Creating a Culture of Engagement Element 3: Connectedness
Engagement happens when employees feel connected with one another, focus on mutual interests, and operate with shared responsibility.
Connectedness means caring about our work, our colleagues, and our place in the world—being connected.
High-performing organizations will often point to their success by talking about their collaborative culture and the impact it has on productivity. There are actually two important aspects to this when it comes to employees’ level of engagement.
First is the feeling of working with colleagues who trust and support one another and demonstrate interest in not only their own success but in the success of their colleagues. It is difficult to sustain engagement when employees feel disconnected from their peers.
The second is to operate with a mindset of collaboration, the process of integrating different perspectives to accomplish a common outcome. As collaboration at all levels increases, so does connectedness and engagement.
Focusing Question for Leaders
- How do leaders ensure individuals are connected across functions and operate with mutual interest?
Creating a Culture of Engagement Element 4: Inclusion
Engagement happens when employees are well-informed, involved, and have an opportunity to openly express thoughts and feelings. Simply stated, people want to feel “in” on things.
Asking people for input or sharing information is one of the most powerful tools a manager has. Problems arise when leaders/managers don’t share enough information—when they don’t talk to their employees and others in the organization. Including others and asking for and sharing information . . . that is what is needed.
Most leaders would say they have an open door policy. That’s great, but it doesn’t mean anything.
Don’t pride yourself on having an open door policy; pride yourself on how many people come through your door! Unfortunately, one of the biggest reasons people don’t come through the door has to do with leadership behavior that erodes trust.
Focusing Question for Leaders
- What do leaders do to ensure there is an open and honest flow of information?
Creating a Culture of Engagement Element 5: Validation
Engagement happens when employees feel that they matter—that they have a valued place in the organization.
Validation is the expressed interest an organization has in its employees. It comes in a variety of forms: recognition, support, involvement, understanding, rewards, learning, growth, etc.
One of the fastest ways to create disengaged employees is to teach them that you don’t care about them as people. Validation is arguably the most important element of engagement because it personally influences each individual in the organization. “Showing interest” is critical to retaining and engaging employees.
Focusing Question for Leaders
- What can leaders do to demonstrate they care about their employees?
Providing the Plug That Recharges the Battery
Culture exists in an organization in one form or another. The question is: what are your leaders doing to proactively take responsibility for shaping a culture in which employees choose to be engaged? Leaders who focus on creating a culture of engagement have more engaged employees. These five key elements help leaders shape a culture of engagement. What are your leaders doing to recharge your employees’ batteries?
