An engaged organization is like a college sports team. A theory propounded by some Harvard research scholars establishes a link between profitability + customer delight and employee engagement, says Rekha Shetty, President – HRD and OD, House of Hiranandani

Employee Engagement is the extent to which people are personally involved in the success of an organization. It captures both the performance aspect as well as the emotional component. Engaged employees will go the extra mile because they feel a strong emotional connect with the company. They identify with its mission and values at a personal level.

An engaged organization is like a college sports team. A theory propounded by some Harvard research scholars establishes a link between profitability + customer delight and employee engagement.

Few important aspects of employee engagement can be enlisted as follows:

1. The company’s vision 

Needs to be clearly communicated to its employees to boost the bond between employees and the organization.

2.Organizational culture:

Culture is less tangible, it is a vibe and the energy that people bring each day. The language that is used in an office, the mindset adopted while solving problems all form part of a culture. Culture develops organically over time as a company evolves. Hence, an inconsistent culture can create a disconnect and thereby impact customer satisfaction.

For culture vanguards, culture is built into the hiring process. They prioritize a culture fit of candidates into the organization. They believe that customer delight coexists with employee happiness and hence the emphasis on work-life balance.

3. Role Clarity:

Every employee needs to be provided with clear role descriptions and KRAs. He/she should know where he/she fits into the company’s mission. Department goals and KPI’s need to be clearly drafted. This will drill down to individual contribution. Nothing can be more demotivating for an employee than not knowing what is expected of him.

A well-defined job description contributes to an employee’s journey through hiring/onboarding/induction / KRA’s / Training and Compensation.

At HOH, we strive to disseminate well defined KRAs / department goals/role descriptions as also essential performing skills.

4. Personal Growth + Learning and Development:

Employees and teams need to feel that they are continuously growing and developing. Learning organizations adopt the Human Capital model. HR departments don’t merely acquire talent but also grow talent. Training is the best way an individual can enhance his skills and knowledge. At HOH, we endeavor to drive continuous learning throughout the year. Some IT companies use the Hackathorn, where they set aside a day per week for ideation and brainstorming.

5. Fun at the workplace:

At HOH, we have a number of initiatives in terms of Fun activities. Annual picnics / the HOH cricket trophy / other Sports / and the Diwali week are highly successful events. The concept of Super Saturdays includes a spectrum of activities like indoor games/ yoga/ meditation/cycling / outdoor activities at the popular Hakone Park in the Hiranandani Gardens/theme parties and so on. We also sustain an active Suggestion scheme.

6. Workspace and environment:

Great offices reflect a company’s brand and cultural values. They are both functional and inspirational and create a sense of pride for employees. Our architects at HOH, have designed grand office spaces for collaboration/innovation and communication. Also, at our various constructions sites, our engineering department lays tremendous emphasis on safety/training / and engineering SOPs. Overall, workspaces should be conducive to the types of behavior that a company needs to be successful and a place where employees enjoy their work.

7. Great Managers:

Mid-level managers are a direct link between the C–suite and the rest of the organization. They execute company vision in the trenches and hence, their leadership qualities need to be optimally harnessed. HR departments need to motivate and develop mid-level managers in terms of vision/empathy / EQ/domain expertise/decision making/relationship management/ self-awareness and motivational skills.

William Kahn formally defined employee engagement as the harnessing of organizational members to their work roles to express themselves physically / cognitively and emotionally during role performances. In conclusion, employee engagement is not a program or initiative. It is part of company culture and a journey that crafts the legacy of institutions.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house