How To Ensure A Sustained High Employee Engagement

Did you know managers account for a minimum of 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores? 

We have all heard about people leave manager, not companies. According to Gallup’s State of the American Manager report, one out of two employees at some point in their career, have left their job to get away from their manager to improve their overall life and start a fresh career. A terrible manager leaves a bad impression that damages the company brand as well as weakens the employee engagement at the workplace. Employees find growing under such a manager is very difficult.  

 It is observed that when an employee begins a new job, his/her utmost concern in the beginning is the pay or the expectation of a raise, probably also the exciting and challenging new role, maybe the learning and growth at the workplace, the brand name, job location, etc. But as the work starts and the employee begins to spend more and more time with the manager, the manager-employee relationship becomes central to the employees‘ overall workplace experience. At times, this alone become the single factor which determines whether the employee is happy at the workplace or not.  

Today, the workforce is clear that they want to stick with companies that are willing to invest in their career and are more likely to work under managers who will help them grow. This throws light on how important the role of a manager is in the organization and why it is crucial to hire the right manager. A manager is no longer just a designation but a key person who holds the employees as well as the organization brand together.  

However, it is also important to understand that not every high-performer will necessarily be a good manager. Especially if the employee has been promoted recently and asked to handle a team for the first time in their career. While some may deserve a promotion but not necessarily that they will excel at leading a team and might require some people management and leadership coaching in the beginning.   

Yet another angle to look at is when organizations fail to find the right talent internally and end up hiring quickly to fill the position in an effort to ensure that current work is not hampered, but they end up damaging the organization further which may not be visible at the beginning.   

So how then do we identify an ideal manager? 

Great managers have a rare combination of these five talents.  

 After Gallup studied a lot of top performers from different fields, it was found that great managers have a rare combination of these five talents that help them excel at their workplace in their managerial role.  

1. They motivate 

One of the most visible talents seen in great team leaders and great people , in general, is that they are always up for new challenges for themselves as well as for their team. They are continually looking for a space to learn, improve and grow, and deliver their best. They find a way to communicate and motivate employees at the workplace to join the action. These managers know how that their teams‘ motivation rests on recognizing and rewarding them for their great ideas, smart moves and for going the extra mile.  

2. They assert themselves to overcome obstacles

A manager’s true talent is visible during times of difficulties as well as in times of need. A talented manager is assertive and overcomes challenges irrespective of the situation without making excuses.  They keep the focus on creating change and improving the productivity in any situation.   

3. They create a culture of accountability

Extraordinarily some managers not only take accountability for the teamwork, but also, imbibe this quality in their team mates. These talented managers create a structure and process that helps their team deliver the work in time. They value inputs and suggestions that come from the team, they build on these ideas and this enables the manager to transfer accountability to team members as employee work with higher dedication while working on their own ideas and suggestions. 

4. They make unbiased decisions for the good of their team and company

Their decision-making skill is top–notch which helps them solve complex situations and problems. They always plan and are ready for unplanned circumstances. Business objectives are central to their decision making and they do not favour their friends at the workplace and treat every team member equally. Due to their unbiased approach, employees in his/her team are found to be happy working under them. 

They don’t seek easy and convenient solutions and nor do they think short term.  

5. They build relationships

Good managers built a positive relationship at the workplace that is strong, transparent and rooted in mutual trust. This helps them create a positive and engaging work environment between the team members, with other teams and even clients. With strong relationships, teams work cohesively and therefore keep the employees engaged. These managers understand the importance of appreciation, peer to peer recognition and they deploy it beautifully to reward & recognize employees employee recognition and therefore build long–lasting bonds at the workplace. 

The sought-after skill that characterizes great managers only exists in about one in 10 people. Another two in 10 people have some of the five talents and can become successful managers with the right coaching and development states Gallup.

An engaged and high performing manager is an influencer for the employees. Research has proved that employees who are supervised by highly engaged managers are 59% more likely to be engaged than those supervised by actively disengaged managers.  

It should come as no surprise then, that managers play a key role when it comes to employee engagement. A manager’s role is to encourage their team, provide positive feedback and create a path to grow for every team member. With technology–driven products such as Buzzz, today the manager can reward, recognize and motivate the team real–time, taking the managers skills a notch higher whilst keeping the employee engagement intact.   

To learn more about the features and know how you can make Buzzz a part of your employee engagement plans, contact our experts. Click here for a Buzzz demo.