employee engagement - rapid learning...

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© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute

Employee Engagement: Employee Engagement: Employee Engagement: Employee Engagement: How to Tap Every Employee’s Innate How to Tap Every Employee’s Innate How to Tap Every Employee’s Innate How to Tap Every Employee’s Innate Drive to Make a DifferenceDrive to Make a DifferenceDrive to Make a DifferenceDrive to Make a Difference


Stephen J. MeyerCEO and Director of Learning and Development at Rapid Learning [email protected]


� A concept to drive engagement

� Good leaders accumulate concepts◦ Delegation

◦ Conflict Management

◦ Accountability

� No concepts = poor results

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1. What engagement is

2. Who owns the problem

3. Why engagement matters

4. A concept to drive engagement

5. Four triggers of disengagement

6. Three destructive narratives

7. The power of validation


� Discretionary effort◦ The difference between…

� What we’re truly capable of doing, and

� The minimum that we need to do

� Engaged employees do more

� They challenge inefficiencies

80%80%

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� Most employees desire engagement

� It’s a hard-wired, psychological need


� Our jobs define us

� “I am…”◦ Accountant

◦ Salesperson

◦ Computer engineer

� There are bad apples

� Most want more


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� Employees get the blame

� Leadership is the problem◦ Link between tasks and needs is broken


LEVEL 4LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3LEVEL 1

Actively Disengaged

LEVEL 1

(15%)

Somewhat Disengaged

LEVEL 2

(35%)

Somewhat Engaged

LEVEL 3

(35%)

Actively Engaged

LEVEL 4

(15%)


� Actively engaged employees love work

½ DAY

OF WORK

1½ DAYS

OF WORK

Actively

Engaged

Actively

Disengaged

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� Create a safe environment◦ Employees focus solely on work

� Attachment Theory◦ Seeking attachment is innate


1. Stems from evolutionary psychology

2. Humans are driven to groups

3. Employees seek trustworthy leaders

4. “Safe havens” enable high performance


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� Creating a safe haven is tough

� It’s your responsibility

� Weak or developing leaders make mistakes◦ Leads to disengagement

� The 4 triggers


� Children need committed caregivers

� Employees need committed leaders

� You’re always “on stage”

� Employees sense uncomfortable leaders

� Result: anxiety

� People wonder:

◦ “Is my job safe?”

◦ “Am I killing my career?”


� Small actions speak volumes◦ Headphones signal unavailability

◦ Missing a hello triggers anxiety

� Leaders must be “available”◦ It’s not just small talk

◦ Helps employees feel valued

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� Stress happens

� A client chews you out

� Magnify the anxiety◦ Call a team meeting

◦ What was accomplished?

� Minimize panic◦ Don’t hide the customer’s anger

◦ Calmly explain the situation

� Leaders must be insulators


� We’re wired from birth to seek predictability

� Routines are fundamental

� Erratic behavior panics employees

� To create a safe haven:◦ Plan carefully

◦ Set goals

◦ Assign roles

◦ Stay the course


� Do safe havens promote dependency?

� No.

� Strong bonds = autonomy

� Bonus:◦ Employees w/ strong attachment bonds...

◦ …create similar bonds

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1. Commit to leadership role

2. Emotional availability

3. Act as an insulator

4. Be consistent and predictable


� Communication is key

� Vacuums attract rumors

� Leaders guide perceptions


� Negative culture based on:◦ Ideas

◦ Beliefs

◦ Attitudes

� Can degrade engagement

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© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute© Rapid Learning Institute *The Hay Group (2000)

� Top factor for job satisfaction and retention:“Use of my skills and abilities”*

� Worker: “They’re missing my potential!”


� Own the problem

� Maintain performance dialogue◦ Employees feelings about their job

◦ Career aspirations


CharlieCharlieCharlieCharlie Jill

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� Raise Jill’s profile

� You’re a career advocate


CharlieCharlieCharlieCharlie

� Distorted view of abilities


� Charlie admitted shortcomings

� A door opened

� Change of scenery was the solution

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� People need purpose and meaning


� Put the job in perspective

� Sometimes it’s simple◦ “Making people healthier”

� Sometimes it’s not

� An innovative approach:◦ “How do you want to be perceived?”


� “To be seen as professional”

� What is a professional?◦ “Well-groomed”

◦ “Prompt payment”

◦ “Our services help customers”

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� “I’m doing great work…

� …but no one notices”

� Disengagement follows


� “I’m underpaid!”

� Address the 3 narratives

� Pay a fair wage

� Engaged employees = fewer complaints


� Small, memorable bits

� Easily digestible learning

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� Validation is powerful

� Negative feedback is “long tail”◦ 1 negative ~ 5 positive

� Feedback on progress is powerful


� A “concept” for engagement◦ Create a safe haven

◦ Obtain discretionary effort


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� Most everything is forgotten

� Knowledge was transferred…

� …little recall…

� Training must be revisited



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employee engagement - rapid learning...

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