The Top 4 Productivity Drivers

[Zane Safrit]

The title's misleading. It should be titled The Top 4 Engagement Drivers.

And those companies with the highest investment in these drivers, also reported...the greatest productivity.

What's interesting is that this remains news. There's overwhelming evidence that investing in creating engagement with employees through building a culture of respect, a company that encourages leadership growth and development, one that consciously seeks engagement with employees and....provides for their health care will result in a company with far greater rates of productivity, profits, cash-flows, growth...brand loyalty, on and on, than their competitors.

Yet, still, so few companies choose to make this investment.

Why is that? Why do such a high percentage of companies choose to ignore the obvious?

[Ian Buckingham]

Personally Zane, I believe there isn't a single reason but those I tend to bump into the most frequently include:

- the fact that there is a tug of war happening between HR and Corporate Comms primarily regarding responsibility for employee engagement when it should be a shared responsibility . HR, however, has a lingering credibility problem and Corporate Comms usually takes programmatic/push approaches to employee engagement based on inauthentic/inappropriate marketing techniques

- the fact that internal communication is not yet regarded as a professional discipline (and if the employment press is anything to judge by, it may even be declining in importance and influence)

- that funding for employee engagement-related activity usually falls into the discretionary spending pot and is therefore one of the first cuts made when tough times appear on the horizon

- few people who are passionate about the subject take the time to develop a business case for it and, as a consequence, aren't taken seriously (bleeding heart appeals aren't enough when there are only finite resources)

They are all issues that can be addressed but in my experience, it helps a great deal if you have an enlightened CEO at the helm with time to make a difference..............

[Zane Safrit]

Excellent list of points. Thanks.

I'm struck by what appears to be a common theme here: the lack of a pervasive culture that seems to stem from the lack of a strong, clarifying, unifying, mission.

Hr and Corp Comm have tough and challenging jobs. But when passion and engagement is left to them to impose, in a top down, teacher-in-front-of-the-class method...at best it serves as a distraction and at worst it breeds indifference, cynicism and more disconnection.

And that's further reflected in the passion-squelching culture where the appeals are heard as bleeding heart, touchy-feely, without the obvious insights that motivated and inspired folks give more to their day, to each other.

And somewhere in that path that CEO, who once led them, inspired them, found others to magnify/amplify the vision creating the culture... got sidetracked and distracted. And over time, it was lost in layers of management/admin.

[Terrence Seamon]

Zane,
You ask, "Yet, still, so few companies choose to make this investment. Why is that? Why do such a high percentage of companies choose to ignore the obvious? "

A couple thoughts...

- They don't know - Yes, some organizations may not know. They may be "under a rock" somewhere, cut off from the news about productivity and engagement.

- They don't buy it - Yes, they have heard about engagement and its connection to profitability, but they don't believe it. They may think it's more BS from consultants or HR.

- They don't know how to implement it - Yes, they have heard and they are persuaded, but they are stuck. They don't know what to do. Or where to start. And they may be afraid of asking for help.

Terry

[David Zinger]

Zane:

Thanks for stating this conversation.

You raise good points and a good question. I think Ian and Terrence have given excellent responses.

I would like to add lack of energy and overwhelmed with so many different mandates and management tasks.

Many leaders and managers see employee engagement as another burden on an already overflowing plate. They often feel taxed to the max with tasks and can often not bother to focus on employee engagement. There are still the faint and sometimes loud echoes of: WE PAY THEM DON'T WE!

David

[Zane Safrit]

All good points. All valid.

Ultimately, as David points out, too often people are overwhelmed to do the proverbial right thing. How many of us know x personal habits are good for us vs how many do them?

Employee Engagement is emotional. It requires an emotional connection. The phrase used in business most often seems to be 'personal', a 'personal connection'. It's safer? While logic is satisfied with simple observations and overwhelming data that shows the power of engagement, the emotions hold veto power on that decision.

LOL. It's those contradictions that make life so rich, inspire great art, create passionate brands and offer a chance for us all to meet.

[Ian Buckingham]

...."an emotional connection", absolutely Zane, absolutely. Shame we seem to be so scared of emotions at board level. Always reminds me of Ali's strategy against Foreman. He knew that the one thing Foreman feared was loss of control and if you watch the footage of the Rumble in the Jungle again, you can see how Alis deliberately plays the lunatic, the jester, the man beyond control! He unsettled and disturbed Foreman and we all know how that turned out in the end! There's a long tradition of the jester and the emotional fool being the wise sage, the iconoclastic maverick at court who tells things as they are. Might explain why the language of alignment, command and control is perpetuated at the expense of authenticity, liberated emotions and ultimately risk without which, frankly, genuine engagement is impossible!

[Jean Douglas, CMC]

I agree with all the points mentioned. I would like to add that I am noticing a general lack of good business planning (first of all) that fails to include any links to employee engagement (outside of conducting and communicating an engagement survey). Engagement is too often seen as an add-on, as has already been mentioned. Part of the problem, is that the people in the planning meetings, haven't really got a grip on how engagement activities integrate with the business. I have mentioned this in another post, so won't repeat the details here.

I am working harder at being involved at the strategic and business planning phase with my clients to help address this (mostly HR and Communication at this point in time as they are most open to it).

[Robert Morris]

Zane:

I am unable to explain why so few companies seem to make the connections to which you refer. It is no coincidence that many (most?) of the companies on Fortune magazine's annual list of those "Most Highly Admired" are also among those on its annual list of the most valuable, the most profitable, etc.

With regard to engagement "drivers," here is information about a Hewitt report well-worth checking out:

Driving Employee Engagement

While there are a variety of methods for creating a highly engaged workforce, Hewitt identified three important areas where the 50 Best Employers in Canada outshine other organizations, resulting in a significant positive impact on employee engagement:

Leadership Direction: leaders at the 50 Best Employers are more likely to:

• Be clear about where the organization is going and what it takes to get there.
• Display passion and enthusiasm for the future.
• Build trust with employees by making commitments and consistently delivering on them.
• Roll up their sleeves and work alongside employees to get the job done.
• Focus most of their time and energy on coaching employees to be successful.
• Listen to what the front line is saying and take corrective action quickly.
• Create personal connections with employees.

Career Development and Opportunities: leaders and managers at the 50 Best Employers are more likely to:

• Hire people based on their potential.
• Constantly talk about the importance of growth and development, and ensure that resources are available to support career development programs and practices.
• Be truly excited at the prospect of grooming their successors and helping employees reach their potential.
• Make sure that the most qualified people are promoted.
• Be properly equipped and trained to proactively coach employees through career development discussions on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure that the human resources function has the expertise and resources to support managers and employees as they pursue their development plans.
• Actively work to remove organizational barriers to career development and advancement.
• Adopt a bias towards internal promotion rather than external hiring.

Recognition: leaders and managers at the 50 Best Employers are more likely to:

• Act as consistent role models and demonstrate what recognition looks like, particularly towards new hires within the organization.
• Notice extra work.
• Deliver recognition sincerely and with an expression of true appreciation.
•Recognize employees´ family members when appropriate.
•Tailor recognition to the unique situation and the individual involved.

"The companies that made the Best Employers list are ones that have developed people strategies that are designed to facilitate, promote and achieve corporate success," said Neil Crawford, leader of Hewitt´s Best Employers in Canada study. "This is what Hewitt refers to as employee engagement, where employees both see and feel a connection between their daily contributions and the success of their organization. In our experience, this connection is extremely important. The stronger the connection, the greater the motivation and commitment on the part of workers to help their employer achieve its goals. Excelling in these three areas is not about having the best programs. It´s about building these practices into the culture so that they happen every day and become second nature," said Crawford. "The commitment, patience and single-mindedness required to initially build these practices are extraordinary, but once they are in place they become self-sustaining and the rewards stretch well beyond the bottom line."

For more information on Hewitt Associates´ Best Employers in Canada study, please visit the Best Employers in Canada Web site at www.hewitt.com/bestemployerscanada.

Best regards, Bob