I know, managers already have more than plenty to do! But it’s a sure bet that these 3 management actions boost engagement by employees. And it’s a fact that engaged employees need less management hand-holding. So, consider
Planning communication. The more often and the more ways a manager talks to an employee, the more opportunities the employees has to feel meaningful, valuable, and appreciated. That means more reasons the employee has to engage.
Employees have more motivation to engage when they know expectations, goals, objectives, company news and concerns–anything that impacts their work. That information is easy for a manager to acquire, and it really cannot be shared too often. The manager makes a greater contribution herself by developing employees’ reasons and desire to be more engaged.
So write in your calendar specific and frequent times to talk with individual employees just to keep communication lines open. If you write it down, you are more likely to carry through and not have it slip to the back burner.
Specific how-to’s about building a 12-month communication plan next Tuesday, 3/9.
Creating share and learn opportunities. The more information you share the more mutual respect grows: employees respect of you, their respect for one another, and your respect for them.
This overlaps with the communication suggestion above. It also goes farther. These more formally scheduled and agenda’d meetings are opportunities for engagement. You are engaging and demonstrating so fo the knowledge and team gains of your people. They are engaged in the receiving and learning. Quite likely, engagement will grow from the opportunity as employees create ways to apply the information received to their team consciousness and their commitment to success.
Some possible opportunity topics: customer issues, pending changes in process/procedure, desire changes in process/procedure, economic news, industry news….
Next Wednesday, 3/10, look for my list of 10 sure-to-engage share and learn opportunities you can host.
Building feedback as a resource. Add giving and receiving feedback to the above suggestions of communication and opportunity. Both formal and informal feedback can boost engagement and performance measurably. Keep in mind that it never hurts for a manager to receive feedback from his reporting employees. Construct a 3-5 statement checklist.
Make feedback a reality and a real engagement tool. I’ll give you some detailed examples next Thursday, 3/11.
Tags: Communication, engagement, feedback, Opportunity, Resources
