Going The Extra Mile So The Organization Goes Farther

Happy And Satisfied Does Not Always Mean Engaged

In an organization, employee engagement is the key for success. But what does employee engagement actually mean? Let's define the term by first comprehending what it is not.

Happy employees do not always mean engaged employees. Being happy at work does not necessarily mean working hard and being productive. There might be free massages, game rooms and fun Friday keg parties that make employees happy, but not necessarily encourage them to be engaged.

Satisfied employees do not always mean engaged employees. Companies often take surveys and instigate executive talks about employee satisfaction, but criterions are set below par. An employee satisfyingly goes to work daily from 9am- 5pm without complaints. However, such a "satisfied" employee might not have enough commitment to go the extra mile for the company's success. A headhunter's call with a 10% bump in pay could easily lure her away, thus being satisfied may not be enough.

Engagement Is An Emotional Commitment

Employee engagement goes beyond employee happiness and satisfaction, but in the total sense is an emotional commitment. The engaged employee is emotionally committed to the organization and its goals.

Employee engagement as an emotional commitment is caring about one's work and the organization. Engaged employees simply do not work for their paychecks or vie for the next promotion. Employee engagement means people work in behalf of their organization's goals. Employees care, are engaged and use discretionary effort to show their commitment.

What is an engaged computer programmer? He who works overtime without being asked. He understands the need to work extra hours and does so willingly.

What is an engaged retail clerk? There's trash on the store floor, he picks it up- without being told, without the boss watching.

What is an engaged TSA agent? It's late and his shift is done, but he sees a suspicious bag; he pulls it for searching.

The Engagement Profit Chain

Better business outcomes are obtained from employee engagement. What happens to a company manned by engaged employees? A Tower Perrins research says those are companies yielding 6% higher net margins. Kenexa research says these companies also have five times as much higher shareholder returns in a period of five years.

Investment in employee engagement has the following ROIs', as exhibited in the Engagement Profit chain:

Increased quality, productivity and service

increased customer satisfaction

increased sales

increased profits

increased shareholder returns.

Winning in the workplace leads to winning in the marketplace.