E-couragement: Free and Powerful
“We’ve found that improving employee engagement links to improvements in crucial business outcomes like customer ratings, profitability, and quality.” The Secret of Higher Performance by Jim Asplund and Nikki Blacksmith
You’ve heard it many times; most of us believe it and have repeated it: “You get what you pay for.” It’s a phrase which relates to the value we receive verses the money we pay. Something that appears free often isn’t. It’s a fairly effective rule and, like most truths, there are loopholes. In these tight and stressful economic times, what if your organization discovered a business strategy that was both free and powerful? What would it mean if you uncovered an idea that was low to no cost and produced measureable results? Well, hold on to your girdle Myrtle, there actually is such a thing.
The research is irrefutable: organizations with higher levels of employee engagement outperform the competition that score lower in this area. Here’s the kicker, you can make great strides towards creating an engaging culture without spending a penny. That’s right; you won’t even have to write a purchase order and get it approved. Here are a few engagement principles that don’t cost a dime:
- Listen. Your employees want to be heard. It’s a core human need. Listen to them. Pay attention to them. Ask good questions and express genuine interest in others.
- Appreciate. Make it a point to find the good in others. Tell people the positive traits you notice in them. The long term impact of sincere praise and appreciation outlasts any cash bonus you’ve given in the past.
- Encourage. Help your followers grow by encouraging them to develop their strengths. Encourage them to read books, learn from coworkers, and take classes.
- Coach. Take a few moments to provide useful feedback. Help others become more successful in their roles. Demonstrate how they might be more effective by using a specific skill or tool that you’ve already mastered.
Although you won’t need a budget for these free and powerful engagement principles, they do require courage and discipline. How can it be that these free principles are nonexistent in so many organizations? Why do companies search for innovative ways to outperform their competition while ignoring these tried and true actions that get results? How about discussing those questions at your next leadership meeting? Perhaps it’s time for you and your organization to build and sustain an engaging culture. Save money and outperform your competition. That’s smart business…it’s not a gimmick.
Leave your comments: What’s your organization doing to foster an engaging workplace and impact performance?