Employee Engagement Strategy
- 2. The Strategy 1. What is employee engagement? Employee engagement is a workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success and are able, at the same time, to enhance their own sense of well- being. Engagement is therefor a tool for organisational success: Engaged employees will: 1. Experience a blend of job satisfaction, organisational commitment, involvement in the direction of their own job and a feeling of empowerment when at work. 2. Be advocates for their organisation and the work it does, by recommending it as a place to work or be a customer of. 3. Have a motivation to perform well, a desire to improve the way things are in their organisation and to make a difference to people’s lives. 4. Work well in teams, encouraging and facilitating the development of others to achieve positive outcomes. 5. Think, behave and act in a positive way. 6. Be enabled to be innovative and contribute ideas that are listened to and acted upon. It is suggested that engagement is developed when the workforce is fully aware of business context and understands the line of sight between their own job and the purpose and objectives of the organisation. Leaders and line managers have a critical role in creating a culture of employee engagement and enabling staff to make a difference to the lives of their customers.
- 3. 2. Why is employee engagement important? Research shows that improving employee engagement has a positive and significant effect on organisational performance, including productivity, financial performance and efficiencies. Evidence has been found in public, private and voluntary sectors of a direct correlation in organisations between highly engaged staff and: • Productivity • Absence • Financial efficiencies • Wellbeing • Customer satisfaction • Retention • Innovation • Health & Safety • Revenue generation Your company can therefore benefit from engaged employees because, as well as being happier, healthier and more fulfilled, they deliver improved performance. There are varying differences in the drivers and outcomes of employee engagement, but the basic link is that if we improve employee engagement we will see improvements in organisational performance. There is a risk that failure to focus on this could increase disengagement at a time when the company needs its employees’ contributions more than ever. The CIPD states that ”As well as productivity losses, organisations may lose their best people and face huge differences when embedding organisational change if employees are not on board. Disengagement also threatens effective collaboration, innovation and human capital management, as employees will not be inclined to use their knowledge and skills for the good of the organisation”.
- 4. 3. The benefits to employees In addition to the benefits for business performance, engagement also benefits the employees themselves, for example: • A positive state for the individual which is a precursor to success. • Feeling happier, healthier and more fulfilled. • Greater motivation and morale and therefore productivity. • More commitment to the organisation’s goals and therefore sense of purpose. 4. What are ‘Enablers of Engagement’? Four common themes emerged from the research captured in the McLeod report. 1. Visible, empowering leadership providing a strong strategic narrative about the organisation, where it’s come from and where it’s going. 2. Engaging managers who focus their people and give them scope, treat their people as individuals and coach and stretch their people. 3. There is employee voice throughout the organisations, for reinforcing and challenging views, between functions and externally, employees are seen as central to the solution. 4. There is organisational integrity – the values on the wall are reflected in the day to day behaviours.
- 5. 5. How is employee engagement measured? The Staff Survey is a tool to allow us to find out how engaged our people are, to address our particular issues and to analyse the factors behind successes. In order to generate our engagement score we have used the survey features of our HR software Hibob, which identifies 12 specific questions for the Employee Enthusiasm survey. This score is based on 73% of employees participating. The Staff Survey is an important part of the process, but only part of it. January 2018 results How enthusiastic are you to be a part of the company 25% Extremely enthusiastic 50% Very enthusiastic 25% Somewhat enthusiastic Positive Score (Score of 4 or 5) Neither Positive/Negative (Score of 3) Negative (Score of 1-2) How enthusiastic are you with the company’s vision and direction 75% 25% 0% How enthusiastic are you with the company’s Product(s) and Solution 62% 13% 25% How enthusiastic are you with the people you are working with 87% 13% 0% How enthusiastic are you with the opportunity to develop your career 62% 25% 13% I understand the company strategy and direction 75% 12% 13% I have confidence in the company’s senior leadership 75% 12% 13% I believe in the company long-term success 75% 25% 0% I believe the company delivers high quality solutions to its customers 62% 0% 38% I am willing to go the extra mile to help the company succeed 75% 25% 0% If I were to “do it all over again”, I would very likely choose this company as a workplace 87% 13% 0%
- 6. 6. What outcomes will be delivered? The business focused outcomes that will be delivered by this strategy are: • More engaged workforce – highlighted by improvements in engagement score which in turn should create tangible benefits including: • Improved productivity • Improved financial performance • Higher levels of customer service and advocacy • Increased innovation • Increased staff retention and reduced recruitment costs • Improved morale and wellbeing • Improved H&S performance In addition to changes in our staff survey results and engagement score we will also be able to monitor changes in our organisational performance such as: • Staff retention/labour turnover • Sickness absence
- 7. Initiative Actions Who When 7.1 Staff Surveys • Start employees off with a 6min Employee Enthusiasm survey consisting of 12 questions. • Set a target response of 75% for the first survey and use the response results as a target base going forward. • Data Analysis – Continue to generate the engagement surveys with an target increase of 1% for 2019. Also review data and opportunities for improved analysis. 7.2 Action plan • Set times for further surveys to be sent out periodically to employees to capture data on Work-Life Balance, Direct Manager Satisfaction, Engagement, Training, Internal Communication and Benefits. Max participation length is 16.5 mins • Discuss results with management and how we can move forward. 7.3 Employee Voice • Utilise the HiBob forum to act as a sounding board, sense check, to recommend solutions to improve performance at a local level. 7.4 Communications strategy • Develop a robust communications strategy based on “You Said, We Did approach” to ensure employees know that action will be taken as a result of the surveys, where possible. • Communicate what staff like about working at Blimey Creative Ltd and ensure that good practices are maintained. 7.5 Identify good practice • Identify and share best practices of areas of the organisation that are doing well in terms of engagement. 7. Engagement strategies and initiatives – Action Plan This strategic plan outlines the strategies and initiative's to support enhanced employee engagement at Blimey Creative Ltd and achieve the vision of an engaged workforce.
- 8. Initiative Actions Who When 7.6 Engage for Success Workshops • Explore workshops to help support managers to improve the engagement within the company.. 7.7 Developing employees strengths. • Use a combination of regular feedback chats and Personal Development Plans to focus on strengths within the workforce, as research has established a compelling connection between strengths and employee engagement in the workplace, whereby focusing on both can accelerate organisational performance. 7.8 Wellbeing Introduce a wellbeing strategy to encourage synergies between health and safety and wellbeing. Introduce activities such as: • Reviewing sickness statistics • Look at introducing incentives to promote health & wellness within the workplace – encourage exercise, fluid intake, meditation etc. • Provisions of a wellbeing event – Staff Appreciation Day • Introduce lunch time learning and development sessions 7.9 Recognition, affirmation and celebration of success – Employee Awards • Long Service Awards • Company Work Anniversary Awards • Funny Awards (Bermuda Triangle Award, Best Brewer Award, The Do-nut Award etc.) • Low Cost Employee Recognition Awards (No tea runs for a week, 1 Hour Lunch break pass, Knock off work early pass, Lie in award etc) • E-cards for a job well done
- 9. Introduce Lunchtime learning sessions: • Respect in the Workplace • Conflict at Work • Equality and Diversity To be held the last Friday of the quarter going forward. Each department can hold their own session. Introduce Humorous Employee Awards: • The Human Handbook • Office Lunch Expert • Marvelous Multitasker • Calm in the eye of the storm • The behind the scenes wonder • Rookie of the year • Chief brew maker • Team awesome award • Busy bee award • Bermuda Triangle award Introduce Employee Low Cost Rewards: • No tea runs for a week • 1hr lunchbreak pass • Knock off work early pass • The lie in award Introduce E-cards: E-cards for instant job well done, thumbs up etc. for employees. Staff Wellbeing Hire a massage therapist to come in to provide all employees with a 15min back/neck/shoulder OR hand massage. Staff Gifts: • Smarties – “So thankful for smarties like you” • Milky Way – “We think you’re out of this world” • Muffin – “We would be muffin without you” • Fanta – “You are FANTA- STIC”
Editor's Notes
- #6: This survey was sent out to 11 employees and only 8 of them completed the survey even with a reminder 24hrs before closure.