I had such a great time presenting at the CPA Congress in Adelaide last week and met so many great people. In the afternoon session, I had the opportunity to sit in on a session with Zrinka Lovrencic from Great Place To Work. She facilitated a session on workplace culture and engagement and I thought I would share with you some of her insights.
Did you know that worldwide only 13% of employees are engaged at work? That’s a pretty shocking statistic.
In Australia, we are slightly better. 24% of Australians are engaged in their work (we are only 2nd world wide behind the USA), but 60% of staff are actively disengaged. That’s a big drain on productivity in the average workplace.
Another startling statistic from Zrinka’s research is that only 12% of CEOs globally believe they are driving the right culture in their organisation. So really, is it any surprise that only 13% of employees are engaged at work?
It seems that when it comes to employee engagement, staff don’t actually need Segway’s and ball pits and casual clothes day.
The 3 things that employees want in their work place are:
1) To have PRIDE in what they do.
2) ENJOY the people they work with.
3) TRUST who they work for.
It’s not really rocket science at the end of the day is it? So why do so many workplaces really make it so much more complicated than it needs to be??
So how does an organisation create this culture?
To have PRIDE in what they do.
· Develop – encourage personal and professional growth while nourishing unique talent.
· Thank – recognise and express acknowledgment for achievement, intent and effort. Inform, advocate for and reward people in ways that are transparent and far thinking outside the box.
· Care – Act on opportunities to support employees in balancing work and life and in responding to personal situations.
It was noted that if staff engagement is over 80%, sick leave usage falls to approximately 1 day per year. If staff engagement is under 20%, staff utilise their full sick leave and annual leave entitlements every year.
To ENJOY the people they work with.
Working together as a team
· Hire - focus on hiring for potential and cultural fit. Welcome in unique ways that integrate new hires and transfers into the family.
· Celebrate – facilitate opportunities for people to engage in social interaction to encourage an atmosphere of camaraderie.
· Share – Involve employees in the company’s efforts to contribute to the community.
To TRUST who they work for.
So as to achieve organisational objectives
· Inspire – Bring meaning to people’s work by fostering personal pride, recognising and promoting your company’s unique culture and living and communicating the organisation’s mission.
· Speak – communicate in a meaningful and accessible way with others and encourage them to do the same. (By the way, there is such a thing as too much communication)
· Listen – cultivate an environment that invites and embraces employee involvement and input.
So do a quick checklist on the above against your organisation. Are the staff jumping for joy, or are they running for the hills?
Michelle Bakjac is an experienced Psychologist, Wellbeing Strategist, Leadership and Wellbeing Coach, Speaker and Facilitator. As Director of Bakjac Consulting, she is a credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a member of Mental Toughness Partners and an MTQ48 accredited Mental Toughness Practitioner. Michelle assists individuals and organisations to develop their Mental Toughness to improve performance, leadership, behaviour and wellbeing. You can find her at www.bakjacconsulting.com or michelle@bakjacconsulting.com
