1. How secure is the
future of your
organization in
these rapidly
changing times?
The Importance of
Employee Engagement

2. Today’s Landscape
The world is changing at an exponential rate
As a result, business is also changing & facing serious threats
One of the biggest changes for business is the new workforce –
people do not want the same things from their jobs & careers as
they once did
Employee engagement is seen as one of the most important
concepts for business today – how committed are employees to
their jobs and the companies they work for?
Keeping people happy will bring about more organizational
productivity and profit than nearly any other business issue
Business managers and HR departments must act proactively to
come up with programs and strategies to engage employees and
customers
The old management methods are no longer effective. Business
needs to leverage “leadership” to drive employee engagement
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3. What is Employee Engagement?
Satisfied and motivated employees
Employees who are well aligned with achieving
the organization’s objectives, goals, and success
Management understanding what motivates
their people and how performance can be
impacted by values and beliefs
Drives company success: Customer Satisfaction,
Culture, Operations, Financial Performance
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4. Why Do You Want Engaged
Employees?
Enhanced inter-personal communication /
relationships (trust)
More involvement and accountability
Higher performing teams / departments
Retain and attract the best talent
Greater customer satisfaction
Improved business performance
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5. Business Challenges
Obtaining new customers & retaining the old ones
Working too many hours
80% of time spent re-actively
Hiring, retention, turnover
Finding great salespeople
BTB: how to get to top decision makers
BTC: how to get to the best buyers
Finding competitive advantage
Working on the business instead of in the business
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6. Professional Challenges
Workload, deadlines – inability to reach goals
Insufficient time and resources
Financial survival
Low trust
Disempowerment
Change and uncertainty
Staying current with technology
Confusion – lack of shared vision and values
Job satisfaction – don’t enjoy work
Lack of integrity in boss/top management
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7. The War for Talent
Key employees are a major cost and
value building factor in most
companies in the 21st century
In both service & product companies,
key employees are an increasingly
immediate source of sales, revenues
& earnings
A company’s ability to attract, keep
and develop good employees is a
distinct success factor
Key employees add to productivity
and innovation like no other segment
within the organization Source: Michaels, Ed. The War for Talent,
McKinsey & Company, 2001
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8. Key to Productivity & Innovation
The competence and professional skills of
employees, their enthusiasm, motivation &
loyalty, the spirit with which they interact
between themselves, and with clients &
customers, their willingness to endorse and work
by corporate mission and standards, the
empowerment they get from management, the
corporate culture – are all crucial to productivity,
innovation and other company growth and
earning factors.
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9. The New Workforce
Employees want more time to spend with their
families and for hobbies, sports & cultural events
Employees want to commute less, although they
will relocate almost anywhere in the world for the
right job
Employees want more respect and recognition.
They are often as educated as their supervisors,
and they want the respect and challenges that go
with it and recognition for their suggestions &
ideas
Employees want more than a great salary. They
are interested in having a more fulfilled life, less
stress, and more decision-making authority within
their jobs
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10. Gallup Study
29%
56%
15%
Source: Gallup Management Journal, 10/12/06
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11. Impact on Financial Performance
Source: Gallup Management Journal, 10/12/06
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12. Employee vs. Customer Retention
A 2000 study in 6 different industries
found a “significant” link between
employee retention and the retention
of customers
60% of the 3,000 customers
interviewed were dissatisfied with the
service they received
Twice as many blamed personnel over product or price
Many felt turnover was a “crucial” factor and said that lack of
employee continuity and training are impeding their ability to
get high quality service
Only 20% thought that their service-provider would be a good
company to work for
Source: Roper Starch Worldwide & Unifi Network, a division of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, 2000
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13. Summing it up
One of the biggest challenges is the
changing workforce
Active disengagement is costly to the
organization
The “engagement” of the employee
influences the “engagement” of the
customer
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14. What Should Management do?
1. To achieve real productivity and profit, management needs to
adopt methods of connecting the personal development of its
employees with the organizational growth of the company
2. This “connection” is possible when employees are truly
engaged
3. This level of engagement comes about when:
• employees have a strong emotional connection with their
colleagues, their company & their clients
• employees are allowed to self manage
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15. Gallup Research
Gallup research has shown that
engaged employees:
Are more productive & profitable
Are safer
Create stronger customer
relationships
Stay longer with their company
than less engaged employees.
Source: Gallup Management Journal
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16. Elements of Employee Engagement
The employees know what is
1.
expected of them and know what
resources are being provided
The employees feel they are
2.
contributing to the organization
The employees must feel that
3.
their opinions are important and
are being heard
The employees have the
4.
opportunity to discuss their
progress
Source: Gallup Management Journal, 3/12/05
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17. “How to” for Managers
Chart the Course for Employees
Increase the ability to articulate the (strategic) big picture to provide
increased meaning and value to the work done.
Establish a set of mutually defined objectives and goals to focus activities
and measure success
Establish a Working Environment that Drives Engagement
Understand the core elements of trust and how it promotes engagement
Understand communication styles, individual motivating factors, and how to
drive engagement through interpersonal dialogue.
Ensure Employee Development and Growth
Align employee roles and responsibilities for maximum effectiveness
Establish performance expectations, and delegating responsibility to
encourage employees’ professional development
Coach Employees for High Performance
Develop coaching skills for increased engagement and optimized
performance
Manage employee performance and establish a climate of accountability
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18. Chart the Course for Employees
Set Direction
Establish factors critical to your success.
Connect products/services to core competencies
and the value you provide to your customers.
Define specific measures to support success
factors.
Identify and implement initiatives/actions to
reach goals objectives.
Involve your employees in the dialog to shape
your future success.
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19. Establishing a Working Environment
that Drives Engagement
Establish the level of trust in your organization.
Lead by example – increase trust through
trustworthy actions.
Establish a framework for effective
communication (common language).
Establish an environment that promotes active
listening and understanding.
Increase collaboration and productivity through
dialogue.
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20. What Motivates your Employees?
A recent survey asked employees what factors
influenced their commitment and
motivation - The results are:
1. Being treated with respect …………………..85%
2. Work/life balance ……………………………….79%
3. Providing good service to others ………….74%
4. Quality of work colleagues …………………74%
5. Type of work …………………………………….73%
6. Flexible working arrangements …………….70%
7. Base pay ……………………………………………65%
8. Variable pay ……………………………………….34%
Source: Mercer Human Resource Consulting High
Impact People Strategies; What’s Working Survey, 2004
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21. Ensure Employee Development
and Growth
Evaluate how you spend your time relative to the
five leadership roles. (Manager, Technician, Coach,
Architect, Trailblazer)
Identify and provide opportunity for employee
growth.
Delegate responsibility effectively
Evaluate individual capability
Assign responsibility in alignment with capability
and growth potential
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22. Coaching Employees for
High Performance
Evaluate your ability as a coach.
Coach with purpose and avoid weakening
tendencies.
Leverage every interaction to coach.
Establish clear non-negotiables.
Confront poor performance and elevate
accountability.
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23. Out with Old Management Styles
The traditional management role –
command & control – is obsolete
Today, employees have systems
(communications, IT) at their disposal
and they can manage these systems
themselves
Management needs to be available as a
“helper,” to provide guidance, not to
control employees by barking out
commands that must be followed
Coaching should be the new
management trend
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24. What is Coaching?
Executive and business coaching
is a process that allows the coach
and client to directly focus on
effectiveness, performance and
satisfaction all at the same time
Coaching helps individuals gain
clarity, remove self-imposed
restrictions, and develop a plan
for action
Coaching is a formal system that
quickly and effectively brings
about positive change – and
sustains it!
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25. Act Now!
Improve employee morale by improving
your working environment
Train managers to think and act more like
leaders to inspire employees to perform
at their best
Develop strategic plans to help your
company overcome the threats and
changes affecting business & individuals
in the 21st century
Help your executives set meaningful
priorities that connect the people to the
business
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26. Thank You
for Your
Time!
David Liddell
603-424-9999
dliddell@skye-solutions.com
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