Managers as Employee Engagement Ambassadors

Faced with an aging workforce, a shortage of incoming talent and an unemployment rate hovering around 2 percent, the insurance industry is encountering an increasingly challenging recruiting climate. In light of this tightening labor market, employee engagement is proving an important factor in ensuring organizational success.

Unfortunately for many companies, disengagement among employees is extremely high. According to a Gallup survey, nearly 52 percent of professionals in the U.S. are not engaged at work, while an additional 18 percent are actively disengaged. This means that only 30 percent of the U.S. workforce are actually happy with their jobs.

Employees are a vital part of any organization. As a result, many companies are rethinking how they can combat the growing disengagement of their staffs. However, they may be overlooking the integral role that management can play in cultivating an engaged workforce.

The competition for talent is fierce. Insurance organizations who wish to come out ahead in the war for talent need to rethink their current engagement strategies and get their managers on board. What can organizations do to keep their employees engaged? What role can managers play in cultivating a happy workforce?

Articulate a Clear Vision

Organizations with a clearly defined, over-arching goal are more likely to have an engaged workforce than those without a shared vision. Today’s employees want to understand how their roles benefit the overall organization. They want to see how their work fits within the larger scope of the entire organization and how their contributions are impacting the overall success of the organization. In fact, 98 percent of engaged professionals attribute their on-the-job happiness to the knowledge that they are valued as an individual within the larger organization.

The key is to determine a single, companywide goal that employees can rally behind. Not only does this ensure a shared vision throughout the organization, but it also encourages employees to better understand the value of their contributions.

In order to ensure that the goal is not too “high-level” and distant, managers should establish milestone objectives that can be achieved throughout the year. Make sure to celebrate the “little victories” that are achieved along the path toward reaching the final goal. Seeing how their jobs intertwine with the overall company mission enables employees to feel better connected and thus more engaged. Managers must take the lead in ensuring that their employees make the connections and have a deep understanding of how their individual successes impact the greater goal.

Foster Relationships

No one wants to feel like a faceless number. Managers need to take time to ensure that their employees feel like they are more than just a cog in the corporate machine. When managers take a personal interest in their employees, they are not only helping build morale, but are cultivating a spirit of comradery and respect. This is particularly important for organizations looking to increase engagement. Currently, 98 percent of engaged employees indicate that their positive relationships with their managers is a key reason behind their engagement.

Building this relationship should expand beyond work-related conversations. It is important for managers to relate to their employees on a personal, human level. Managers need to develop trust and respect beyond the day-to-day workings of the office. Managers should encourage employees to share other aspects of what defines them outside of the office. What are their interests? Do they volunteer anywhere? What makes them tick? Open and honest communication should be encouraged and welcomed.

A positive person-to-person relationship between managers and their employees allows leaders to better understand their team members’ individual strengths, personalities, desires and life goals. It also fosters a sense of support and relatability.

Clear Goals and Objectives

Organizations may be surprised to learn that employees place a greater value on knowing what is expected of them than personal development, praise or even positive workplace relationships. In fact, 99 percent of engaged employees pinpoint their knowledge of what is expected of them as the most important workplace requirement.

Professionals are looking for guidance and leadership. They want and need direction on their tasks and projects. It is important for them to understand how they are being measured and what they are being measured against in order for them to plot their own successes.

Managers should make sure to establish personal objectives for their individual employees and take time to discuss progress toward these goals.

Building positive relationships, aligning projects with a common goal, and providing guidance strengthens employee commitment and happiness. Undertaking this engagement strategy will go a long way toward increasing retention and improving organizational performance and success.