What EXACTLY is an engaged employee?

[Ian Buckingham]

Some time ago I was interviewed on the world famous Cranky Middle Manager Show. As the axe-wielding paladin for the downtrodden middle management Wayne pointed out that a deal of cynicism abounds about the term "employee engagement". Wayne's provocative proposition was that it smacked of marketing speak and was potentially another clever invention by "weasels" cloaked as gurus reinventing the proverbial leadership wheel.

There's certainly an awful lot being written and spoken about what is essentially a familiar theme, namely that if marketers are promise makers, employees are promise keepers and engaged employees are most likely to deliver the best outcomes over the longest period of time. But is much changing as a result or is employee engagement simply another act of HR empire building or PR or Marketing turned inward upon itself?

I have my own convictions. But what do you think? What EXACTLY does an engaged employee look, sound and even feel like?

[Ian Buckingham]

It's a while since we've had a posting on this discussion so, by way of summary I offer the following:

An engaged employee is:

- Receptive (they are open to opportunities to be involved)

- Involved (they are part of the programme not recipients of it)

- Proactive (they innovate without being asked)

- Energised (they do things)

- Achievers (the things they do tend to be fruitful)

- Advocates (they are proud and happy to recommend the brand)

I'm sure it doesn't do justice to the richness of the discussion but it seems to cover many of the main points.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. I'lll be summarising these thoughts and reflections in the Top Ten Ways to Spot an Engaged Employee section of the upcoming EE book.

[Judy McLeish]

In order not to repeat anyone else - an engaged employee is a positive force in any organization. They build bridges both internally through a focus on getting things done, and externally through creating positive word of mouth about the company's products and services.