Employee Engagement For Dummies

Introduction

In recent years, the business world has reached a consensus: Employee engagement is good for the bottom line. It's a simple equation, really: If you can't satisfy the demands of your clients or customers, you're going to lose business. And the way to reach extraordinary levels of client and customer service is through engaged employees.

Employees’ dedication speaks volumes to clients and customers. Not to be clichéd, but a company's employees truly are its greatest asset! Most leaders understand this connection on an intellectual level, but they often struggle with what to do to foster this type of dedication. Enter employee engagement . . . and this book!

Coming across such a universally agreed-upon “win-win” is rare, but employee engagement truly benefits everyone — including management. Why? Because it boosts discretionary effort, or employees who go above and beyond, which in turn drives superior business results. I would even go so far as to say that employee engagement is the foundation of a healthy organization.

And yet, many organizations haven't added employee engagement to their list of key objectives. According to a 2013 study by the human capital technology firm SilkRoad, less than 40 percent of companies focus on employee engagement at all. And those that do often view it as a “program.” But the fact is, engaging employees requires a cultural shift — a change in how things are done and communicated from the top to the bottom of your organization. ...