To win customers – and a larger share of the marketplace - companies must first win the hearts and minds of their employees.

As managers and leaders you are primarily responsible for your employees’ engagement levels. Each person in your organization has different needs and expectations and as a manager you need to find ways to connect with each member of your team.

The latest findings of the Gullaup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace report indicates that 70% of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” and are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and less likely to be productive. Imagine that! I wonder if a similar statistic is true in Nelson, Blenheim or other New Zealand cities?  Consider the possibility that 50% of your employees are not involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and contribute to your organization in a positive manner; what effect is this having on lost productivity and customer interactions for starters!

We often say that our oganisation's greatest asset is people – but in reality, this is only true when those employees are fully engaged in their jobs.

You may say that you are engaging your employees because you offer things like morning tea once a week, massages, flexitime, beers on a Friday night; and while keeping employees happy and satisfied is a worthy goal that can help build a more positive workplace, there is no substitute for engaging them.

There is no one “right” way to engage everyone, and employees certainly do not become engaged overnight. Different types of workers demand different engagement strategies. The best managers recognize and understand the fundamental differences amongst their team and are energized by the potential these diverse individuals bring to the table.
So, how can managers and leaders accelerate employee engagement? Finding the right employees and managers is essential, but it is not enough to put the right people in the right jobs. Companies must invest in their employees’ greatest talents to optimize their performance.

At Intepeople, we love working with business (of all sizes and across all industries) to help their employees discover their innate talents and strengths and apply them productively to achieve performance outcomes. When employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged, have higher performance and are less likely to leave your oganisation.

We think the places we are based in Nelson, Blenheim and Christchurch are fantastic places to live, work and play, but is it really if only about one-third of your employees are committed to your company’s success and two-thirds are standing in their way? Given the proven links between employee engagement and financial outcomes, if we could find a way to double the number of engaged employees in each and every business, it would dramatically change our economic and social trajectory. At Intepeople we believe, All Together we can make a difference, and we are working with some great businesses to help make it happen.

For more information about our employee career management tools and coaching programmes, please contact Lucy MacLean. From now until the end of October we are offering an Introductory Special starting at only $220 per person.
This article is based on research from the “State of the American Workplace” Employee Engagement insights for U.S. Business Leaders 2013. Please let us know if you would like a copy of this report emailed to you.