Why the Engagement Agenda is Important to Business Success

All of us go in to work, but how many of us actually work throughout the day to the best of our abilities and capacity? The truth is, unless there is something at stake, we don’t feel the need to push through at work and give our best. So if you own a business or run your own operations, you’re bound to go all out because your bottom line depends on it. But your employees may not feel the same way; unless of course, their jobs or salary is on the line. This is where engagement agendas come into play – it is your responsibility to engage your employees in such a way that they are motivated to give their best at work.

It’s important to remember that you mustn’t confuse motivation with threats and coercion – while the latter two do tend to get the job done at times, they could easily backfire on you without a hint of a warning. Besides, employees who work only because they’re worried about recrimination and not because they enjoy their jobs tend to pretend to be productive when you’re peering over their shoulders or when they’re being supervised. If you want to motivate your employees, it’s necessary to:

Pay them well - No one wants to work for peanuts. So if you’re looking to boost the level of employee engagement, you must ensure that your people are paid according to industry standards and rewarded adequately for their work. When your employees know that their hard work is being noticed, acknowledged and rewarded through bonuses or other incentives, they are inclined to work harder and be more loyal to you.

Treat them well - No amount of money is greater than a person’s self respect. So no matter how highly paid your employees are, if you treat them like dirt, they’re not going to stick around; and even if they do, they’re likely to shirk responsibility and do less than a half-hearted job. So ensure that you treat your employees well without being patronizing.

Lead by example - And finally, the best way to get your employees to take their jobs seriously is to lead by example. When you prove to them that you’re not averse to doing anything to get the job done, if you roll up your sleeves and are prepared to fill in for an employee on a day that’s crucial, that’s when you make them look up to you and want to do more for the company. If you’re laidback and casual, then your employees are going to be paler versions of you, so it’s going to be a wonder if any work gets done around the office.

Engaged employees translate into better customer service and more satisfied customers. Your operations do well, and your profits soar. And when this happens, it’s easier to give out bonuses and pay hikes, which again boost employee morale and make them want to better themselves. Engagement agendas thus have a positive reinforcing effect on the state of affairs at your organization.

This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic at degrees online she also welcomes comments via anna.miller009@gmail.com