Taking Responsibility for Employee Engagement

Within the Economist Intelligence Unit report sponsored by the Hay Group, it was found that 87% of business leaders identify that employee engagement is one of the top 3 most significant threats facing their business but, even though most think it is their responsibility to improve levels, currently very few actually discuss it in their boardrooms and only 12% tackle the issues.

Additionally, fewer than 1 in 7 business leaders thinking that middle managers or line managers are chiefly responsible for employee engagement, but the research has highlighted that it’s the “motivational ability of one’s line manager” that is seen as the most significant contributor to engagement levels.

With other studies starting to demonstrate the operational and profitability advantages of having high levels of employee engagement, there could be real competitive advantage for business leaders who identify any mismatch in expectations and accountability, and put more emphasis on and investment in developing the leadership skills and effective communication skills of their managers.

Making employees feel valued is important for motivation, so being able to improve trust and respect between managers and their team is key. Employees need to feel that their managers are fair, rational and objective, and are supportive of their development. But they also need to sense that their managers and business leaders are all on the same page, with company-wide communication, strategy and management practices all in tune. Therefore, there seems to be an opportunity for all management levels to achieve greater results for their employees and their organisation by developing a constructive and shared approach to responsibility and accountability for engagement.

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