Engagement as a Retention Tool In Your Role as Manager and Employee

Mimi Darmstadter My Life’s Work Coaching and Consulting LLC.

www.mylifesworkcoaching.commimi@mylifesworkcoaching.com

Every truth has four corners: as a “teacher” I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other

three. —

Confucius

Today’s Objectives-• Develop stronger appreciation and understanding

for the important relationship between workforce engagement and individual/organizational success

• Critically assess your organization’s engagement effectiveness and identify “taking action” opportunities

• Identify your own criteria for professional engagement and prioritize “taking action” opportunities

About Mimi Darmstadter• Owner - My Life's Work - Coaching &

Consulting• Executive and career transition coaching• Human Resources consulting

• 20+ years in Human Resources• Education

• BA University of Michigan• MA University of Chicago • PCC Coaching Certification - Georgetown

University• Fitness instructor (fun fact!)

SETTING CONTEXT

• Engagement = extent to which an employee expends discretionary effort in alignment with company goals, willingness to go the “extra mile”

• Engaged employees = passion for/personal meaning in work, profound connection to their company, drive “forward” (energy, innovation)

• Not engaged employees = checked out, sleep walking through days, limited energy and passion

• Activity disengaged employees = unhappy AND acting out, undermining other’s efforts

Helpful Terminology

Did You Know?The Research In 5+ Minutes

• Engagement among US workers holding steady at 30%• 2/3rds of working Americans have been disengaged for

past 12 years• Significant negative impact on key performance measures

across different organization types (e.g. customer loyalty, profitability, productivity, turnover, safety incidents, shrinkage, absenteeism, patience, quality)

• Actively disengaged more likely to jump shipSources:

Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace Gallup 2012 Q12®Meta-Analysis: Relationship Between

Engagement At Work and Organizational Outcomes

Did You Know?The Research – In 5+ Minutes

• Organizational trends• Executives/managers more engaged• Only 41% of employees know their company’s mission• Disengagement highest among service (lowest/declining),

transportation, and manufacturing industries• Marginal differences among generations though

engagement at career beginning/end trumps middle • Employees of supervisors who focus on employee

strengths more engaged (61% vs. 2%)Source:

Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace

Happy Employees versus Engaged Ones

• Indulging employees is not substitute for engaging them

• Workplace engagement levels eclipse the effect of policies (e.g. hours, flextime, vacation)

• Working remotely has some advantage when it comes to employee engagement (< 20%)

Important Facts…Because-

• Employee engagement is a business imperative• Organizations with high employee motivation scores are about

60% more likely to be in top quartile for business health• De-motivated, actively disengaged employees cost the

economy up to $355 billion annually in lost productivity • Managers from purgatory (e.g. those who inspire active

disengagement) cost companies $450 and $500 billion annually

Sources:Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace

McKinsey & Company 2012 Report: State of Human Capital

An exercise in role swapping- organization &/or employee

First, your organizational hat…

Employee Engagement: The Organizational LensDo your employees:

1. Know what is expected of them?2. Have the materials and equipment to do their work right?3. Have opportunities to do what they do best everyday?4. Receive recognition and praise (in last 7 days)?5. Experience “care” as a person from supervisor or

someone else?6. Experience encouragement to grow and develop?

Employee Engagement: The Organizational LensDo your employees:

7. Experience that opinions matter/count?8. Understand the connection between the company’s

mission their jobs?9. Work with people who are committed to quality?10. Have a “best” friend at work?11. Have “progress” conversations at least every six months?12. Have opportunities to learn and grow?

Source:Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace

Organizational Retention Assessment

• How are job expectations and performance objectives clarified and conveyed to employees?

• What is the “resource” health of your organization? • How are employee strengths known and leveraged? • What selection criteria support managerial hires who

reward/recognize, support employee growth and development, provide regular feedback, convey caring?

• What signals a developmental and participatory culture within your organization?

• How is quality embedded within your organization’s culture and instilled in employees?

• How do team and social events contribute to employee “connection” and “friendship?”

“Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day” Questions

• Organizational priorities/your priorities? • Organizational gaps/your gaps? • Organizational opportunities/your opportunities?–

consider competency, community, contribution.

Now your employee/recruit hat

Employee Engagement: My Lens (as an employee)

My [present and future] relationship to:

1. Knowing what is expected of me2. Having the materials and equipment to do my work right3. Having opportunities to do what I do best everyday4. Receiving recognition and praise regularly5. Experiencing “care” as a person from supervisor or

someone else6. Experiencing encouragement to grow and develop

Employee Engagement: My Lens (as an employee)

My [present and future] relationship to:

7. Experiencing that my opinions matter/count8. Understanding the connection between the company’s

mission and my job9. Working with people who are committed to quality10. Having a “best” friend at work11. Having “progress” conversations at least every six months12. Having opportunities to learn and grow

Source:

Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace

My “Rome” Questions

• My distinctions between “attraction/seduction” and engagement (e.g. happy versus connected)

• My unique “engagement” values, priorities, needs • My opportunities?– consider competency,

community, contribution – today and tomorrow

To Learn More…

• Gallup 2012 Report: State of the American Workplace• McKinsey & Company 2012 Report: State of Human Capital• 2012 Towers-Watson Global Workforce Study• 12: The Elements of Great Managing by Rodd Wagner

Ph.D. and James K. Harter• Love ‘em or Lose ‘em: Getting Good People to Stay by

Beverly Kaye

THANK YOU!

For additional questions & consulting-coaching inquiries:

Mimi Darmstadtermimi@mylifesworkcoaching.com

301-728-6487