Employee Engagement

Topics to be covered in this presentation

 Working definition of the term Employee Engagement.

 Drivers of engagement – things that lead to employee

engagement and Understanding the work of the pioneers in
their field

 Understanding the of who is holding the key to engagement –

the organisation, the Manager or the Employee.

 Finally, an attempt to build a few basic pillars.

 Working Definition of Employee Engagement

 “Employee Engagement” is not exactly a recent phenomenon.

Researched from 1920s, a succession of management and
behavioral thinkers have delved deep into this subject and
have added significant insight in this area.
 Employee Engagement is variously known as Employee
ownership, Employee Motivation, Employee Involvement,
Commitment, Loyalty, etc.
 Definitions:
 Productive members of an organisation who are
psychologically committed to a role in the organisation in
which they use their talents.
Continued

 “A state of emotional and intellectual involvement that

workers have in an organisation.”

 “Say (speak positively about the Organisation to co-workers,

potential employees and customers), Stay (an intense part to
be part of the organisation) and strive extra efforts and take on
work that contributes to employer success.”
 How to measure Employee Engagement

 Key Ingredients by which Employee Engagement can be

measured are:
 Tenure with the organisation
 Display of emotional involvement in what they do
 Doing in more than what is expected.
 Displaying pride in the place they work.
 Drivers of Engagement

 Elton Mayo, 1932 – The Hawthorne Effect

Started originally to examine the physical and
environmental influences of the workplace.
2. Abraham Maslow, 1943 – Maslow Hierarchy of needs
He saw 5 set of goals which he called as Needs. He called
the Needs as Physiological Needs, Safety, Love, Esteem
and Self – Actualisation.
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3. Douglas McGregor, 1957 – Theory X & Theory Y

Theory X
Management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will
avoid work if they can. Because of this, workers need to be
closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls
developed. A hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span
of control at each level. According to this theory, employees
will show little ambition without an enticing incentive
program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can.
Continued

 Theory Y
In this theory management assumes employees may be
ambitious, self-motivated, anxious to accept greater
responsibility, and exercise self-control, self-direction,
autonomy and empowerment. It is believed that employees
enjoy their mental and physical work duties. It is also believed
that if given the chance employees have the desire to be
creative and forward thinking in the workplace. There is a
chance for greater productivity by giving employees the
freedom to perform at the best of their abilities without being
bogged down by rules.
 Models of Employee Engagement

 Since the Names of the Models are not mentioned, we will

name them as A, B, C, D.
 Model A
Employee engagement is seen as the outcome of 4
dimensions:
Basic needs: Clarity work, materials and equipment
Management Support: Encouragement, caring, supervision,
recognition, person-job-fit.
Teamwork: Best friend, co-workers, commitment to quality,
clarity of organizational purpose, value for one’s opinion.
Growth: Opportunity to learn, tangible progress.
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 Model B
Engagement is seen as discretionary effort and as the result
of 7 dimensions:
1. Understanding how work contributes to the company’s
overall success.
2. Being personally motivated to help the company succeed.
3. Being willing to put good deal of effort of what is expected.
4. A sense of personal accomplishment from the job
5. Recommend company to friends as a good place to work.
6. Company inspiring one to give the best
7. Company values being aligned to personal
Continued

 Model C
Engagement is seen as a measure of emotional and
intellectual commitment that employees have to their
organisation. In this model, the drivers of Engagement are
seen as:
1. Compensation
2. Opportunities
3. People
4. Procedures
5. Quality of Life
6. Work
Continued

 Model D
This model looks at engagement as translating into a great
workplace. There are 5 drivers of a great workplace:
1. Credibility: Communication, Competence, Integrity
2. Respect: Professional Development and appreciation,
collaboration in decisions.
3. Fairness: Equity in rewards, impartiality, justice.
4. Pride: In ones work, in team output, in Organization's
products
5. Camaraderie: Being oneself, friendly workplace, sense of
family / team.
 Who really holds the Key

 Organizations: Organizations would like employees to be

engaged but may itself choose to get merged.

 Managers: Managers see care and concern for employees as

almost coming in the way of task accomplishments, something
for which he is paid.

 Employer: Employer engagement somehow does not seem to

be a matter to be considered.
 Basic Pillars for further thought

 Engagement cannot remedy the macro level shortage of talent.

 Security will be the number one driver of engagement and
motivation based on all of the above. The most basic
engagement driver and the starting point for engagement for
employees will be Security.
 Managing the Lows as well as highs
 Start early in building maturity.
 Finding the balance between HRM & HRD.
 Need for further thought leadership.
Thank You