{"id":430656,"date":"2023-07-06T19:51:10","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T19:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xceleration.com\/?p=430656"},"modified":"2023-07-06T19:52:11","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T19:52:11","slug":"start-with-understanding-to-engage-employees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xceleration.com\/start-with-understanding-to-engage-employees\/","title":{"rendered":"Start with Understanding to Engage Employees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let\u2019s begin this conversation with two pieces of wisdom \u2013 one from a titan of business and the other from a titan of ordinary people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.\u201d<\/em>
<\/em>Henry Ford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes it\u2019s not enough to know what things mean; sometimes you have to know what things don\u2019t mean.\u201d <\/em>
<\/em>Bob Dylan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important things a company can do is listen to its employees. Although many studies are available on what current and prospective employees find appealing in an organization\u2019s attributes and benefits, they can\u2019t replace feedback from your workforce regarding what they want and don\u2019t want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the studies as benchmarks, but add information gleaned from employee surveys, discussion groups, suggestion boxes, and proximity to guide your recognition, incentive, and rewards programs. Engaged employees see better outcomes across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benchmark Needs and Wants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Between the COVID-19 pandemic, Great Resignation, and Quiet Quitting, there is more information in the media and industry circles than ever before on what today\u2019s employees expect and need from their employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, differences exist from one industry to the next, but four areas always seem to come up regardless of where employees work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Be Healthy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The American Psychological Association<\/a> (APA) found that 71% of workers typically feel tense or stressed during workdays. Prudential<\/a> reports that when workers were asked to describe their work experience over the past year in a single word, overwhelmingly, they chose words like stress, stressed, stressful, demanding, hectic, and frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, employees often focused on career advancement, but more and more, they seek employer support for holistic needs, including physical, mental, and financial health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mercer<\/a> calls the previous career focus the Engagement Contract <\/em>and the new focus the Lifestyle Contract.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Engagement Contract, organizations were attracting and retaining talent by emphasizing intrinsically motivating and psychologically fulfilling work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, under the Lifestyle Contract, companies must listen to what their workforce is trying to tell them and understand what they need \u2013 beyond the engagement surveys and exit interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling valued and appreciated is a natural stress reliever. Engaged employees are more invested when they think they are working for an organization that supports their holistic wellness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Feel Appreciated <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

McKinsey<\/a> notes that employees often cite three factors among the reasons they have quit a job:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n