When David MacLeod and Nita Clarke’s report commissioned by the Department for Business innovation & Skills hit the streets last summer, it raised the volume level on the debate around employee engagement and the benefits an ‘engaged organisation’ bring to business.
“We argued that if employee engagement and the principles that lie behind it were more widely understood; if good practice was more widely shared; and if the potential that resides in the country’s workforce was more fully unleashed, we could see a step change in workplace performance and in employee well-being,” David MacLeod told us.
“Our findings led us to believe that wider delivery of employee engagement could improve UK business competitiveness and performance as we move forward into economic recovery. But, my concern is that while there are some excellent examples of good employee engagement, there are barriers to uptake. There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all solution. There are many voices out there shouting about what employee engagement is; where it should be driven from and the benefits it will bring but the debate hasn’t fully coalesced yet. There is a clear correlation between engagement and performance but so far this has not been fully accepted.
“There’s also a resistance to overcome from traditional leaders and managers who may well be frightened by the changing culture in an organisation that engagement undoubtedly will bring.
“We need leaders who can set the tone and the direction for the business and who can get all their people aligned behind what really matters. That means breaking down the old silos and giving people the tools, the skills and the confidence to work collaboratively to achieve well-defined outcomes.
The MacLeod report put forward four enablers for engagement that provide a great start point for any organisation. They’re:
- Developing a clear story of where the organisation is going and how it will get there;
- Having engaging managers who focus employees, treat them not as Human Resources but as Human Beings and who coach, stretch and develop their people;
- Have employee voice that is heard and acted on;
- Integrity such that stated values match observed behaviours.
“We saw these as vital for any organisation that takes engagement seriously,” David added.
Read our guide to employee engagement.
