Engagement Magic
Research leaders understand that employee engagement is a key factor in an individual’s performance and in the creation of top-performing teams, but it is not always evident how to foster the type of environment where employees feel comfortable and can make meaningful contributions. How does a leader achieve this “engagement magic,” where the stars of personal fulfillment and team performance align? Employee engagement impacts on strengthened team performance. There are a host of engagement practices and tools that can be used to improve engagement and promote inclusive work environments.
According to Gallup, in 2022, only 21% of employees are engaged at work and 33% of employees are thriving in their overall well-being. North Americans have the highest percentage of engaged employees (33%) yet conversely the highest percentage who say now is a good time to leave their job (71%). One of Gallup’s biggest surprises was that the manager or team leader alone accounted for 70% of the variance in team engagement. When Gallup analyzed the differences in performance among business/work units, the benefits of employee engagement were clear. When comparing employee engagement levels, Gallup found that top- and bottom-quartile business units and teams had the above differences in business outcomes.
Ultimately, people want a purpose and meaning from their work; they want to find meaning, impact, and connection with others. Some strategies to improve office engagement include:
- Try adding “five minutes of play” to the start of in-person or virtual team meetings, in the form of a connection exercise, interactive icebreaker, or game
- Adding more “thank yous” to your day
- Celebrating little successes
- Bringing food to the office to share
- Friendly competition
- People Power! Doing what your people say they want
- Making sure there is regular time for teaching, sharing information, training, and learning is key to remaining engaged.
In the end, you create your own magic. Remember that engagement is meaning in your job, impact of the work, and connection with others (community). Find ways to have fun at work. And, find ways to continue to learn.
Terry Campbell, Assistant Vice-President, Research Services
University of Ottawa
Mark Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer
University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Neurobiology
#December2022#Education#2022AM#Catalyst