How To Engage Employee

Engaging Employees: Demystified
 
We pay for the physical presence of an employee.  If he does the job assigned to him well, we retain him.  But we wish he did more than his job.  We want him to feel that this is his own company and give all he has.  But it doesn’t happen.  Why so?
 
Current techniques used to increase employee engagement
1. Paying handsomely
2. Sending them to trainings / sponsored programs where owners are invited
3. Giving them bonus on yearly profits
 
MBO
Management By Objective is a process by which goals and targets are set through a participative approach of owners/ managers and staffs. In this way those expected to get the outcomes will take ownership. Banks in Nepal set their budgets & targets using MB0, although many don't know what they do is called MB0.
 
Total Quality Management
Through TQM workers are somehow forced to be engaged by culture of having to meet in Quality Circles. They have to come up with problems and brainstorm on a solution. That also on a continuous basis.
 
Selling Shares
Banks sell shares to their employees. But many are not aware how very smart entrepreneurs are engaging their staff to put in their heart and soul. They sell a portion of their share to the employees by investing themselves. Now they are co-owners, get dividends and they can repay the boss slowly.
The owner now loses income but has fully engaged staff .
Many would ask, "Is getting employee engagement so expensive ?"
 
Benefits of employee engagement
1. You don't have to come to office and the staff will run the business as if you were in
2. They will take personal risks for the betterment of the company
3. They will bring to your notice things you couldn't see but that were mission critical
4. They will not work for a salary but for the upliftment of the company
5. They will grow & sustain the company as though they owned it
 
Be a good orator
Nothing harnesses allegiance more than a well delivered speech. Sometimes the cheapest way to get employees show the above 5 behaviors is to give a motivating speech . If it is sincere, the effect will be more long lasting than if it is not so.
 
Many organizational leaders shun from giving any form of inspirational speech.  Even in meetings, they will just complete their agendas and go.  Some love to talk and hold hostage their whole team for hours.  But that is not a speech, it is a rant. 
 
We prescribe a weekly speech to all your employees.  This has more profound impact than any of the above conventional and new techniques of employee engagement from ‘paying more’ to TQM.  Speeches cost nothing yet without them, all other efforts won’t be fruitful. 
 
So what to include in such a weekly organizational speech?
1. Express your concern to the welfare of your staff at all levels: in this organization, in their career, in their personal life. 
2.Show the hardship the company is facing: problems of recent times, emerging negative patterns in the economy
3.Give evidence of how you are tackling these problems as the leader as a company
4.Invite them to be part of your vision
5.Spell your vision clearly, again and again throughout the speech
6.Paint the picture of the days when the vision will be fulfilled
7.Give evidence that that vision is feasible
8.Urge your staff to own the company from their heart
9.Compel them emotionally to commit their 100% to their assigned jobs and more
10.End with images or a metaphor will help the staffs remember the gist of the speech: like “we are on the same boat and I am seeing land that is not far, row , row and don’t jump overboard!”
 
 After giving such speeches weekly alongside over conventional methods, you will see dramatic increase in the sense of ownership.  Of course best is if you give them a share of your profits  through incentives, bonus, or even as we mentioned above, stock options. A speech inspires, but money talks!  

Authors: Mohan Ojha & Manohar Man Shrestha