Engaging Your High Potentials & Retaining Your Key TalentThe Talent Enterprise

@DBJTTE @RadhikaTTE

www.thetalententerprise.com

Current State of Engagement in the GCC

Is Engagement Over Used & Misunderstood?

Three Case Studies

Agenda for Today

Summarising What Matters Most

The Current State of Engagement in the GCC

What the Evidence is Telling Us: Engagement in the GCC

64%

45% 49%58% 59%

48%40% 43%

51%58%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Under 25 years 25-34 years 35-44 years 45-54 years 55 years and above

Employee Engagement in the GCC by Age

2010 2012

Data Source: The Talent Enterprise Research & Qudurat Research

63%57% 58%

74%

49% 48%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

North

America

Europe Asia Pacific Latin America GCC Africa

Global & Regional Employee Engagement

Public & Private Sector Engagement

Overall Nationals (N)

Expats (E) Males Females Under

25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

GCC Public 39.3 % 36.6 % 52.6 % 39.7 % 38.9 % 43.5 % 34.0 % 39.7 % 47.0 % 55.0 %

GCC Private 52.9 % 44.8 % 56.9 % 52.9 % 52.8 % 46.8 % 48.7 % 54.9 % 64.0 % 66.9 %

GCC Semi-Govt

52.4 % 50.7 % 55.3 % 52.0 % 53.8 % 51.9 % 46.3 % 52.1 % 62.5 % 66.5 %

Data Source: The Talent Enterprise Research & Qudurat Research

Is Employee Engagement Over-Used and Misunderstood?

OVERUSED AND MISUNDERSTOOD? THE CURIOUS CASE OF EMPLOYEE

ENGAGEMENT

7

First Things First: Defining Engagement

“Compared to the immense popularity, application and sales of

employee engagement in business, to the tune of hundreds of millions

of dollars every year, there is a surprising scarcity of academic research

on this critical topic. Virtually all major human resources consulting firms

are in the ‘business’ of improving levels of work engagement, without

any credible academic substantiation. Although most claim that their

models are different, a closer review reveals that they mostly measure

organisational commitment, discretionary effort or satisfaction with

organisational resources, commonly known as engagement ‘drivers”.

With some exceptions, Bakker says that “the way these leading

consultancy firms conceptualise engagement comes close to putting

old wine in a new bottle.“

- Professor Arnold Bakker (Leading Academic on Engagement)

OVERUSED AND MISUNDERSTOOD? THE CURIOUS CASE OF EMPLOYEE

ENGAGEMENT

8

First Things First: The What-Have-You-Done-For-Me-Lately Mindset

Without doubt, the biggest and most fundamental issue with our

current approaches to engagement is that they are rather one-

sided.

The responsibility for engagement lies completely with the

organisation, with management & HR based on improvement on ‘HR

drivers’.

When the source of employee engagement is external, it is a fragile

relationship.

Engagement based on employer hand-outs and high employee

expectations is extremely counter-productive.

Sustainable employee engagement occurs when the employer

creates the culture and employees contribute to it because they are

self-engaged.

9

An Equilibrium-Based Philosophy on Engagement

Unlocking the Paradox of Plenty: Motivate Books

Growth Flexibility

Buoyancy Determination

Confidence

Energy Positivity

Absorption Mastery

Ambiguity Conviction

Teamwork Empathy Autonomy

Analytical Creative

Extrinsic Extra-Role

Ethics Values

Ambition

Preparedness

Zest

Responsibility

Curiosity

Control

Intrinsic

MINDSET

FORTITUDE

EFFICACY

VITALITY

ACHIEVEMENT

ACCOUNTABILITY

INGENUITY

AFFILIATION

AUTHENTICITY

DRIVEا

Our research has

shown that ~40%

variance in

engagement &

motivation is

impacted by

personal strengths

and attributions of

individuals

themselves.

11

A Strengths-Based Approach to Development

Data Source: The Talent Enterprise Research on Strengths & Employability

Case Study One: An Energy Company in Abu Dhabi

13

Engagement Outcomes

0

10

20

30

40 60

70

80

90

100

Overall Engagement : 56%

Personal Engagement : 71%

Organisational Engagement: 32%

50

14

Attrition Risk

Low

57%

14%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

High Medium

28%

Employees at Highest

Risk of Attrition between

2 to 3 Years Tenure

‘Save’ Conversations

15

Engagement Drivers for High Potential Talent Versus Others

99%

56%

1%

66%

41%

68%

61%

83%

32%

62% 63%

36%

2%

30%

20%23%

25%

11%

39%

7%

27%

32%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

16

Engagement Drivers for High Potential Talent Versus Others

72%

62%59%

46%

37%

44%42%

55%

90% 89%

97%93%

39%

29%

45%

23%

14%

23%

13%

66%

84%

71%

89%

84%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Case Study Two: One of the Leading Airlines in the Region

18

Case in Point: Engagement – Why It Matters?

ENGAGEMENT

Pride to Work

Personal Sense of Achievement

Discretionary Effort

Recommend Company as a Good Employer

Speak Positively about Company to Guests,

Colleagues and Others

Probability of Retention (Lower Attrition Risk)

EngagedNot

EngagedDifference

100% 79% 21%*

95% 51% 45%*

99% 79% 20%*

97% 45% 52%*

99% 68% 31%*

86% 18% 68%*

19

Case in Point: Impact of Managers

IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE MANAGERS

Employees feel Valued and Listened to

Feels Encouraged to be Innovative and Focus on

Impact

Focusses on Improving Performance

Understands What Is Expected from Own Job

Has Clarity on Performance Objectives

Believes that Own Career Objectives Can be Met

at Organisation

Feels Recognised for Efforts and Achievements

HIGH ME* LOW ME* Difference

97% 48% 49%*

97% 47% 50%*

97% 48% 49%*

99% 86% 14%*

97% 67% 30%*

95% 56% 39%*

87% 26% 60%*

*ME: Managerial Effectiveness

Existing Program

IT, HR, Audit

Program

Sales Program

Airport Operations

Program

Engineering / Pilots

Program

IT, HR, Audit & Other

Programs

Pre-

Screening

Pre-

Screening

Pre-

Screening

Pre-

Screening

Psychometrics for

Sales

Psychometrics for

Airport Ops

Psychometrics for

Engineers / Pilots

Psychometrics for IT,

HR, Audit and Other

Programs

Assessment

Centres

Assessment

Centres

Sales Program

Ops Program

Engineering

Program

Selection &

Offer

Selection &

Offer

Selection &

Offer

Examples of Programs

Only

Assessment

Centres

Assessment

Centres

Selection &

Offer

‘Potential’ for Potential: National Recruitment

21

Sales Program

Ops Prog.

Other

Programs

Pre-

Screen

Graduate

Program

Discovery

Centre

Foundation Program

(3 months + 1 month Project)

Final Offer and

‘Streaming’

into the ‘Right’

Program

Provisional

Offers‘Traineeship’

Suite of Psychometric

Assessments

Examples of Programs Only Examples of Programs Only

New Program

Shifting Hiring Decision

Engaged and Self-

Driven

‘Potential’ for Potential: National Recruitment

Based on extensive analytics for engagement and psychometric data for over

3 years, we are now able to pin down the ‘recipe for success’:

Self-motivated & driven

Passionate Resourceful & take accountability Demonstrate curiosity and learning agility Willing to work in an extremely fast-faced, dynamic environment Works well with others. Collaboration is key!

Case Study Three: A Telecom Organisation in the GCC

23

Other EmployeesHigh Performers / High

Potential Employees

Affiliation

AuthenticityAchievement

Drive

Social Desirability

Fortitude Ingenuity

Mindset

Vitality

Efficacy

77%

89%

72%

40%

74%77%

80%

45%

49%

79%

58%

80%

62%

34%

59%74%

72%

31%

37%

81%

The scores on the charts have been rounded off to the nearest ten value.

Analysing Factor Strengths by Performance / Potential for Nationals

Analysing Sub-Factor Strengths by Performance / Potential for Nationals

24

Strength High Performers Others Difference

Responsibility 67% 44% 23%

Teamwork 63% 50% 13%

Ethics 53% 37% 16%

Preparedness 65% 49% 16%

Buoyancy 58% 40% 18%

Determination 83% 67% 16%

Creativity 82% 68% 14%

Curiosity 44% 27% 17%

Growth 50% 33% 16%

Optimism 64% 47% 17%

All Rights Reserved The Talent Enterprise

What Matters Most?

26

Summarising What Matters Most

Organisational Factors that

Positively Impact Engagement

Organisational Factors that

may Cause Engagement

Levels to Fall Further

Personal Individual

Characteristics and Strengths

that Impact Engagement

(According to our research,

these personal factors

predict approx. 30%

variance in engagement.

Measure & Improve Measure & Sustain Measure & Improve

Confidence in Leadership

Career Growth

Learning and Development

Being Recognised and Valued

Managerial Effectiveness

Pay & Benefits

Supportive Work Culture

Positive Relationships

Sense of

Accomplishment

Meaning at Work and

Alignment to

Organisational Vision

Fairness and Equity

Level of Trust

Physical Work

Environment

Intrinsic Motivation

Drive

Zest & Energy

Personal Values

Ambition

Grit & Determination

Resilience

Accountability

Optimism

Flexibility

Growth Mindset

Thanks for Your Time

radhika@thetalententerprise.com

david@thetalententerprise.com