Dale Carnegie Training recently released the results of a new study on employee engagement. The findings might surprise you. Even if employees are passionate about what they do, they won’t be engaged in their workplace unless they trust senior management and feel a bond with their immediate supervisor.
If either of those two factors are lacking, employees feel extreme dissatisfaction and low engagement. And we know that low engagement translates into decreased productivity, increased dissatisfaction, and a whole host of other negative workplace consequences.
So what is an employer to do?
First, understand that it really is imperative that management “walk the walk.” In other words, have a clear set of organizational values and communicate them to all levels of employees. Ask for feedback from employees, and do something with it. To really gain employee buy-in and loyalty, make respect a core value. How employees are treated at work matters, a lot.
Second, select your managers carefully. Many rise through the ranks because they are good at what they do, not because they necessarily have what it takes to manage. That’s all right, so long as they are amenable to, and receive, the proper training. What should this training encompass? First and foremost, respect in the workplace. Comprehensive training in this area can have a direct and significant impact on engagement.
So what are you waiting for?
