1. Text
Engaging for
Success
Nita Clarke
NHS Scotland Conference
21 June 2012
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2. Our report
 A report to Government,
published July 2009
 About engagement
across the UK economy
 About engagement for
performance
 What is it, does it matter,
what enables it, what
gets in the way?
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3. Keep it simple….
‘A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees
are committed to their organisation’s goals and values,
motivated to contribute to organisational success and able
at the same time to enhance their own sense of wellbeing.’
Professor David Guest
‘It’s the people, stupid!’
James Carville
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4. It’s not…..
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5. Does it matter?
For the organisation
– better outcomes in the public sector
– better productivity and financial performance
– higher levels of innovation and advocacy
For the individual
– higher levels of wellbeing
– empowerment
– a more satisfying work experience
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7. Key enabler 1: strategic narrative
Strong, visible, empowering leadership provides a strong
strategic narrative about the organisation, where it’s come from
and where it’s going.
The past You are here The future
This gives a line of sight between the job and the organisation’s vision.
The story is communicated clearly, consistently and constantly.
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8. Key enabler 2: engaging managers
They:
focus their treat their people coach and stretch
people, offer as individuals their people
scope and enable
the job to get
done
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9. Key enabler 3: employee voice
There is employee voice throughout the organisation, for
reinforcing and challenging views; between functions & externally;
employees are really seen as your key asset – not the problem.
This voice is an informed one. Views are sought early and followed up; explanations are given if
ideas/views not adopted.
Trade unions/staff representatives are part of the engagement architecture – collective voice matters9

10. Key enabler 4: integrity
There is organisational integrity – the values on the wall
are reflected in day to day behaviours.
These expected behaviours are
explicit and bought into by staff.
Keep it real – staff see through
corporate spin quicker than
customers or the public.
Integrity enables trust: no
engagement without trust
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11. Public services - mind the gap
Surveys show public sector lags private on:
 awareness of strategic direction and clear vision
 quality of management
 trust and confidence in leadership
 belief in organisational messages; change for change sake and initiative
fatigue
 public sector workers have a more negative experience of work and are
less satisfied with opportunities to use their abilities
 engagement approaches often piecemeal and usually transactional

12. NHS staff survey 2010 results *
Staff feel
 undervalued – 33 per cent satisfied with extent
trust valued their work; 45 per cent satisfied with
the recognition they got
 uninvolved - 27 per cent agreed senior
managers involved staff in important decisions;
38 per cent thought staff were encouraged to
suggest new ideas; 30 per cent said managers
acted on feedback
Only 53 per cent would recommend their trust
as a place to work
*England

13. Disengagement is not inevitable
 Research last year shows that how an organisation
deals with redundancy has greater effect on
employee engagement than job losses themselves
(Roffey Park 2011)
 Engagement has stayed high in high performing
companies through the recession. Among results of
engagement:
– improved product quality
– more technical innovation
– Better internal co-operation
– managers encourage people to learn from their
mistakes
– goals clearly defined
– career opportunities and performance management
strengthened
(Towers Watson July 2010)

14. Staff: agents or victims?
 staff need to be fully engaged in understanding,
designing and implementing change
 principles of how change is going to happen need to be explicit and
developed with staff
 vital that changes are put in context of improving services; staff more likely to
buy in if it is seen to have positive purpose and outcomes
 those authorities doing engagement need to redouble and extend their
efforts – don’t give up
 need for a survivors’ strategy
 trade unions need to be part of the architecture

15. Engaging for Success - the next stage
A government sponsored, employer led Task Force, to spearhead a movement to
enhance levels of employee engagement across the U.K. workforce.
Launched at No 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister and Ed Davey, Minister at
BIS in March 2011.
Supported by a high level
sponsor group and by Guru and
practitioner groups.
TF already looking in more depth
at barriers and practical
challenges to engagement.
Practitioners’ national network
and major website
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16. SPONSORS
Adam Balon, Co-Founder, Innocent
Adam Crozier, CEO, ITV Paul Drechsler, CEO, Wates Group
Amyas Morse, Auditor General, NAO Paul Noon, General Secretary, Prospect
Anthony Jenkins, CEO, Barclays Sir Peter Housden, PS for Scotland
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC Peter Rogers, CEO, Babcock
Charlie Mayfield, Chairman, JLP Peter Sands, CEO, Standard Chartered
Chris Browne, MD, Thomson Airways Peter Searle, CEO, Adecco Group UK & Ireland
Chris Hyman, CEO, Serco Philip Green, CEO, United Utilities
David Frost, Director General, British Chamber of Commerce Ronan Dunne, CEO , O2
David Nicholson, CE, NHS Rona Fairhead, Group CE, Financial Times Group
Ed Sweeney, Chairman, ACAS Bob Kerslake, Head of Home Civil Service People
Gill Morgan, PS Wales Sir Kevin Smith, CEO, GKN
Ian King, CEO, BAE Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP
Ian Livingston, CEO, BT Sir Stephen Bubb, CE, Acevo
Ian Powell, Chairman & Senior Partner, PwC Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary, MoJ
Ian Sarson, CEO, Compass Group Sir Win Bischoff, Chairman, Lloyds
CEO, CIPD Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the
Jane Wilson, CE, CIPR Community
John Cridland, Director General, CBI Steve Elliott, Director General, CIA
John Neill, Group CE, Unipart Tim Jones, Lead Partner, Freshfields
John Walker, Chairman, FSB Tim Melville-Ross, Chairman HEFCE
Marc Bolland, CEO, M&S James Smith, CEO, Thomson Reuters
Martin Temple, Chairman, EEF Will Hutton, Executive Vice Chair, Work Foundation
Director General, IoD
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17. Nita Clarke
Nita.Clarke@ipa-involve.com
Employee Engagement report & recommendations:
Employee.engagement@bis.gsi.gov.uk
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