• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Great Leadership by Dan
  • Blog
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Blog
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Blog
    • Popular
    • Recent
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    You are here Home » employee engagement

    5 Tips to Increase Workplace Engagement

    Last updated on Aug 31, 2017 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest post by Naphtali Hoff:

    The statistics
    about worker disengagement are staggering. We read all the time about how workplace
    engagement levels are low here in the U.S. and even lower around the world.
    Loss of productivity is estimated to cost employers hundreds of millions of
    dollars annually, if not billions. And it all stems from how disconnected folks
    feel from the people working around them, the work that they do each day, and
    the purpose that it serves to them and to others.

    Workplace
    connection results in many benefits, including stronger communication, greater
    synergy, enhanced anticipation of others’ needs and worries / concerns, and,
    last but certainly not least, increased worker engagement. When we feel
    connected, we operate with a sense of purpose and utilize our many talents and
    abilities to advance that purpose, consciously as well as subconsciously.  

    The need for connection
    at work is perhaps stronger today than ever before. It has become an
    expectation, especially amongst younger workers, that the workplace be a source
    of meaning and intention, not just a place at which to collect a paycheck.

    Ironically, the
    technological communication that has become the hallmark of Millennials –
    texting, social media, and the like, even when in close physical proximity –
    has in many ways served to connect us only superficially, leaving us hungry for
    the deep, meaningful and fulfilling linkage that only direct, interpersonal
    communication with real emotion sharing can achieve.

    Without
    question, it falls on the boss to create a culture that promotes engagement
    through modeling, messaging, and educating. The following are tips to help
    leaders create an engaging workplace that gets the most out of its workers.  

    1. Create a clear vision

    Leaders
    have the responsibility to be visionaries. Particularly in today’s
    uber-competitive marketplace, it is more critical than ever for leaders to understand
    their roles as storytellers and dream weavers in order to inspire continued
    motivation, creativity and growth.  

    There are four things to keep in mind when communicating a
    vision. One, a vision should be simple, vivid, impactful and repeatable. Simple
    means that the meaning is plain and uncomplicated. When President Kennedy
    presented a vision for the space program, he did not indulge in complex
    verbiage. He kept things simple. The goal is to land a man on the moon before
    the end of the decade (1960’s). Though he did not live to see it, the steps of
    Neil Armstrong made his dream a reality.

    Two, a compelling vision is vivid. Metaphor, analogy, and
    example all serve as excellent ways through which to crystalize the objective.

    Three, visions
    should be impactful and include big ideas. Big ideas are what get people
    excited. People want to feel motivated about coming to work and doing their
    jobs. They want to feel that what they do matters.

    Finally, visions should be repeatable. Distill them to but a
    few words, a catchy slogan, jingle or mnemonic. The idea should be able to be
    spread by anyone to anyone. In this way, they are kept front and center in
    people’s minds and have the greatest impact.

    2. Make people feel valued

    Workplace
    morale rises when workers feel that their efforts are valued (oral
    acknowledgments are good, written notes and goodies are even better) and they
    are given a chance to shine. They also begin to see their work as part of a
    bigger effort, which adds to their feeling of belonging.

    3. Communicate clearly and often

    People are more
    engaged when they are in regular touch with their superiors and peers and
    receive valuable information that helps them do their jobs and stay connected
    to the goings-on around them. 

    4. Give them a voice

    Close the
    circle by making communication two-way. Give your people the chance to have
    their voices heard, in (depending on your company size) town halls, small group
    meetings or one-to-one conversations. Also use surveys and similar data
    collection tools to gather feedback.   

    5. Make room for mistakes

    Mistakes are
    inevitable, especially when we ask our people to leave their comfort zones to
    learn new skills and take on new projects. Communicate that effort is most
    important and that so long as your people are making their best efforts,
    mistakes will not only be tolerated but even valued.

    Naphtali Hoff,
    PsyD,
     (@impactfulcoach) became an executive coach and organizational
    consultant following a career as an educator and school administrator. Read his
    blog at
    impactfulcoaching.com/blog
    and his new leadership book, "
    Becoming
    the New Boss
    ."
    « Building a Culture of Appreciation
    Leading From Within: Shifting Ego, Ceding Control, and Rising Empathy »
    AFTER ENTRY

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    dan-mccarthy-great-leadership-by-dan

    About Dan

    Dan is an expert in leadership and management development. For over 20 years Dan has helped thousands of leaders and aspiring leaders improve their leadership capabilities. Read More

    ebook-dan-mccarthy

    Trending:

    • Top 12 Development Goals for Leaders
    • How to Write a Great Individual Development Plan (IDP)
    • 25 Great Leadership Development Quotes
    • The Performance and Potential Matrix (9 Box Model) – an Update

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022

    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy