Employee engagement is seen by a growing number of organisations as a key issue in measuring employee attitudes, managing the behaviours of management, developing operational and human resource policies, and establishing a strong employer brand.
The essence of employee engagement is that given the right circumstances, employees will be prepared to 'go the extra mile' in the service of their organisation, and that’s great for the bottom line and employee wellbeing; so engagement is essential, as it simultaneously satisfies the needs of the company to be successful, and the needs of the employee, for whom work should be both satisfying and rewarding.
What is employee engagement?
Some commentators emphasise the similarity of employee engagement with concepts like the ‘psychological contract’ or ‘high commitment management’, which seek to understand how bundles of operational and people management practices influence individual employee’s attitudes and behaviours and improve business performance.
Others focus on the practical surveying techniques developed to measure the key drivers of employee engagement and establish an alignment between the day to day experience of individuals and something that captures the personality of an organisation.
A further group might also compare the concept of employee engagement with more established concepts like employee involvement, consultation and partnership. This is supported by its emphasis on a two-way relationship between employees and management and commitment to mutual benefits.
Following our work for government examining the evidence for employee engagement, we believe that there are four enablers of employee engagement:
Leadership
provides a strong strategic narrative which has widespread ownership and commitment from managers and employees at all levels. The narrative is a clearly expressed story about what the purpose of an organisation is, why it has the broad vision it has, and how an individual contributes to that purpose.
Engaging managers
are at the heart of this organisational culture– they facilitate and empower rather than control or restrict their staff; they treat their staff with appreciation and respect and show commitment to developing, increasing and rewarding the capabilities of those they manage.
Employee voice
An effective and empowered employee voice – employees’ views are sought out; they are listened to and see that their opinions count and make a difference. They speak out and challenge when appropriate. A strong sense of listening and of responsiveness permeates the organisation, enabled by effective communication.
Organisational integrity
Behaviour throughout the organisation is consistent with stated values, leading to trust and a sense of integrity.
The MacLeod Review of Employee Engagement - Engaging for Success
In 2008 IPA director, Nita Clarke, was asked by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to help lead a review into the importance of employee engagement to the UK economy, later referred to as the MacLeod Review. The
Review reported in July 2009 and you can download
Nita and David's report here,
Nita and David MacLeod are continuing
to take the work forward with the Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills. Nita regularly speaks on employee engagement at conferences, and advises businesses, third and public sector organisations on how to improve their employee engagement.
How the IPA can help you with employee engagement
The IPA has been helping organisations to understand engagement and how it might benefit them and their workforces for some time.
Find out how the IPA can help you improve your employee engagement
We recently published the IPA Guide to Workforce Engagement, which you can download here. It describes the IPA approach to engagement, answers some frequently asked questions, and includes a case study showing how one organisation has put engagement at the heart of its business.
