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Leaders either make or break the job for their employees. People typically leave bad managers, not bad companies.
It seems obvious: If you want engaged employees, you have to be an engaged leader. You have to engage with your employees. Nevertheless, many leaders engage with employees too infrequently and unconstructively. The millions of dollars companies spend annually on employee engagement will mean little if business leaders do not realize engagement starts with them.
Gallup finds that 70% of employee engagement comes down to management. Fortunately, the fix is not that difficult. Gallup concludes that what employees want most is reliable and meaningful communication. Based on my own coaching of executives who report directly to a CEO or other senior management, leaders could make significant strides in employee engagement if they regularly practiced the following four kinds of communication.
Share vision and goals
All employees—especially your top talent—want to understand how their job fits into the big picture. They want to know that their work matters and they want to know why. It is demoralizing to work without a sense of purpose. Conversely, when that purpose is clear and relatable, employees will be happy to weather tough times and meet difficult challenges.
Formulating a compelling vision for your company is no easy task. Once you have done so, that vision needs to be kept alive in your daily conversations about how to implement it. Strategy is lifeless without vision. As you and your employees discuss the challenges of executing strategy, remember to return to the story of why it matters, of how short-term goals translate into long-term vision.
Sharing vision should be a two-way conversation. Encourage your employees to reflect and share stories of how their work connects to your organization’s mission and purpose. Those who feel a personal connection with the vision and goals you have established will be your most engaged and committed employees.
Clarify expectations
A grand vision does not mean much if employees are not crystal clear about their role in executing it. Worldwide, only half of employees strongly agree they know what is expected of them at work.
Just as conversations about vision and purpose should be ongoing, your discussions about expectations cannot be one-off situations. It is not enough to communicate expectations and then walk away. Some people may need help setting priorities, and they respond with dramatically improved engagement when they receive such assistance. Make it clear you are available for additional support without micromanaging and dictating how they do their jobs.
Engage regularly with your employees about both the why and the how of your organization’s vision.
Be generous with praise
There is no quicker way to build employee engagement than by recognizing good work. Surprisingly, however, many business leaders neglect this simple approach. Fewer than a third of American workers report receiving praise from a supervisor in the past seven days.
Praise should be part of a larger strategy of cultivating potential amongst your employees. When you identify and acknowledge an employee’s strengths, you establish a foundation for building on that strength in the future. Existing strengths are a starting point for developing new strengths and new capabilities.
Employees do not mind critical feedback—they just generally prefer it be discreet. Praise publically, provide constructive feedback privately.
Ask for feedback
Feedback is a two-way street. Engagement is strongest in companies where employees feel they have an active voice in shaping strategy and execution. Actively soliciting opinions encourages employees to see you as a partner, not just a boss.
Feedback is especially crucial in navigating the art of change. Business leaders often have to make bold choices and decisive pivots in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Such change can be scary for employees. Asking for feedback when you are proposing a new course of action is a powerful way to build buy-in. If you sense resistance to change, simply ask, “What do you think?” When they disagree with your ideas, listen with a curious mind rather than a defensive one.
Engaging employees in these conversations is the surest way to keep your finger on the pulse of your company and its culture. It will help you stay on top of questions every business leader should be able to answer:
- What inspires my employees?
- What bores them?
- What makes them stressed?
- When do my employees need my support?
- When do I just need to get out of the way and let them run with it?
All too often, employee engagement is seen as HR’s responsibility when, in fact, it belongs to leadership. Engaged leadership means active and vital conversations with employees about the why and the how of a company’s goals and strategy—and telling them what they have done well, and how they can perform better.
Investing in these four types of conversations will result in a more committed and engaged workforce, as well as an energized company culture.
