What Does an Engaged Employee Look Like

I am always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to talk about engagement. The subject that everyone speaks about in the government space as it summons the wherewithal to do something about what they are talking about.

The Insights Group, a Canadian firm that helps organizations build great workplaces, has some excellent thoughts on this ever elusive condition we call engagement.

Imagine that the most engaged employee you know suddenly died under suspicious circumstances. The coroner did an autopsy on your friend and reported the engagement results to you. They probably would go something like this according to the Insights Group.

Head
Their brain would show they knew the mission of the organization, they anticipated the needs of their customers and they understood the expectations of their leaders.

Lesson learned: Employees need to know the role and soul of their job and how their actions influence the success of the organization.

Ears
Their ears would indicate they listened to the needs of the organization through the mouthpiece of their customers and they let that dialogue guide their performance.

Lesson learned: Open and free communication ensures that employees understand the big picture and their role in painting that picture.

Throat
Their voice box would demonstrate they felt heard in the organization by finding their voice.

Lesson learned: Listen to your people. Constantly check in with them by seeing how they are doing as well asking them how is the organization doing.

Heart
Their heart would validate that they loved their work so much that they probably would have done it without a paycheck.

Lesson learned: Love your people back. Recognize and appreciate them to death.

Hands
Their hands would confirm that they did not mind getting down in the muck. They went beyond the call of duty.

Lesson learned: Let your people go. Allow them to go outside their every day role even if they encounter short term failure.

Feet
Their feet would verify that they stretched themselves by running with new and different ways of getting their work done.

Lesson learned: Your people are your biggest assets so invite them to take ownership of the organization by inviting them to share their ideas about how to make the organization the best place to work in the world.

Think enagagement, hear engagement, talk about engagement, feel engagment, do engagement and run with engagement. When you come to end of life’s journey, you will be able to write your own obituary for engagement your departed friend would be proud of.