Employee engagement. It’s a term you’ve probably heard, but what exactly is it, and why should it matter to your company?
First, employee engagement has nothing to do with diamond rings. Your employees’ marital status aside, disengaged employees can become the Achilles’ heel for your organization.
The Benefits of Engaged Employees
This is because employee engagement directly correlates to the success of your company. When your employees are highly engaged, they do their best work, which translates to higher profits and more success for your organization! Some of the benefits of a highly engaged employee include:
- Positively influencing other employees
- Higher customer satisfaction
- Reduced turnover
- Increased productivity and morale
- A positive workplace culture
- Increased profits and organizational success
What is an Engaged Employee?
An engaged employee is passionate, motivated, and enthusiastic about their work. They are driven to achieve long-term goals, and without their presence, it would be impossible to run a successful business because they help form the backbone of your organization. An engaged employee is also proficient at their job and understands the importance of customer satisfaction, which results in higher profits.
Now let’s take a look at some of the signs of a highly engaged employee.
Leader of the Pack
They don’t need to be in a leadership position in the organization. Still, an engaged employee will have excellent leadership skills that allow them to lead themselves and others to success. Engaged employees push themselves toward achievement and make things work for the organization. Good leadership skills also mean they have a positive attitude, help guide others, take their responsibilities seriously, and are proficient at what they do.
A or B?
Good decision-making skills are a hallmark of an engaged employee. They are decisive and visionary, seeing the bigger picture of how things should work to help the organization best. Engaged employees are also aware that their decisions can make or break the business, so they don’t take decision-making lightly either, meaning your organization has the best chances of a good outcome.
Laser-Focused + Disciplined
Possibly one of the most critical signs of an engaged employee is that they are focused on what they do and are also disciplined. These employees are attentive and willing to take on challenges but also have good time management and delegation skills that keep them and others on track. They tend to be more eager and enthusiastic to learn new things that will help keep them on top of their game.
High Performer
This laser focus and good discipline help them have enhanced performance on the job because they enjoy the day-to-day work and are satisfied with their job. These employees are willing to go the extra mile to get results!
Adaptive Evolution
The business world constantly evolves, but highly engaged employees can be adaptive. Their focus and dedication help them to see changes further down the pipeline, allowing them to approach things with more innovative thinking and help the organization adapt to coming challenges before they become a problem.
The 3 C’s: Communicate, Collaborate, and Confidence
Effective communication is another hallmark of a highly engaged employee. When they speak with others, there’s no confusion because they provide clear-cut information for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a good communicator also means they are good at listening to others.
Great communication skills also mean they are effective collaborators and are open to teamwork. And because they are great at encouraging others, you’ll get more innovative ideas from their collaborative work sessions, helping increase productivity and performance for the organization as a whole.
The final C is confidence. Engaged employees clearly understand what their job requires of them, and they can acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses, which is the basis of self-confidence. And because they know who they are and are passionate about what they do, they are always open to learning new skills to help improve themselves professionally.
The Perfect Fit: Workplace Culture
Finally, a highly engaged employee believes that your organization is the perfect work environment, or workplace culture, for them. They genuinely enjoy what they are doing and feel they are contributing to something larger than themselves.
Hiring for culture fit from the start can help your organization immensely! If your employees are already aligned with you at the point they are hired, it will only get better over time, and you’ll see even more benefits for even more highly engaged employees. How can you hire for culture fit? Check out the Discover Platform from Workzinga! Our Culture Fit Assessment, allows you to hire employees with the skills you need and who are more aligned with your company culture. With Discover, you’ll have the highly engaged workforce your organization needs to succeed in this fast-paced, challenging business world!
