Creating a Culture of Engagement

Do you have a culture of engagement in your organization?

Adopting a philosophy that puts people first, strengthens engagement, provided it’s backed by actions. In my work as a coach, I’ve seen enthusiasm skyrocket when leaders create a positive environment, promote helpfulness, value their staff, and provide the resources necessary for success.

If you need to strengthen engagement, send a clear and consistent message that you value your employees. One way to convey this is to provide the tools they need to do their best work. Are you aware of any gaps? For example:

  • Do they need additional manpower or funding?
  • Are better supplies or equipment required?
  • Do your people have the direction and plans they need to ensure projects are completed successfully?
  • Are procedures and policies thoroughly communicated, and is training adequate?
  • Do people know exactly what to do—and why they’re doing it?

It may seem obvious, but without these baseline provisions, people feel lost, frustration builds and disengagement flourishes. Frustration leads to resentment and low morale when leaders fail to implement solutions.

Never forget that people need adequate skills to accomplish the tasks you’ve assigned. Only then can they be confident in their abilities and enjoy success. Doing good work compels people to continue on the right path. As they reap the rewards of a job well done, they continue to grow and can make greater contributions to the organization. They’ll look forward to new challenges and opportunities. It’s your job to provide them with the tools they need to advance.

A culture that fosters empowerment and accountability motivates people to find their own solutions and make a difference. Enhance this by giving people as much authority as their abilities allow. Let them suggest improvements to their processes, and authorize them to implement as many as feasible. This gives your people a greater sense of ownership—one of the greatest professional motivators.

Leaders who establish an excellence-oriented mindset provide these basic organizational benefits so their people feel valued and achieve short- and long-term success. Caring for your people raises their level of engagement by building strong bonds of trust, thankfulness and respect.

What do you think? Are you creating a culture of engagement? How have you made your employees genuinely feel valued?