Employee Engagement has been an area of growing interest and specialism for me over recent years – both in helping organisations enhance their reputation, internal comms and messaging - but also in taking on a key role in developing and delivering the new CIPD Masters Employee Engagement module at Leeds Met University’s Business School.
This made the Engage for Success Practitioner Event a ‘must attend’ last week. It was a lively, high speed morning with plenty of food for thought. Here’s a summary of what went on (sometimes in note form), shared in the spirit of promoting the The Importance of Employee Engagement to the well-being of UK plc and the people who work within it…
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS LEEDS CITY MUSEUM 23 JANUARY 2013
ENGAGE FOR SUCCESS LEEDS CITY MUSEUM 23 JANUARY 2013
LorraineHallam, Chief Office Leeds City Council introduced the morning and handed over to her colleague Joss Ivory – who heads up a range of Engagement programmes across the Authority. Joss in turn set up the morning and introduced the first main speaker: Cathy Brown, who is currently seconded out from her role at BT to play a key, full time role on the E4S programme.
I had the good fortune to catch up with Cathy over a coffee. Her passion and willingness to support the Engagement agenda however possible was inspiring. Cathy’s first session was a swift resume of the rationale for the Taskforce had how we had reached this point:
What’s changing in the 21st Century?
There has been a genuine paradigm shift in the world of work – from the death of deference which none of us can see ever returning – to a deep loss of trust in society, be that of Institutions (police, politics etc.) or Employers.
These broad societal changes may be categorised as so:
These broad societal changes may be categorised as so:
- Technology How we communicate, share and gather information is irretrievably transformed
- Work Over ¾ of UK jobs are knowledge based and require discretionary judgement
- Competition Globalisation and the shift of power to emerging nations (BRIC etc.)
- Sustainability Growing importance of Reputation management, CSR and Integrity.
Cathy reminded us that E4S is a movement not a quango (supported but not funded by Govt) and reliant on the support of businesses (secondment time etc.) and people like us. Leeds was given a special commendation for making this event the biggest attendance for an E4S event to date – with over 80 people present.
EfS have produced what was a well received video, that as Cathy pointed out, meant even her mum finally understood what she did for a living.. well worth a watch, and to share with anyone wanting a snapshot intro to the topic…
So what is the movement for?
- To shine a light on good EE practice already out there
- Help organisations develop a toolkit to do it for themselves
Why might we need more of it?
Whether explicitly or implicitly, people want something more than just £ rewards from their work.
· 64% of UK workers feel they have more to give at work – helps give confidence that EE is NOT a question of how many extra pips co’s can squeeze out of their staff.
Cathy then encouraged us to check out the ever expanding resource that is the efs website
E - EFS trying to connect well being, CSR and Engagement to help HR frame ONE single story that can be taken into to the C-suites of UK plc with real credibility.
- EFS groups, meanwhile, are looking at developing useful, practical tools and not stodgy white papers
BARRIERS:
The Barriers group has been focusing on :
- Senior mgt – and the big question they want answering – how can you demonstrate bottom line added value.. and
- How to influence analysts, shareholders around the profitability question
Economic Adversity – no shortage of opinion in the room that this is precisely THE time to be upping the EE ante, but when budgets are tight – getting the case out there can be tough
Mixed messaging as a barrier – small example – a company may make a string play for having a “Right 1st time culture” – but there is possibility that this might in fact inhibit innovation, willingness to take risks etc – so always a need to see if these mission and values are being read in the intended way.
ADVOCACY BEYOND HR:
Ed Collins MD at Nampak Plastics
WHAT CAN WE DO?
- Share stories with and about E4S
- Follow on twitter: @engage4success
- Subscribe to the E4S YouTube channel
- Join groups on linked in and share thoughts and ideas
- Just do it
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Joss then stepped up to pose the question:
WHY DOES ENGAGEMENT MATTER?
WHY DOES ENGAGEMENT MATTER?
Not Human Resources but Human beings we are dealing with
EE is not an add on, nor just what we do – but HOW we do it.
Plenty of metrics to back up the importance of (see Towers Perrin and Gallup from mid 2000’s also)
The recent University of Bath research being the most recent and perhaps compelling.
Co’s with upper quartile EE scores had:
- 2.5 more revenue growth
- 12% higher customer advocacy
- 18% higher productivity
- 40% lower turnover
... than those with lower quartile scores.
UK productivity 20% lower than the rest of the G7 (2011) - we hold one of the key levers to help accelerate the UK economy.
UK productivity 20% lower than the rest of the G7 (2011) - we hold one of the key levers to help accelerate the UK economy.
CASE STUDY: RSA Insurance:
Invested heavily in contact centre staff – training, listening etc – 37% reduction recorded in downtime between calls –the staff were quite simply more engaged with the business they were working for – solid numbers to help build the case again.
CASE STUDY: NHS
The 2009 Aston University Research – pointed to lower patient mortality? (Too far removed?)
CASE STUDY: GKN ENGINEERING
EE in a recession rooted on 3 principles:
- Build management capability
- Create meaningful dialogue with their people
- Deliver on promises
For any Dave Ulrich fanboys/girls out there – he thinks it matters too..
Much talk in the room upon measurement – survey results, absence rates, and combinations of the two – the most common metrics in evidence.
The session then split into 4 corners of the room for a stand up, break neck at the flipchart discussion around a number of key topics – including measurement and management buy-in.
Next up the keynote talk, from man who heads up the City’s largest employer (30,000 for the record):
Tom made it very clear very early he is on board with the EE agenda –shared tales of 6am starts at Bin Depots and other listening / floor walking sessions, which are a feature of his leadership style. (Remember – not everyone has email/twitter etc) Couldn’t stress enough the need for EQ as well as IQ, very much hearts n minds stuff here.. .
Having managed smaller organisations with different culture (Yorkshire Forward, 400 staff) was also well aware of the additional challenges of driving EE through disparate parts of very complex, multi-site organisations.
Believes the key to unlocking potential is in understanding the reality of day-to-day jobs – in an environment where there have been low/no pay rises and reduced/no job security. Or indeed how to engage those lowly paid in incredibly tough roles – eg Social Workers.
His answer was in essence this: Value them. And tell them they are valued.
“Everybody has a role. Everybody matters. Everybody wants to feel part of something.”
Re-inforced the need for senior management buy-in, not enough just to take out the message to the troops.
Yes to a framework and overall set of behaviours – no to clones and over rigidness… let people do it their own way as far as possible (classic Autonomy driver here)
Tom wanted a tangible means of showing LCC felt people mattered – and focused on Appraisals. Discredited and often not done at all – completion rates are now 97% and very much part of the DNA of the Council now.
Discussion around the importance of language – how the very word “Engagement” may well have many people running for the doors.. Tom’s response was typically plain speaking
“Who’s going to object to being told they are valued?”
“Who’s going to object to being told they are valued?”
Tom’s starting point is to invert the pyramid – seeing the senior few at the base supporting the many.
On Trade Unions – bring them in – ask them to speak at conferences, meetings – lots of scepticism at first, but the trust is coming. Ask them what role can they play in the success of the organisation?
In summary and after many interesting questions, Tom was able to share the essence of his own approach:
- Establish clear values – and live them
- Make sure your people are listened to – and responded to
- Make them feel part of the organisation
- Adapt approaches to fit – between / within organisations
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So there we have it, apologies for drifting into note form at times - but hope to have captured a flavour of what Yorkshire’s EE practitioners are thinking right now – and some of the progress being made across the UK – not least by the Engage 4 Success team.
Final word from me – if you have examples of good practice that you would be happy to share – we are always looking for speakers to come share their stories with the Masters CIPD students here in Leeds.
And if you want to share some thoughts on how your own business could benefit from engaging its people more effectively, I’d be more than happy to help.
And if you want to share some thoughts on how your own business could benefit from engaging its people more effectively, I’d be more than happy to help.
Mike is Owner / Director of Hinterland Consulting Ltd:
Enabling clients to better Attract, Hire and Engage Talent
Enabling clients to better Attract, Hire and Engage Talent
