2017/02/08 CONNECTING WITH EMPLOYEES THROUGH ENGAGEMENT INFORM. ENGAGE. EMPOWER.

Transcription

1 2017/02/08 CONNECTING WITH EMPLOYEES THROUGH ENGAGEMENT INFORM. ENGAGE. EMPOWER.

2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 4 FIX WHAT S BROKEN 6 COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP 7 RETURN ON ENGAGEMENT 8 TOP FIVE TRENDS 9 CONCLUSIONS 11 OUR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SERVICES 12 PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS 13 1

3 Employee engagement is defined as the emotional commitment and connection an employee has to their organization, and its goals. When employees are truly engaged and enthusiastic about their work, they see themselves as intrinsic to the organization s overall success. The world s highest performing organizations know that engaged employees are more productive, more customer-focused, more loyal and ultimately, more committed to business success. Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 1

4 Industry research shows that organizations fostering and modeling effective communication practices report higher levels of employee engagement, lower turnover rates and higher shareholder value. Employee engagement changes corporate culture, involves employees in the overall mission and vision of the organization, and contributes to an increase in commitment and related positive behaviours that support the achievement of overall business goals. But what is happening in reality? NATIONAL Public Relations, AXON and Madano (all part of the NATIONAL family of companies) conducted audits with communications, human resources and other senior leaders within a diverse cross section of organizations across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Participating organizations included those in the energy, financial services, insurance, technology, public, pharmaceutical, construction, engineering, consumer, media, healthcare, food industry, and professional services sectors. The data gathered offers a unique snapshot into some of the challenges that organizations are facing across Canada, the U.S., and U.K., and why employee engagement is business critical. 2

5 The methodology for this study saw our consultants conducting one-on-one stakeholder interviews with senior leaders in North America and Europe with a structured line of questioning to get perspectives on: the current business climate where they operate how employee engagement impacts their organization the role of leaders and managers in their organization challenges and opportunities for employee engagement key initiatives and trends Participants from almost 40 organizations of varying sizes (employee bases range from ,000) shared their views and insights, and what they see as potential challenges for organizations engaging people, and attracting and retaining talent in the future. Engagement comes when people are able to do the best work of their lives Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 3

6 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES The information age has brought greater access to information but it has also created a challenge for organizations and employees to deal with the sheer volume of data. Participants in the audit recognized that employees are bombarded with information, and that the management of it is impacting businesses on many levels. At the same time, the challenge for many organizations continues to be connecting to all employees, and finding new ways to reach them. Field, remote location and even call centre employees don t have the same access to information as other employees and that creates challenges in integrating them into the organization and inculcating them into the culture. Meanwhile, millenials are looking to an organization s ability to engage with them and inspire them in different, more unconventional ways. Employers need to ensure that their focus is turned towards employees. In a typical year, employees may experience downsizings, budget cuts, and the reduction or elimination of bonuses and increases. Employers must acknowledge the business realities of their markets, and motivate employees accordingly. While many studies over the years have shown a direct correlation between an employee s relationship with their direct supervisor and the desire to do good work, and even to stay with the organization, participants agreed that the leader of the organization plays a large role in creating an environment of engagement. Culture is at the heart of employee s relationship with their employers. One participant rhetorically asked: Does corporate success breed high engagement and good culture, or is it the other way around? Organizations with engaged employees will tell you that they work hand-in-hand. When leaders are aligned with the values of the organization, and truly walk the walk, there is evidence that this helps improve employee engagement. Participants advocated for showing employees that teamwork is valued, and for showing them that what they have to say truly matters. To demonstrate this commitment, participants highlighted the importance of following up on employee ideas and implementing innovative ones, no matter what the hierarchical level. Role-modelling behaviour was also identified repeatedly as key to helping employees know what is expected of them within a broader organizational context. We understand the value of culture and how that drives engagement. We have something that a lot of other organizations don t have: valued culture. It came from demonstrating our leadership in how we act every day People stay in a job not necessarily for the job or the money they stay because they feel they are adding value and they are RECOGNIZED for the job they are doing. That last part is really important 4

7 Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 5

8 FIX WHAT S BROKEN Many executives are working within structures and organizations that were created long ago, and that don t facilitate the way information flows and how decisions are made today. Nine out of 10 of the participants in the audit went on to identify the importance of information flow and its impact on decisions. Many organizations appear to be struggling with how to help executives relinquish power and share decision-making. And with new access and expectations around shared decision-making, organizations are also faced with how to line up employee work to the bigger picture and define clear priorities for them. Across participants, there was a desire to find new ways to align employees and executives towards a common goal and purpose a sense of direction within the organization s overall strategy. It was widely recognized that providing a clear line of sight to the organizational focus, and repeating the message clearly and consistently, lead to higher engagement. The premise of inform, engage and empower resonated with many of the participants. Participants were at varying stages of the spectrum when it came to owners of employee engagement. Some organizations indicated that everyone in the organization owns culture but most felt it was the purview of senior management and was driven from the top-down. We are transitioning new executives or employees in and having them understand our culture and who we are so they can be the leaders we want them to be Those models that worked in the 1960s or 1970s need to be retooled and built to be more functional. The dynamics of the workplaces have to change 6

9 COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP Q What is your advice to your CEO and leadership team right now with regard to employee engagement? A The overwhelming response was that senior leadership needs to be visible and active with employees to be credible. Employees will flourish with good leaders Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 7

10 RETURN ON ENGAGEMENT While most organizations recognize the value of being able to demonstrate the success of employee engagement programs, there appears to be a shift from measuring employee satisfaction to focusing on other benchmarks. Retention rate, size of talent pools and productivity were identified as key drivers for strong employee engagement programs, with a direct correlation between trust and commitment being drawn by the majority of participants. (What we see) is a strong commitment to organization values and vision people want to be here; they are engaged; they like the place Reciprocity: many companies are realizing that engaged employees experience a mutual benefit. Not only are they more invested in their organization, they demonstrate increased commitment which benefits their organizations. Increased trust and stronger commitment translates into mutual understanding and a greater sharing of ideas. Increased commitment is helping employees feel more valued, and that they are making an impact on the organizations they work for. While organizations are struggling to find new ways to engage their employees, there continues to be a reliance (and a perceived value) placed upon traditional methods of interactions dialogue and face-to-face. Participants in the audit identified the direct and tangible impact face-to-face dialogue had on successful programs. The benefits were described consistently and without variation in most organizations. 8

11 TOP FIVE TRENDS The audit found five trends that transcended geography and company size. 1 Satisfaction or engagement? Many organizations are moving away from satisfaction and engagement and are now focusing solely on engagement. This was particularly evident where many companies indicated they were moving away from traditional employee satisfaction surveys to tools that measured engagement on issues or specific programs, as well as other indicative measures like retention rate and productivity. 2 Engagement is becoming more holistic; it is not just a program on its own Organizations recognize that they have to engage employees differently and create longterm motivation, and this engagement style is driven by emotional intelligence. 3 Workplace dynamics The dynamics of the workplace have changed and organizations must be built with functionality in mind to enable them to address changes in employee make-up and expectations. The flow of information and its impact on decision making must be analyzed. Multiple generations are in the workforce and different motivators are required for each group. Customization becomes key. Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 9

12 TOP FIVE TRENDS 4 Importance of collaboration Collaboration leads to empowerment, and it helps to make employees feel valued and opens lines of communication. This helps employees feel supported, and contribute to their organization s success. 5 Use of technology and social media Most participants identified their employee engagement channels as middle-of-the-road, using a mix of traditional and fairly modern interactive or digital technologies. Very few were using gamification or other more sophisticated tools. Many indicated a desire to elevate their employee engagement programs to a higher level of sophistication, which encourages increased two-way engagement with employees. Most participants think dialogue or face-to-face communication is important. There is still a preference for face-to-face communication and paper still plays a significant role in how most organizations communicate. There is a strong desire to make greater use of social media: organizations are still struggling with how to incorporate social media into the day-to-day routines of employees. Some organizations, usually the larger, more hierarchical organizations, were still struggling with this integration of social media and the subsequent blurring of work/personal lives. How and when to use these channels still seems to be an issue. In the last three to six months, 80 per cent of participants have increased the level or frequency of high-level communications (i.e. mission, vision, values, corporate strategy) Engagement is more holistic it is not just a program on its own 10

13 CONCLUSIONS The audit showed that organizations are at various stages when it comes to employee engagement. All organizations participating in the audit wanted to, and in many cases were committed to, doing a better job of engaging employees and creating a community at work. Engagement comes in various formats. There isn t a one-size-fits-all approach. There are many factors that affect employee engagement, including management changes, restructuring, competitor landscape, and the impact of technology. It is essential for organizations to understand these factors in order to encourage sustainable engagement in their employees. Communication and effective management is becoming increasingly crucial as an element in inspiring employee engagement. The good news is that employers can directly influence, either positively or negatively, an employee s engagement and their commitment to their job by creating an environment where the employee feels compelled to work for the organization. Employee engagement strategies strengthen that bond between employee and employers and empower the employee to work in the best interests of the organization. Truly enlightened organizations know that employee engagement is what excites employees to be energized about their work and want to be part of collective solutions ultimately moving everyone in the right direction. Employers think work-life balance is still top of the list. Whilst it is still important for employees, often they are more interested in working with inspiring co-workers and having fewer boundaries so they can push themselves more Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 11

14 OUR EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SERVICES NATIONAL recognizes the critical role that employee engagement plays within an organization, and can help businesses enhance and improve their engagement processes. Employee engagement is a critical business issue that the whole organization needs to collaborate on, and a more collaborative and innovative approach is required to effectively engage and inspire employees. NATIONAL offers employee engagement programs that are customized to deliver results to your organization. Effective Communications Engaged, Committed Employees Retention Productivity Less turnover, Satisfied customers, Improved reputation Financial Performance 12

15 PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS Bilingual municipal government Blood supply and donation management Civil engineering, energy and real estate company Courier and freight company Energy and information company Energy (gas, power, electric) provider Environmental and engineering consulting services Financial institution Financial services First Nation community administration Global consumer products Global customer acquisition and consulting services Global engineering, construction and management company Housing and family support services Housing and property financial services Independent Crown corporation Independent energy company Insurance providers [x3] International airport International biopharmaceutical company International power company Investment banking and financial services Large provincial electricity company Local business listing service Lottery and gaming corporation Management consultancy firm Maternity and infant hospital Member association Nuclear power and technology company Phone and internet provider Pipeline and structure management Port authority Post-secondary institution Technology company Transportation provider and management Connecting with employees through engagement. Inform. Engage. Empower. 12

16 To learn more about how we can help you with employee engagement, contact: Nancy H. Arab (Calgary) NATIONAL Claire Alter (Vancouver) Jamie Jo Alton (Toronto) Laurel Taylor (Halifax) Sylvie Tessier (Montreal) MADANO Samantha Dawe (London) +44 (0) AXON Emma Lemon (London) +44 (0) Mario Nacinovich (New York) Marian Cutler (New York)