What’s Your Talent Engagement Plan Lacking?

Talent engagement. employee engagement

 

According to a recent Gallup survey, only 34.1 percent of American workers report being engaged and only 25 percent of them are highly engaged. These are frightening statistics considering engagement is critical to the success of your company. The good news is that you can improve engagement – without spending huge sums of money – just by paying attention to a few key areas:

Strong leadership

As one of Kansas City’s most experienced staffing services firms, Morgan Hunter knows that oftentimes employees don’t quit companies. They quit managers. More than any other factor – pay, benefits, working conditions, and job duties – leadership has a huge impact on engagement. And in fact, according to another Gallup study, about 50 percent of the 7,200 adults surveyed left a job “to get away from their manager.” That’s why it’s so important to make time to connect with employees, listen to their questions and concerns, and share feedback with them.

Clearly defined goals and roles

Each member of your team needs to know what they’re responsible for and where their contributions fit into the bigger picture. When employees are fuzzy in these areas, they’re not going to meet expectations and be productive. As a result, this will lead to dissatisfaction and lack of engagement.

Transparent communication

Clarity, consistency, and transparency are all key when it comes to communicating with your employees. If the company is having a bad quarter or facing challenges, talk to your employees about it. Otherwise, the rumor mill takes over. Likewise, if you’re experiencing a good quarter, It’s also important to tout successes and wins. When it comes to engagement and communication, employees want to work for leaders who are transparent and honest with them…even when the news isn’t always positive.

A system of rewards

Catch people doing great work and acknowledge it in a timely manner. That doesn’t mean people should be rewarded for showing up on time and doing their jobs. However, it does mean that your employees should know that they’re valued and extra effort will be appreciated and recognized.

A focus on hiring and promoting the right people

At the end of the day, all of your engagement efforts aren’t going to matter much if people are in the wrong positions at your company, or aren’t right for the culture. That’s why it’s important to determine the key behaviors and personalities that are a fit for your company – and then emphasize them during the hiring process.

If you’re still not sure how to go about improving engagement at your company, then survey your employees to find out what themes and trends emerge. That way, you can find out what’s working – and what could use some improvement – and set up a plan to fix those areas.

Do you need help recruiting, hiring and retaining the right people for your company?

Look no further than Morgan Hunter. As one of Kansas City’s most experienced staffing services firms, we have the skilled recruiters and proven processes to help you find and secure your most valuable asset — quality and engaged employees. Contact us today to learn more or get started.