Employee engagement generates a number of good reasons to be thankful, whether you own the business, manage the employees, work alongside someone who is engaged, or have the chance to buy something from them.
But first, let me offer my 3-part definition of employee engagement:
- Employee engagement is investment of body, mind, and spirit in one's work.
- Employee engagement is emotional commitment that fuels the doing, thinking, and believing in one's work.
- Employee engagement is eagerness to exceed expectations and fulfill one's self-satisfaction quota.
The definition sounds good enough to be thankful for, but let me offer these specific reasons:
Engaged employees are happier about what they do. This is a case of mutual reinforcement. Employees engage in their work because it makes them happy. Being happy makes employees engage in what they do.
Engaged employees assume more responsibility as they assume ownership of what is expected of them.
Engaged employees typically recognize connections that benefit the business. The see the connection between what they do and what others do, between their team's actions and other team's actions, between their department's contribution and other departments' contributions. They see how all these connections connect to company success.
Engaged employees respect other employees' engagement. Thus they encourage and stimulate engagement throughout the business.
Engaged employees engage positively with customers (both external and internal customers). Customers are attracted by employees who engage positively with them.
All in all, employee engagement warrants more than just a little thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Photo Source: http://flickr.com/photos/vickispix/2466431164/
Tags: Employee Engagement, Management, workforce performance
