When I earned my MBA, it was a truism that there was “no research to support the theory that happier workers are better workers.” How could this be? Intuitively this idea seems wrong to most of us. As it turns out, it is wrong. Thankfully, someone finally did the research.
A corporation with a highly engaged workforce consistently makes more money than one with an averagely engaged workforce – about 40% higher operating margins for “highly engaged” and a whooping 270% higher for the “most engaged.” This is made clear in a watershed report by Towers Watson, The 2012 Global Workforce Study.
Organizations need to create an environment that helps employees deal with the health impact, stress, and family issues that come with a sustained investment of extra effort. The traditional definition of a “highly engaged” employee is one who is willing to go the extra mile — or in consultant-speak has “the willingness to invest discretionary effort.” The report suggests, however, that such discretionary effort is not sustainable without the support of the organization.
Human beings are social animals. They will engage when it makes sense for them to engage. For years, I have been trying to figure out how to create the mythical “engaged employee.” But I think that is wrong headed. Our job is to create organizations worthy of employee engagement.
Creating “sustainably engageable” organizations means building systems and providing resources that support employees across multiple dimensions that are important to them. Managers that care about their well-being, systems and policies to support their families, a time and place where they can have input on issues that are important to them, and resources that can relieve them from the drudgery of seemingly nonsensical bureaucracy. All these things conserve and create energy that enables them to spend that extra 30 minutes polishing a presentation or refining a plan.
This engagement adds up to higher profits, greater customer satisfaction, higher retention rates and a huge reserve of energy you can call on when needed. Intuition isn’t always right, but it is in this case. Employee engagement makes for a happier more harmonious workplace, and it also builds the bottom line.
What Do You Think?
Does this make sense to you? What would you like your employer to offer that would release your energy and improve your worklife?
