In 2008 Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson) released their Global Workforce Study which contained many valuable insights for leadership about employee engagement. Closing the Engagement Gap: A Road Map for Driving Superior Business Performance is essential for anyone who really wants to create a highly engaged workforce.
In this post we will explore the top 5 drivers of employee engagement across the U.S. workforce. One of the great things about the study is the fact that it breaks the data into generational age differences and also gives insights into countries outside of the United States. This “road map” is worth the read!
#1-Senior management is sincerely interested in employee well-being. The short version: leadership really cares about me and they show it. In earlier posts I explored this in more detail, so I won’t elaborate in this one.
#2-Improved my skills and capabilities over the last year. You as a leader must work toward developing plans to develop your peeps. Your employees really do want to grow and you get the benefit of their personal and professional growth.
#3-Organization’s reputation for social responsibility. This one took me a little off guard as to how this cuts across all generations, not just Gen Y’s. The Boomer generation rates it just a highly… due to the fact that as we age, we are concerned about our legacy. I personally hope this opens some eyes because I am a Boomer.
#4-Input into decision making in my department. Your employees want a voice and to participate in shaping their future. Handled correctly, this is powerful. They have skin in the game, they want to help call the plays. Sadly, too many paternalistic leaders see this as threatening, not an opportunity to engage their workers.
#5-Organization quickly resolves customer concerns. The message here: I want to work in a place that sincerely cares about the people it exists for… the customer. Think about it. Who wants to work for a company with a reputation of poor quality and lousy service?
Any “aha” moments for you? Tell me what surprises you and engages you to probe deeper. Type me back if you’d like me to clarify anything.