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In this highly competitive, low-inflationary and low-growth environment, there is continual pressure to achieve stronger business results by achieving more with fewer staff and less resources. Achieving high performance under these conditions means it is imperative to understand the extent to which our employees are engaged.
The link between employee engagement and business performance has been well established. In fact, these days most organisations conduct surveys to determine their levels of employee engagement. Engaged employees work harder, are more committed and more productive, and are essential to achieving business outcomes.
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What this means is that increasing employee engagement is fast becoming an integral part of an organisation's strategic plan. It is often argued that a simple antidote to disengagement is to increase pay and bonuses. In a sense this might be seen as a quick fix, assuming an organisation has the capacity to pay more. However, while important, pay is not a significant driver of employee engagement. What research tells us is that there are better ways to recognise employees, improve satisfaction and enhance productivity.
Numerous research studies by Insync Surveys have shown that the single greatest indicator of employee engagement is the extent to which employees feels cared about and committed to by the organisation. Another way of saying this is to ask: 'Do employees feel recognised and valued for the contribution they are making?'
Going out of our way to recognise employees is also habit four in my new book, titled 7 Business Habits That Drive High Performance. Groundbreaking research drawing on the views of more than 100,000 employees from around 200 organisations showed that recognising employees is one of the seven habits that most differentiates high-performance organisations from low-performance ones.
I say, go out of your way to recognise your employees, as I mean just that. Yes, it is great to have formal recognition programs and events but leaders must get into the habit of going out of their way – making a special effort – to say thank you and recognise their employees. If senior leaders were able to find a few spontaneous opportunities to recognise employees each week it would begin to make a massive difference across the organisation over time as those down the line will begin to model their behaviour. The ultimate aim would to have it become a way of life in your organisation.
Low-performance organisations take their employees for granted. Only 27 per cent of their employees think their senior leaders acknowledge and thank them for their contribution. The figure for high-performance organisations is more than double at 55 per cent; but even they can do much better.
Recognition of employee performance is essential. The impact on employee engagement by saying thank you cannot be underestimated. Saying thank you tells our people that we see the work they're doing and that their contribution is valued. It may seem simple, and it is, but many of the everyday niceties seem to have escaped the modern-day office vernacular.
It is not uncommon for an employee to be asked to stay back late at work, cancel social engagements, respond to emails and answer phone calls on sick days, weekends and annual leave without so much as a simple 'thank you' escaping the lips of the person doing the asking. The simplest of gestures at times can have the biggest impact. But we have to be timely. There's no point thanking someone for something that occurred six months earlier.
Expressing gratitude is not in itself a silver bullet for increasing employee engagement. It should be considered as part of a genuine effort by senior leaders to develop high performance by engaging our employees and building great places to work.
Nicholas S. Barnett, chief executive, Insync Surveys
Nicholas S. Barnett is a director, business leader and strategist with over 35 years' experience. He is CEO of Insync Surveys and passionate about helping individuals, teams and organisations reach their full potential. Nicholas is also the author of the new book, 7 Business Habits That Drive High Performance (Major Street Publishing, $29.99). For more information visit www.insyncsurveys.com.au or email
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