A report last year identified seven indicators of employee engagement.
The independent study, conducted by WarrenShepell and Canadian HR Reporter, surveyed more than 300 organizational leaders across Canada. There were strong links between the presence of seven top job and workplace factors and positive employee mental health, a lower rate of turnover, and satisfaction.
The following list shows the 7 factors and the relative presence of each factor in Canadian workplaces:
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Trust senior management — 37%
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Asked for their ideas and opinions on important matters — under 50%
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Clearly understand the organization’s vision and strategic direction — 33%
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Trust their supervisors — 42%
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Receive recognition and praise for good work — under 50%
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Have a clear say in decisions that affect their work — 34%
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Perceive their supervisors as caring and considerate of their well-being — 45%
Not one of the results was above 50%. We obviously have a lot of room for improvement in the 7 during 2007. According to Rod Phillips, president and CEO of WarrenShepell, “while business leaders may recognize the importance of the top seven factors there is still a large gap between what employees need and what is being provided in Canadian workplaces.”
Get engaged:
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How can you contribute to growth in these numbers in your workplace?
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How do you address the issues around the lack of trust?
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Click here to read a basic Wikipedia entry on trust.
Several years ago I wrote a book on the subject of workplace culture and employee morale. It is as relevant today as it was then. Employee morale is directly linked to the interaction of employees with line managers who are charged with executing the policies and strategies of companies. Unfortunately, many of these managers subvert the good intentions of the organization to meet their own personal goals and agendas at the expense of their peers and subordinates. This management subculture is a direct result of a corporate culture of ignorance, indifference and excuse. Better corporate level leadership is the key. Read more in “160 Degrees of Deviation: The Case for the Corporate Cynic.”