It’s better to build the value of employee engagement into the business culture than to toss training programs at the employees.
Building a culture of engagement involves the top three levels of an organization: executives (labeled authority), leaders (personal influence), and management (employee direction/development). Today we look at the executive responsibility. Tomorrow, the leader’s. Thursday, the manager’s.
Business culture combines psychology, personality, and behavior of an organization. This combination of values, attitudes, social and professional standards forms the foundation from which the business takes action.
A business’s executive (team) must articulate the company’s definition of employee engagement. For example: Employee engagement is the individual’s investment of energy, skill, ability, eagerness and desire in the work performed. Engagement is a combination of investment, commitment and involvement by the individual into the business’s purpose and intent.
The executive (team) then commits to a statement of employee engagement as core element of the business culture. Here’s a sample of such statement: Employee engagement is the individual’s investment of energy, skill, ability, eagerness and desire in the work performed. Engagement is a combination of investment, commitment and involvement by the individual into the business’s purpose and intent.
The executive (team) then reflects this culture commitment via planned and programmed communications to and throughout the company. It helps if this communication is give-and-take, not merely pronouncement by executives. A CEO may have the perfect idea(l) of the engagement culture. Yet stating to employees, “This is our culture…” will create little true ownership by employees.
Engaging employees in conversations sharing their perception and comprehension of the culture, however, allows them to assume ownership. Engaging all members of an organization in two-way conversation stimulates engagement. Questions from executive to employees are the critical means to such end. Open-ended questions generate conversation.
These three not-so-difficult steps cement a business culture of engagement.
Tags: business culture, Communication, Employee Engagement, Executive
[...] more fundamental how-to information than the previous two posts. Not surprising; they were for executives and leaders, [...]
Pingback by Employee engagement | Managing business culture | Wright Results — April 22, 2010 @ 4:53 am
I think you make an excellent observation of what is fundamental in human nature–the need for ownership. Employees work harder, smarter, and with a positive attitude if they own the outcome and are able to reap the rewards of company success–increased wealth, security, and pride in work. The company culture of values may be initiated by the executive team, and should be exemplified over and over, but there is no doubt that employees should shape the culture they labor in with some measure of input. The sense of access, and encouragement for ideas, and reward for active input is part of the creative tension (that “give-and-take”)shared among employees, middle management, and the executive team. Thank you for your article.
Comment by William Simon — April 22, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
William,
We are in agreement. I would add that there’s a “victorious circle”…a mutual reinforcement between better work (“smarter, harder, and with a positive attitude”) and engagement. Engaged employees work better. Working better is a true form of engagement.
A sensible leadership team will create the business culture and work environment that builds the creative tension you mention!
Thanks for your comment.
Comment by Tim — April 23, 2010 @ 5:04 am