and gone, and if we’ve learned anything, it’s that human connection is vital, and it doesn’t matter the context. So what’s the solution?
Stop reading the articles and book some time with your team.
We have to stop pretending like employees are mysterious enigmas that can’t be cracked and create safe spaces for them to speak freely. The words they say and the passion they express is where you will find the answer. Some things we can fix and some we can’t, but if you have an unhappy employee with problems you can’t fix, there is no amount of pizza that will re-engage them. On the other side, if they reveal something that can be done, you just became a superhero to the employee and the company.
Have you ever had a one-on-one conversation with someone you never saw yourself speaking to, only to walk away thinking, “Wow, I actually really enjoyed talking to them!” Maybe they opened up to you about something personal, or you felt comfortable enough to do that with them. One of you created a safe space to dump thoughts, and both of you probably walked away feeling pretty good about the conversation. Conversation-that’s the answer! We don’t know unless we ask. We can’t assume they can be manipulated if we read the right advice. It comes off as phony and disingenuous. We have to make real efforts with people and get to know them.
Think about what gets YOU engaged (or, disengaged!). If you are an engaged employee, you’ve found elements that give you ongoing satisfaction and a sense of belonging, and chances are good that it’s not because your boss read an article on how to twist you into being productive.
I personally love a challenge, so my job as a Human Resources Manager for MakeStickers is perfect. I get to recruit, think about learning and development, be a consultant, learn laws, etc. We know HR is not for the faint of heart or someone who wants a clock-in, clock-out job! And with that, my manager makes it a point to have challenging conversations and to push me beyond my comfort zone, and that is what fuels me. I know that may not be fulfilling to everyone else, but it’s our job as leaders to find out what does. I’ve come to realize that the more I start general conversations with employees, the better chance they’ll open up about things they need as an employee and things I need to hear as the employer.
Here are some conversation starters.
Tell me about your experience working here so far. Don’t accept “It’s been fine” as an answer. Ask specifics about how they feel about the benefits, working conditions, culture, etc. The key is to lean into the openness of the question and really hear what they’re saying.
How do you feel about your daily routine and tasks? This could also be a good time to ask and double-check that the work they’re doing is in line with their job description. Overworked employees can quickly become job-seekers.
Tell me about your best and worst day here so far. We want happy employees, of course, but it’s also important to acknowledge that every day is not a happy day for everyone. How employees feel supported on those days will leave an impact. How we, as employers, handle tough times and situations generally stand out in employees’ minds. A level of connection, humility, and empathy can truly capture an employee’s engagement.
So ultimately, the solution to employee engagement is to stop thinking about it as if there is a bottom-line solution. We don’t have it, and this post doesn’t have it either. There is no one solution; you have to ask them. I have been bombarded with HR advice and solutions from the professionals, and while the help is good, those solutions aren’t necessarily good for my team and that has been one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far.
Make it a top priority to make every employee heard. Lead with compassion and empathy. Make it genuine, make it sincere, and make it count.