After working with dozens of organizations over the last several years, I found the following 3 reasons why engagement isn't improving:
1. Leaders talk about employee engagement and how it benefits the organization and leaders. Employees don't care. You can read more about this at Why your employee engagement survey scores aren't what you want them to be
2. Leaders take on too much of the responsibility for engagement of others. Employees take the easy route of pointing fingers instead of owning engagement themselves.
3. Leaders see employee engagement as something on their to-do list. It's not a one-time thing; it's an all-the-time thing that can easily be woven into everything that happens at the organization.
This article gives you ideas to overcome reason #2...Leaders taking on too much of the responsibility for engaging others.
Satisfied, Energized & Productive
If you want to positively impact engagement, start with talking about it in a way that's relevant to the employee. In my first book, SHIFT to Professional Paradise: 5 Steps to Less Stress, More Energy & Remarkable Results at Work, I define engagement as when someone is satisfied, energized & productive. A synonym is Professional Paradise™. Yes, you read that right. Professional Paradise. It's not an oxymoron and it's not something you can create for someone else. Keep this in mind as you continue.
The Survey Results Are In
One hundred percent of the hospitals I work with are using some type of employee engagement survey to collect data from their associates. Typically, these surveys are conducted annually with more and more organizations adding a "Pulse" type survey in-between. In our evidence based world that sounds like a great idea...right?
It's only a great idea if you do something positive with the results. This probably sounds familiar...
1. Survey results are in and executives see the organization wide data.
2. Department managers receive their scores and are told to create an Action Plan.
3. Managers share the results at team meetings where team members create a long list of what the organization and the leader need to do to fix things.
4. Employees go back to work and don't give it a second thought.
5. Managers scramble to work on the action items until something else more important comes along.
6. It's 3 months until the next survey is being done and managers say "Oh dear! We never did address last year's issues"
7. Rinse & Repeat
It Takes 3™
It's time to change this unproductive pattern and actually impact engagement. In my book, 6 Shortcuts to Employee Engagement: Lead & Succeed in a Do More With Less World, I share the "It Takes 3" model. This model states that in order for engagement to improve, it takes the organization at a strategic level, leaders at a tactical level and individuals at a personal level. The third part of that equation is frequently missing.
To help individuals reflect on their responsibility, once you have the survey results in hand complete steps 1-3 above; however, in step 3 be sure to include a discussion about what the employees need to do to improve their own engagement and why that's a good idea. I can see your thought bubble popping up saying "Really? How am I going to do that without seeming like I'm shirking my own responsibility?" No worries, I've created a team meeting outline (and video) that you can download for free at www.ShortcutsToEngagement.com. It's called "Whose Job is it to Make You Happy at Work?" Don't be afraid, this meeting shifts the way folks think about who is responsible for their engagement in a productive and helpful way.
One-on-One Meetings & Rounding
Another powerful way to create shared responsibility for engagement is to discuss it at one-on-one meetings. Ask each employee what makes him or her satisfied, energized & productive at work. Then ask the person how he or she can connect to those things on a regular basis. Avoid the temptation to come up with all the answers yourself. You might even want to offer the person some time to think about it and discuss it at the next one-on-one meeting you have. The point is, that to create shared responsibility for engagement you have to let folks figure out their own part in the equation and this takes time.
When you round with your staff (you are regularly rounding, right?), you have another opportunity to talk about shared responsibility. When someone tells you something that's not working and you brainstorm solutions, ask the employee what he or she is going to do to get back to feeling satisfied, energized & productive despite the current challenge.
The great news is that when you include employees in the "how do we fix engagement" discussion, everyone benefits. No one wants to spend their time at work in a grumpy, frustrated state of mind so this shared responsibility is good for everyone (including coworkers and patients).
Look for part 3 of the article that includes tips for weaving the engagement thread throughout your daily work.
Vicki Hess, RN, is your go-to resource for transforming employee engagement at the individual, department or organization-wide level. As the author of four books, keynote speaker, trainer and consultant; Vicki inspires clients to take action in a real-world, relatable way. Organizations that implement Vicki's ideas experience increased engagement, productivity, safety, quality, retention, client satisfaction, creativity and more. For more information, please visit www.HealthcareEmployeeEngagement.com
The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.