Dear Siddhartha,
This is not the first time that anyone has raised a query like this, and as usual you too get responses, including the one's you've got now from Mr. Umm-E-Abdullah and Ms. Swetha Khan. I appreciate all of it, and can paste any number of links that can lead you to go about the immediately whatever you. However, every time this subject comes up be it in this forum or else where, I can't help but again go back to all my literary collections on this subject, and thoughts get stirred up much like the "bees in their nest."
I can assure you in the last few months there has been a few long discussions on this very subject, though I suspect, the context may be different, but all of it will be here in the archives of this vey forum.
Again in order not to sound repetitive, I must impress upon you that at the root of all this, "employee engagement is a workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organization's goals and values, and are self-motivated to contribute to organizational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being. In fact, those who feel are engaged, go many a mile without looking at the money they make, the number of hours they put in each day be it @ work or even outside work (thanks to the internet, they are always connected with their assignment, their people, their customers, their deliverables, etc.). This doesn't mean it's "work and only work" all the time. They are very connected with their family and have all done very well both in terms of career and their family. I've been associated and still am with some wonderful people of this type for over two decades now. They all make us proud, for we were the one's who were involved in bringing people of this type to their work and careers.
Today in retrospect, when we go down the memory lane, it seems as if it happened naturally. We know it very well now, that we were consciously working behind the scenes to ensure things go smoothly on all fronts - work infrastructure, appreciation, rewards, recognition, etc. We realized and experienced this in particular, that engagement is two way: organization's must work to engage the employee, who in turn has a choice about the level of engagement to offer the employer. Each reinforces the other. An engaged employee experiences a blend of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job involvement and feelings of empowerment. It is a concept that is greater than the sum of its parts. This quote sums it all - David Macleod quotes, “This is about how we create the conditions in which employees offer more of their capability and potential.” Engaged organization's have strong and authentic values, with clear evidence of trust and fairness based on mutual respect, where two way promises and commitments – between employers and staff – are understood, and are fulfilled.
The Four Enablers of Engagement
Although there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and no master model for successful employee engagement there were four common themes that emerged from the extensive research captured in the
Engaging For Success report (also famously known as the MacLeod Report), reproduced here below. Taken together, they include many of the key elements that go to make successful employee engagement.
These four enablers of engagement have proved to be useful lenses which can help organization's assess the effectiveness of their approaches.
Visible, empowering leadership providing a strong strategic narrative about the organization, where it’s come from and where it’s going.
Engaging managers who focus their people and give them scope, treat their people as individuals and coach and stretch their people.
There is employee voice throughout the organization's, for reinforcing and challenging views, between functions and externally, employees are seen as central to the solution.
There is organizational integrity – the values on the wall are reflected in day to day behavior's. There is no ‘say –do’ gap.
I can go on and on endlessly, and still find it less to convey all that I have.
I paste at the end of this response, a few links, as conveyed right in the beginning, to enable you pick what you'd like to, but would certainly urge upon you to become an even more serious student of "Employee Engagement," as one in HR. You have to be careful when you conduct activities that may give you a feeling of creating a bondage, but who knows you might be talked off as an "Employee Entertainer."
Understand the difference between engagement, alignment, and keeping people engaged by entertaining them @ work.
First gauge, if there is a disengagement, if yes, then assess the degree of disengagement in your organization. Re-check and focus on the critical areas that drive engagement.
You need to realize that engagement is not a one time affair, its actually an ongoing process.
Several large multinational's have broken down their businesses to remain competitive and be able to attract talent, as smaller companies, start up companies which by nature of their operations, have lesser layers of decision making, hence they can feel the pulse of the people and device programs that will enable them tap their potential to the fullest. Such companies know how to use technology in creating engagement by allowing free access to “internet to all without restrictions, no clamp of it's use during work, including encouraging membership to social and other professional networking sites.
Best wishes,
Employee Engagement Activities Suggestions - Toolbox for HR Groups
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Employee Engagement Initiatives
Employee Engagement
http://www.driems.ac.in/mba/Download...D%20(TTSL).pdf
Employee Engagement Activities for Managing High Performance
Employee Engagement Activities | Human Resources Management