“What happens to those left behind?”
In the current economic climate, employee engagement is becoming increasingly important. In order to make sure our people are performing to their full capability they need to feel engaged and secure within the organisation.
With unemployment rising, people will sit in the job they’re in rather than risk moving somewhere new and putting themselves at risk of being first out should redundancies arise. In times of uncertainty, people sit tight.
If they are sitting tight but not engaged with the organisation, these people can become a liability. The level of engagement people have with the organisation will have a big impact on their performance and ultimately, will have an impact on the performance of the organisation.
There is a lack of trust at the moment - in banks, in the housing market, in job security and in our politicians. Whenever their is a lack, something will fill it’s place. When trust is missing it will usually be replaced by fear and fear makes people more critical of others and what’s going on around them. If people do not trust the organisation they are a part of, they will look at it more critically and loyalty will be eroded.
During such times it is crucial that people feel supported. Fear can cause people to be less productive, a vicious cycle leading to their productivity declining further as they become less confident about their future. Leaders need to understand the importance of engaging their employees and they need support in how to do this. Leaders may be just as fearful but they need to convey a positive message to their staff.
We need to keep our talented people, they are more important than at any other time as we need to be more competitive and work smarter. The cyclical nature of life and the economy tells us that things will improve. We need to make sure that as an organisation we stay strong and have our key people in place and engaged fully in the organisation to take us forward.
So as an organisation, what can you do to get the engagement of your employees?
We need to show commitment to our staff. Organisations that offer good benefits to their staff such as flexible working, training, coaching and pensions are more likely to have a happy and loyal staff. Planning for the future by investing in your existing talent shows that you value them and are willing to make a commitment to them. If there’s one thing that recessions teach us, it is the need to build strong relationships - with our customers and contacts, our suppliers and our staff. Investing in staff development shows that your people are valued and that you have a commitment to their future.
What do we want the people who work for us to believe about the organisation? People usually want to feel proud of the organisation that they work for and the products or services that they provide. Most of us like to feel that we are doing something that is worthwhile. Is the vision of the organisation clear and meaningful for all those who work within it, and is it something tangible to everyone that they can see their part in making it happen? For people to see the part that they play in the overall vision of the company is important in getting them engaged with the organisation and the achievement of its goals.
Communication at these times is vital but what type and how much? Communication is a simple concept but very difficult to get right. We have an overload of information so how messages are communicated needs careful planning and follow-up. People need to hear the right message as the grapevine will always fill any communication vacuum. Make sure that people are receiving the right message and that it is ‘unfiltered’ i.e. You have avoided the Chinese whispers affect that tends to occur when messages are cascaded verbally. People need honest, confident messages so that they do not feel that they are being kept in the dark as the latter will quickly erode loyalty. People are often far more intuitive than they are given credit for - they know when they aren’t being told something!
It is very easy for companies to immediately cut costs in the areas that will make the biggest difference. Talent still needs to be nurtured, staff still need to be valued, we will always want to recruit, develop and retain talented people. Cutting back on investment in staff sends out the wrong message to people at a time when we are likely to be asking more of them in terms of performance. To retain your talented staff, they need to feel a valued member of the organisation so that not only can they help you survive the short-term but will be around to help you thrive in the future.
