The Language of Employee Engagement – Part 2

March 22, 2016 by

There are myriad definitions of “employee engagement.” Invariably, most of my keynote presentations and workshops begin with an exploration of the “correct” definition. But the reality is that there isn’t a single correct definition. Engagement encompasses a lot of attributes and characteristics.

Therefore, I thought it would be interesting to reach out to all of my LinkedIn groups and ask for the most common one-word descriptions of employee engagement. Here are the results of the most frequently cited words, in alphabetical order:

A-player
Caring
Committed
Creative
Curious
Customer-centric
Ethical
Energetic
Fun
Giving
Honest
Innovative
Inspiring
Learner
Long-term
Loyal
Mentor
Optimist
Passionate
Present
Prideful
Problem-solver
Positive
Productive
Quality-oriented
Self-motivated
Supportive
Resourceful
Safety-compliant
Unselfish
Volunteer

Have you defined and communicated your organization’s definition of employee engagement? Sharing the aforementioned list will help employees understand the traits and characteristics that will serve them well in the workplace.

As important as talking about engagement, have you also charged each of your managers with articulating to their staff members exactly how their role and job function fits into the organization’s strategic success? People want to know how their traits and actions benefit the organization overall. This knowledge will further increase engagement, creating a healthy cycle for employees and employers alike.

 

 

Kevin Sheridan is an internationally-recognized Keynote Speaker, a New York Times Best Selling Author, and one of the most sought-after voices in the world on the topic of Employee Engagement. For five years running, he has been honored on Inc. Magazine’s top 100 Leadership Speakers in the world, as well as Inc.’s top 100 experts on Employee Engagement. He was also honored to be named to The Employee Engagement Award’s Top 101 Global Influencers on Employee Engagement of 2017.

Having spent thirty years as a high-level Human Capital Management consultant, Kevin has helped some of the world’s largest corporations rebuild a culture that fosters productive engagement, earning him several distinctive awards and honors. Kevin’s premier creation, PEER®, has been consistently recognized as a long-overdue, industry-changing innovation in the field of Employee Engagement. His first book, Building a Magnetic Culture, made six of the best seller lists including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. He is also the author of The Virtual Manager, which explores how to most effectively manage remote workers.

Kevin received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1988, concentrating his degree in Strategy, Human Resources Management, and Organizational Behavior. He is also a serial entrepreneur, having founded and sold three different companies.

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Email: kevin@kevinsheridanllc.com