Things have changed. Priorities have changed. Especially when it comes to work and working.
Despite employee engagement rates rising for the best part of a decade, all the latest signs are that they’ve stalled. Gallup recently reported that now just one in five employees consider themselves ‘engaged at work’.
That’s not just bad. That’s really sad too.
It’s a motivational disconnect that’s eating away at good people and good businesses – and something needs to be done!
Not just for productivity and business efficiency’s sake. Not just for customer satisfaction’s sake. But also for those unfortunate four in ten employees “phoning it in”, disinterested and disengaged – what a waste. A waste of time, money and talent – for everyone concerned.
So what can we do to energise our teams? To fire their imaginations and re-engage?
The magic motivational ingredient?
Purpose.
But more than just purpose by name only – clear, understandable and meaningful purpose.
Outcomes that genuinely matter on a personal as well as professional level.
Purpose and potential.
Good salaries help. Generous holidays. Prospects. Flexibility. Family time. They all play an integral motivational role. But when all’s said and done unless people feel intrinsically engaged, unless their working experience genuinely resonates with their values and nourishes their hopes and dreams, then no amount of free fruit and fun days will help them truly fulfil their (and your) potential.
So lead with purpose – show people what personal and professional success looks like. Be clear. Be unambiguous. Share detail. Be transparent.
See-through success.
When you respect people’s innate need for growth and recognition – when you give them purpose and make your expectations and responsibilities crystal clear – they will buy into yours.
Transparency is key. So treat your teams with openness and honesty. Explain to them what’s going well in the business. Explain what isn’t. Be open about why good people arrive. Reflect on why they leave. Share knowledge. Invite creative input. Inspire innovation.
Engagement is a subscription.
Engagement is a subscription. A dual subscription. It’s a shared commitment to the overall company vision and it’s also a commitment to our own project, our individual purpose, the collaboration, learning, empowerment, progress, and the self-actualisation we all seek.
The more we invest in ourselves, in each other and in the transparency that helps everyone understand exactly where they stand and what they need to do to get to where they want to go, the more we can drive up those engagement figures.
That way, everybody and every business will have the chance to embrace their purpose and fulfil their full potential.