PPB May 2020

In a 2018 study on U.S. employee engagement, Gallup found that 34 percent of U.S. workers are engaged, 53 percent are not engaged and 13 percent are actively disengaged. The impact of employee engagement on your business is significant; the more engaged your employees are, the better your business performs. So, what can you do to move the needle on employee engagement? Here are a few strategies to consider: • Foster a culture of ongoing performance feedback. • Offer great benefits and perks that reflect the culture of your company and the needs of your employees. • Implement a rewards and recognition program. • Develop a list of skills, talents and specialties your employees possess so you know who to consult or include to solve a business problem. • Involve the team in decisions. • Encourage collaboration within and across teams. • Organize team outings and team-building activities. • Volunteer together. • Sponsor high-potential talent. • Conduct exit interviews. If any of your employees work remotely, remember to include them. It is common for remote employees to feel alienated from their in-office colleagues, simply because they may be forgotten in conversations and company events. In a 2019 study on remote worker isolation, Gallup found that workplace isolation can lead to as much as a 21-percent drop in performance. With recent shelter-in- place and stay-at-home orders forcing the world to learn to work remotely and connect in new ways, many in-office professionals experienced what remote employees have experienced for years—disconnection from their colleagues. Relationships with virtual employees become even more critical and may be achieved through frequent, meaningful communication, as well as virtual team-building activities and touchpoints. Whatever your strategies to sustain current employees may be, remember to factor in your remote employees. Create A Plan For Change Once you have identified a strategy to implement or change, create a plan and include key stakeholders. As you implement your plan, use it to track and measure progress. The success of your change initiative depends on support and participation throughout the organization, and good, transparent communication is critical. When employees throughout your organization are involved, they will feel change is happening with them, rather than to them. With the successful implementation of your change strategy, remember that this is not a close-ended process. Perform regular check-ins to gauge adoption across your organization. Keep a pulse on the performance of the strategy and its impact on the organization, and evaluate next steps in order to maintain the health of your workforce and the organization. And, as you wrap up one strategy implementation, look to see if there is another initiative you can undertake to move further in your diversity, equity and inclusion journey. Creating an inclusive, equitable workplace requires constant care and attention so that your employees can flourish and feel valued. An inclusive workforce not only ensures the company is actively striving to create a diverse organizational culture, but also shows the company is seeking the sundry skillset, experience, perspectives and personalities that employees of differing demographics can contribute to their company. This empowers people to thrive at work, driving success forward for your business. PART 1 in the April issue discussed the vital role company culture plays in a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization. PART 3 in the June issue will focus on bringing diversity into the organization. Julie Kwan is manager, diversity and learning engagement at PPAI. Download PPAI’s New Playbook For many, diversity, equity and inclusion may seem an overwhelming concept to implement in business, but there are practical, powerful steps you can take for your organization. To begin your diversity, equity and inclusion journey today, download your copy of PPAI’s Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Playbook at ppai.org/advocacy/diversity-inclusion. If your company has a story to tell about building a strong company culture, email Julie Kwan at JulieK@ppai.org. U.S. Employee Engagement Trend Annual averages: 2018 results are from January to June % Engaged % Actively disengaged 35% 20% 2000 2010 2006 2014 2018 2004 2012 2008 2016 30% 15% 25% 10% Source: Gallup Diversity | FEATURE | MAY 2020 | 19