09 September 2009

Engaging employees

Recently I attended a panel discussion on 'employee engagement strategies for the downturn and beyond', attended mostly by organisational development and HR professionals, with a smattering of chief execs and agency types like myself. The panel included two people whose specific role within their organisations was to monitor and nurture employee engagement - in interesting development in itself. The overall message from the speakers was clear: employee engagement is proving to be an effective way to ride out the recession, even if companies are having to lose staff. It helps that the recession is perceived to the fault of the global financial sector, so that most companies can escape the burden of personal responsibility - their staff aren't blaming them for the state we're in (none of the organisations who contributed were from this sector). So the sense that we're all in this together was coming through very strongly - your pain is my pain; if we all pull in the same direction we'll make the world a better place, and other such well-worn but sincerely meant phrases. 

What was interesting for me was how much all the speakers stressed the importance of communication: regular, honest, transparent, accessible; line managers being held to account for what staff get to hear and know about; making strategy meaningful and personal to all employees, no matter what level they function at. It sounds so obvious, but I'm constantly amazed at how few organisations seem to think this matters, or merely pay lip service to it. 

One term I'd not heard before was the 'unconscious incompetence' of many managers - they simply don't realise they aren't bringing people along with them. There's a recognition now that such managers need to be educated in the meaning and nature of employee engagement. This is interesting, because it suggests that in some organisations, the concept of engagement is maturing; it's being understood now at quite a deep level as a whole new way of doing things, which doesn't come that easily and needs to explored and practised. Yes, it requires work, but it's worth it.

My conclusion is that an engaged organisation is just like a successful marriage. It's the result of sustained effort, consistency and reflection. And lots of talking.