Ongoing Employee Engagement Works, Not an Event Mentality

Ongoing Employee Engagement is Different than One-time Events
The one-time annual effort to survey employees and then try to increase their engagement in the workplace does not last.  To improve discretionary effort and retention, focus on ongoing employee engagement woven into the cultural fabric of how things get done — not one-time employee events or perks.

The Typical Annual Engagement Survey
The typical annual employee engagement survey is still alive and well, but there are more and more leaders who believe that it doesn’t tell the whole story or provide a timely enough of a picture. They want employees who are more than simply engaged.

Leaders Want Highly Engaged Employees
Today’s leaders want employees who are inspired and support the organization not because they have to but because they are strongly committed to the organization’s purpose. To succeed at creating a purpose-driven environment takes more than a survey; it takes an ongoing commitment and an appreciation for the complexity of the issue.

Employee Engagement Matters
Engaging employees well is increasingly important as a business differentiator. The more people love their work and their organizational culture, the better they will promote your company, give it their all, and stay for the long term.  All this contributes to a business that continuously improves — a desirable but not simple goal.

True Engagement Takes a Combination of Approaches
Engaging employees these days takes a combination of approaches to reach a workforce that is geographically, generationally, culturally, and functionally diverse. It is not enough to simply try to engage employees. Rather, leaders need to figure out how to build an organization that provides meaning, excitement, satisfaction and even some fun.

This could involve changing performance management practices, the employee selection process, and even the work environment. You need the right talent and the right culture to support your business strategy. aligning your strategy, culture, and talent goes way beyond traditional engagement.

Companies that understand how critical positive employee engagement is also understand that they must constantly evolve. They need to be flexible enough to re-design jobs to fit current needs, alter the work environment to encourage open communication, change benefits to suit workers’ life styles, and provide relevant and targeted development opportunities.

In short, companies need to continue to invest in their people in ways that adjust to what people care most about in a way that aligns with the company’s strategic business AND people priorities.

The Bottom Line
Some companies go so far as to measure employee satisfaction on a weekly or even a daily basis at kiosks. While this survey frequency may seem excessive to some, the point is that smart leaders keep in touch with their employees so that they are in tune with what their employees value, what they want to learn, and what inspires them. Smart leaders act upon employee engagement data and look at engagement as a long-term and continuous investment in their business success.

If you believe employee engagement should be ongoing, you will like reading 6 Research-backed Strategies to Move the Engagement Needle