The extent to which people enjoy and believe in what they do and feel valued for doing it."
DDI
"The extent to which employees are emotionally and intellectually committed to the organisation as measured by three primary behaviours - Say, Stay and Strive."
Hewitt
"The extent to which employees commit to something or someone in the organisation and how long they stay as a result to that commitment."
Corporate Executive Board
"A state of mind in which employees feel a vested interest in the company's success and are both willing and motivated to perform to levels that exceed the stated job requirements."
Mercer
I define employee engagement as "the degree to which the majority of employees feel valued, fulfilled, and loved."
Why valued, fulfilled, and loved?
In my work with leaders in 40 countries since 1991 the above three are the standout pathways to unleashing the unique talents/gifts that are lying dormant in most people.
The results of this unleashing
Higher levels of productivity and engagement from employees, higher sales, lower costs and lower employee turnover, and more time for you to pursue what really matters to you.
People are often referred to as assets, resources, and even capital. We are none of these things! We are flesh and blood beings with needs, wants, fears, and aspirations.
When we are respected and treated as the one-of-a-kind that each of us is, we respond with remarkable performance.
16 ways to help your employees to feel more valued, fulfilled, and loved
1.See people as they can be not as they are.
2.Understand the defining moments in people's lives and help them to bring the lessons learned in these moments to their work.
3.Be aware of and have continual conversations with people about what really matters to them.
4.Help people identify what is special about them, their unique gifts/talents, and then make it simple for these gifts/talent to be enhanced
5.Lead people in ways that inspire and positively influence them.
6.Manage systems and processes not people.
7.Catch people doing things right and let them know you caught them by having appreciation conversations with them.
8.Formally celebrate with people at least every 90 days what's going really well and what could be better.
9.Help people to create personal and business development plans that mean they own their piece of your strategy execution plan.
10.Ensure conversations about performance are about what has been agreed to in their plan.
11.Help people to be accountable when things don't go according to plan, not by being critical, rather by asking great questions that inspire candor and authenticity.
12.Be kind at every opportunity.
13.Excel at telling and sharing authentic and inspirational stories about other people's successes. Publicise these stories widely.
14.Be open and honest about mistakes and celebrate and share the learning.
15.Recognise and reward people for remarkable performance in ways they suggested.
16.Gift without attachment to getting back.
When people feel valued, fulfilled and loved, they live the values written on the wall and deliver the value to other stakeholders that they demand, desire, and feel that they deserve. Valued, values, and value are the keystones of success in every organisation on earth that is thriving.
Ian Berry CSP
http://www.ceoonline.com/
About Ian Berry CSP
Ian Berry is a writer and international business speaker with unique expertise in why doing good is great for business.