What Do Low Engagement Scores Say About Us? Engagement is Not an Employer Only Concern!

                                                                                                                                                                        

 I am not exactly sure when Mercer released its most recent global employee engagement survey ‘What’s Working’ but if you’ve read any other large scale employee engagement survey in the past ten or so years the news remains pretty much the same. The section of the report pertaining to the US and Canada is reflective of what the survey shows around the globe…

“Declining levels of employee engagement dominate Mercer’s What’s Working™ survey findings for North America, with one-third of employees throughout the US and Canada looking to leave their organization – an increase of approximately 10 points in both countries since their last surveys.”

Shocking! Not so much.

After this many years and this much study and the limited improvements we’ve seen these results are not at all surprising. Maybe what should surprise us is that companies like Mercer continue to use survey results like these to sell consulting services, recognition systems and other forms of employee engagement intervention… and employers keep buying them! Again, really no surprise, not many employers are going to say they are not concerned when survey results show that engagement levels for their employee base are “below the national norm for your industry category.”

I believe there are many factors contributing to the persistence of low employee engagement scores over time and some do fall on the shoulders of employers:

  • Relating to engagement scores as more cosmetic than strategic. Who knows, looking good may in the end prove to be more important than being good!
  • Treating employee engagement as something other than a systemic problem. I am betting that tying manager’s compensation to engagement scores has made no real difference other than to make some managers really unhappy and convince some employers that they are taking action.
  • Being basically disingenuous about a real commitment to employee engagement. C’mon, if you are making your numbers and your engagement scores are low, well….shrug!

But aside from these jibes at employers I also believe we’ve all let the employees off the hook, in large part, when it comes to being responsible for their own engagement. Part of the blame for this whitewashing of employee responsibility is simply a function of the fact that it serves the consulting industry’s interest to focus on the employer. Who else can foot the bill for the cost of recognition systems, engagement interventions and the like? Seeing this aspect of the issue is the easy part and besides, recognition systems do work and so do engagement interventions, just not as one way conversations and that is how we’ve been operating for most of the “Age of Engagement.” Engagement is not an “employer only” issue.

Early on in the Mercer report the folks who produced it offer this as part of their rationale for why engagement matters…

“ … All other factors being equal, it also serves the individual, fulfilling a basic human need to be connected to worthwhile endeavors and to be able to make a significant contribution. In short, engagement is good for both the employer and the employee…” (I added the bold emphasis)

How about as employers we step up to not being willing to shoulder the responsibility for this engagement thing alone?

How about if you placed ads for new employees in whatever media you use, whatever recruiters you contract with, whatever on-line service you post to, that said this.

We are looking for people who can authentically stand for the following declaration…

”I am now and forever solely responsible for my own financial and motivational welfare. I will expect nothing in life until I have demonstrated the ability to create value for others. I recognize that my intent to deliver value to others is the entry point for my own engagement and allows me to recognize the resources at my disposal to fulfill on my intention.”and a nice skill set is always appreciated.

Could you go to your employee base with this challenge…”What are you here for if not to produce value, and how can we help you realize that goal?”

I say employers have been too willing to be the paternalist, the care taker, the provider of the stuff of well being…and employees have been too willing to play the game, knowing there is no one more willing to please than a guilty parent.

OK now, everybody take a deep breath, this is not the revolution, it is just the day we say it like it is…Engagement is a relationship and all parties are 100% responsible for the outcome.

 

 

  • Are you willing to approach your direct reports with this conversation and another question; "What does being here have to do with the purpose of your life?"

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What Do Low Engagement Scores Say About Us? Engagement is Not an Employer Only Concern!

                                                                                                                                                                       

 I am not exactly sure whenMercer released its most recent global employee engagement survey ‘What’s Working’ but if you’ve read any other large scale employee engagement survey in the past ten or so years the news remains pretty much the same. The section of the report pertaining to the US and Canada is reflective of what the survey shows around the globe…

“Declining levels of employee engagement dominate Mercer’s What’s Working™ survey findings for North America, with one-third of employees throughout the US and Canada looking to leave their organization – an increase of approximately 10 points in both countries since their last surveys.”

Shocking! Not so much.

After this many years and this much study and the limited improvements we’ve seen these results are not at all surprising. Maybe what should surprise us is that companies like Mercer continue to use survey results like these to sell consulting services, recognition systems and other forms of employee engagement intervention… and employers keep buying them! Again, really no surprise, not many employers are going to say they are not concerned when survey results show that engagement levels for their employee base are “below the national norm for your industry category.”

I believe there are many factors contributing to the persistence of low employee engagement scores over time and some do fall on the shoulders of employers:

  • Relating to engagement scores as more cosmetic than strategic. Who knows, looking good may in the end prove to be more important than being good!
  • Treating employee engagement as something other than a systemic problem. I am betting that tying manager’s compensation to engagement scores has made no real difference other than to make some managers really unhappy and convince some employers that they are taking action.
  • Being basically disingenuous about a real commitment to employee engagement. C’mon, if you are making your numbers and your engagement scores are low, well….shrug!

But aside from these jibes at employers I also believe we’ve all let the employees off the hook, in large part, when it comes to being responsible for their own engagement. Part of the blame for this whitewashing of employee responsibility is simply a function of the fact that it serves the consulting industry’s interest to focus on the employer. Who else can foot the bill for the cost of recognition systems, engagement interventions and the like? Seeing this aspect of the issue is the easy part and besides, recognition systems do work and so do engagement interventions, just not as one way conversations and that is how we’ve been operating for most of the “Age of Engagement.” Engagement is not an “employer only” issue.

Early on in the Mercer report the folks who produced it offer this as part of their rationale for why engagement matters…

“ … All other factors being equal, it also serves the individual, fulfilling a basic human need to be connected to worthwhile endeavors and to be able to make a significant contribution. In short, engagement is good for both the employer and the employee…” (I added the bold emphasis)

How about as employers we step up to not being willing to shoulder the responsibility for this engagement thing alone?

How about if you placed ads for new employees in whatever media you use, whatever recruiters you contract with, whatever on-line service you post to, that said this.

We are looking for people who can authentically stand for the following declaration…

”I am now and forever solely responsible for my own financial and motivational welfare. I will expect nothing in life until I have demonstrated the ability to create value for others. I recognize that my intent to deliver value to others is the entry point for my own engagement and allows me to recognize the resources at my disposal to fulfill on my intention.”and a nice skill set is always appreciated.

Could you go to your employee base with this challenge…”What are you here for if not to produce value, and how can we help you realize that goal?”

I say employers have been too willing to be the paternalist, the care taker, the provider of the stuff of well being…and employees have been too willing to play the game, knowing there is no one more willing to please than a guilty parent.

OK now, everybody take a deep breath, this is not the revolution, it is just the day we say it like it is…Engagement is a relationship and all parties are 100% responsible for the outcome.

 

 

  • Are you willing to approach your direct reports with this conversation and another question; “What does being here have to do with the purpose of your life?”

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