It’s the beginning of yet another school year, and all across the country students are settling back into classrooms for a new round of lessons, homework, quizzes, and report cards. For many, it's a fresh start—a chance to learn something new, improve on last year's performance, and build habits that will help them succeed.
It got me thinking that perhaps the workplace could benefit from a little back-to-school mentality as well.
With that in mind, I thought I would offer up a couple of quick lessons—along with a few follow-up assignments—focused on one of the most important subjects any organization can study: improving employee engagement. After all, just like in school, success at work doesn't happen by accident. It requires the right environment, consistent feedback, and a willingness to keep learning and improving.
So sharpen your pencils, grab a notebook, and let's get started.
Lesson 1
There was a rise in engagement during the first quarter of 2015. While that may sound like good news, only 32.9% of the total U.S. workforce is engaged. That means the majority of your workers are probably not.
Assignment
You will need to communicate relevant goals and objectives so everyone has meaningful objectives to pursue. That will make each and every employee feel like they are a vital part of the team.
Lesson 2
Employees value recognition. Nothing new there, except that most managers are under the misguided notion that employees are actually being recognized more than they are. That’s important because recognition gives employees the “psychosocial safety net” they need to pursue new ideas and solutions. Employees who work for managers that reward them are more than twice as likely to be better at their jobs vs. those who aren’t.
Assignment
You need to do two things here: educate and train your managers on the value of recognizing employees and give them the system they need to do so in an easy and efficient manner.
As you contemplate how to pass the above tests remember that social recognition is the answer.
