Engagement is Emotional - Leaders need to Connect

If you read many of the business strategy books that talk about implementing planning tools and managing change to develop culture, you might believe that employee engagement was based entirely on rational, practical details.  Half of our experience, however, is based on emotion.  Emotion drives passion and loyalty and emotional connections impact the strength of your employee relationships.

According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report, more than 50% of employees were “phoning it in”.  They were going to work and not feeling engaged or excited by their job.  An additional 20% are actively disengaged, disconnected emotionally from their work, their manager and their company overall.  Face to face with statistics like these, a clear focus for leadership teams should be to understand their company’s reality and work to create a context that reinforces the emotional connection of employees to the brand, better supports the EVP, and re-engages employees, to create a Great Place to Work.

When the leadership team consistently model and reinforce behaviours that develop trust – these connections will spread throughout the company.  Demonstrating respect is an important part of building loyalty.  Delivering on promises in a timely way, or being accountable for fixing issues within your control, are concrete examples of behaviours that will spread to become the cultural norm and increase that employee connection.

Author Scott Edinger, had advised in his Harvard Business Review blog post that leaders don’t need to be emotional to connect, they need to be human. He provides reminders of three key ways a leader can strengthen that connection:  Paying attention, knowing emotions are contagious, and getting out of the office.

1. Being present in the conversation can create a very powerful connection. By setting aside the smartphone and turning away from the computer screen to pay undivided attention to what is being said demonstrates the value you place on the individual and their contribution.

2. Being aware that emotions are contagious is very important. Those 20% of actively disengaged employees have a wider reach than just their own role and can drag an entire team down with them.  A leader is self-aware enough to know when they are feeling anxious or irritable – it will translate to the team and continue to spread.  When they are feeling upbeat and excited – it’s a great time to get out of the office and contribute that enthusiasm to the environment.

3. Making sure to get out of the office and engage individuals. Walking around and being visible creates a more approachable image and encourages informal conversation.  It works to break down any barriers between the “guy in the office” and “the guys on the floor” and gives the leader a better sense of an employee’s reality.

High performing organizations have leaders that understand it really is a battle for the hearts and minds of employees.  The discretionary effort of every employee creates the differentiators that drive successful business.  When the leadership team connects with employees on a personal level, it becomes about more than just a job.