Why do people become engaged at work?

[Robert Morris]

I just read a book, The Talent Powered Organization, in which the authors (Peter Cheese, Robert Thomas, and Elizabeth Craig) identify drivers of engagement that (for “catchiness”) they refer to as the “Six Cs”: content, coping, compensation, community, congruence, and career. I think so highly of their insights on this critically important subject that I now provide a composite, extended excerpt:

“At the basic level, the first C that drives engagement is the actual content of a worker’s job [i.e. what she or he is asked to do]… This leads logically to the second C which is coping [with what is required within the given workplace under the given supervision]…The third C is compensation…whether the worker feels fairly rewarded for his or her contribution [and] whether the individual understands how he or she should be compensated through clear objectives and goals, understands how he or she was actually evaluated, and feels that the process is fair. The fourth C is community – what degree of positive social interaction and connect does the individual feel?…The fifth C is congruence – alignment of core values and culture, and meeting the expectations of the individual, as well as alignment of objectives…The last C is career – alignment between the career and life expectations of an individual in the short term as well as the longer term, and the opportunity he or she can see in the organization…There we have it. If we get all these right then we should have an engaged workforce.”

What do you think?

[Robert Morris]

Got it.

I agree.

Thank you for the clarification.

How wonderful to have these opportunities to share our thoughts.

Thank you, David.

[Rob Fox]

Hi,

The notion of management and the notion of manipulation are often confused.

Best,

R.

[Robert Morris]

Quite right.

Based on what I have observed, the most effective managers really do consider it a privilege to supervise (not manipulate) those entrusted to their care. Many organizations apparently do not realize that measurement of the performance of their managers should include as one very important criterion how well their report-to's perform.

Here's an exercise I suggest to CEOs of my client companies. Ask this question of all non-managers in your organization, with the reassurance that all responses are anonymous and will be treated in strictest confidence: "If you could select anyone in our company to whom you report, who would that be?" Invariably, those managers mentioned most frequently "consider it a privilege to supervise (not manipulate) those entrusted to their care."

Best regards, Bob

[Khalid Ibrahim]

Despite of my long experience with an oil producing company and my great apetite to read a lot, I have not seen an article about engagement drivers as your summary of the book you have read. I can say that such drivers are applicable every where and good for different work cultures and environments. Thanks greatly with my best wishes

[Robert Morris]

Hello Khalid:

I have just read and will soon review David Croston's Employee Engagement: The "People First" Approach to Building a Business. It is well-worth checking out.

Also, re drivers of employee engagement, here are links to some excellent material:

http://www.govleaders.org/gallup_article.htm

http://www.isrinsight.com/Solutions/engagement.aspx

http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?&kw=employee+engagem...

http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?&kw=employee+engagem...

http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?&kw=employee+engagem...

I hope the information now provided is of some assistance.

Best regards, Bob

[Jesse Domingo]

I have not read the book, Robert.
However, I see the reason to the title question would be...
"work defines a person", otherwise, his/her existence would be unfulfilled.

Nevertheless, to have an engaged workforce is more than just having that work...
it should, firstly, include a "content" personal life...
this would drive him/her to continue and aspire.

[Paul Massie]

Interesting that compensation appears third in the list. Are these C's ranked by order of preference? If so from my experience, as important as compensation is, for most people it is probable the 6th C.