Maybe it’s increasing because managers are being more intentional about engagement now, and they realize with less ways to pay folks, they need to invest more time saying thank you and doing the little things that add up to a BIG boost in engagement.

I’m going to ask the readers at Slacker Manager what they think too. Great question!

I appreciate your thoughtful observations and hypotheses.

More talk and seeing through engagement lenses.
Asking for a 5.
Move from entitlement to gratitude.

I will mull this over.

Well done.

David

1) Organizations are talking about engagement more and more. As awareness of this idea increases, people may be more likely to perceive organizational changes through the engagement lens.

2) I understand a few organizations have begun to incorporate results of engagement surveys into executive compensation plans (I have assisted a few clients do just that). As a result managers are more inclined to pay attention to engagement scores and attempt to increase them. Unfortunately, I do not have a really good sense for what management behaviors have led to higher scores. The cynic in me suspects that at least some of it is caused by the same forces I see in customer satisfaction surveys; “I would really appreciate it if you gave us a 5!”

3) Let us not forget the impact the economy might have on people that still have a job. It would surprise me if a large proportion of people are simply grateful to still have employment. This gratitude may be reflected in elevated engagement scores.

Of course, it is also possible that organizations are doing the right things and legitimately pursuing an employee engagement strategy. My inner skeptic likes to take a first crack at interesting data.