Engaging People

Collaborating across divides requires new competencies and new processes. En-gauge For RESULTS© is a process that targets improvements anchored by the specific requirements of your organization. 

Dr Lesley Beatson and Associate Doreen Demers direct the Engauge for RESULTS© process. After interviews with participants and a brief but in depth analysis of the specific issues that are causing concern or inefficiency a quantitative instrument is used to measure current levels of engagement. Employees are then involved in an innovative process that will help them create viable solutions in partnership with management. Through an expertly facilitated, transparent process employees become an integral part of developing and implementing sustainable solutions.

Dr Lesley Beatson and Associates integrate leadership coaching into consulting solutions to create and support sustainable organizational culture change.

What is engagement?

Engagement can be defined as the extent to which employees commit to something or someone in their organization. It is demonstrated by the amount of extra effort that is expended and determines how long they stay.  Rational engagement is the extent to which an employee believes that his or her manager and/ or organization behave in their best interests. Emotional engagement relates to the feelings employees have concerning their jobs, manager and organization. The rational and emotional commitment employees have directly impacts their discretionary effort (resulting in improved performance) and their intent to stay (resulting in improved retention) - both of which have a significant impact on organizations.

Why improve levels of engagement?

Employee engagement is a significant determinant of an organization’s overall effectiveness, efficiency, culture and sustainable competitive advantage.

The impact that highly committed employees have on organizations is clear and measurable. Highly committed employees:

Exert 57% more effort
Perform 20% better and are
87% less likely to leave than employees with lower levels of commitment (Center for Creative Leadership Study, The Effort Dividend 2004). 

What about generic surveys?

While organizational surveys provide valuable quantifiable data: surveys do not equal engagement and similarly do not generate the solutions required to address critical cultural and operational issues inherent in the workplace.
 

What is Engauge for RESULTS©

The ‘Engauge for RESULTS©’ process is designed and proven to directly and positively impact performance, collegiality, efficiency and employee retention. Key issues are identified and prioritized through a process that builds capacity in individuals and teams. The results are solution-focused activities, behaviours and accountabilities. The outcome is improved quality and efficiency with employees functioning at a high level of engagement.

The Key Advantages of Engauge for RESULTS© Are As Follows:

  • It is an adaptable process that is driven by employee input and participation;
  • Builds capacity in the organization;
  • Provides leadership development;
  • Customized design from themes identified by employees;
  • Priorities are set and agreed to by all levels of the organization;
  • An action plan with accountabilities is produced; and
  • It establishes a clear and quantifiable method of evaluating progress.

Overview of the Steps to Engauge for RESULTS©:

Engagement Steps

Participants

Objectives

1. Interviews: To identify engagement themes and input for survey development. These interviews are based on topics which drive engagement according to reliable research.

Randomly selected cross-section of employees from all occupational groups.

Determine issues and themes identification.
Objective analysis of interviewee thoughts, feelings, effort and intention to stay.
Core content for survey development.

2. Survey: Customized survey integrating engagement drivers and interview themes.

All employees.

Quantifiable data.
Debrief survey results with Managers (individually) and members of Leadership Team.
Analysis of individual departments and total group results.

3. Focus Groups:  To prioritize survey results and develop proposed action plans around top issues for consideration by a management team.

5-10 key individuals representing different disciplines.

Review survey findings and prioritize survey results in order of importance according to the group.
Develop specific, measurable and observable proposed action plans for top 4-5 themes to present to Senior Leadership for consideration and approval.

4. Managers Session(s): Managers and Leadership session(s) to develop team specific and overall action plans, communication and accountabilities in response to focus group results.

Management.

Communication of the highest priority issues.
 Specific action plans in response to focus group proposed suggestions.
Clear accountabilities for individual Managers and  Leadership connected to implementation and performance reviews.

5. Debriefs: Facilitated meetings to communicate action plans and respond to questions and concerns.

All.

Open engagement and discussion process for all employees focused on action plans and commitments.
Reinforces importance of engagement process through two-way dialogue.
Ensures that Management and all employees are actively engaged and committed to the process and action plans.
Allows for learning.
A multiple perspective evaluation of the process.

6. Repeat Process: Once process is complete, integrate process improvements. Evaluate.
Propose established improvements to other sites/departments.

All.

Evaluate and make improvements to the process.
Repeat the adaptive engagement process at other sites/departments.

7. Amplify wins: Leverage stories and successes for the company through effective communications.

Information sharing throughout the organization.

Written communications to introduce overall process outline.
Written summary report documenting departmental and site benchmarking data, action and accountability plans.
Process and results are available for presentation at Management’s request.

The end results of this process are clear and measurable action plans based on prioritized employee feedback. The action plan includes key commitments, actions and accountabilities.

 

Overtime Reduction:

Data taken from the Diagnostic Imaging Department at Penticton Regional Hospital 18 months after Engauge for RESULTS© was successfully implemented. Reducing overtime while workload increased is welsome byproduct of increased engagement scores.

Workload Increase:

Further benefits of engaging in this process include building capacity at the individual, team and organizational level.

 

  1. Trust is increased through active listening and follow-through.
  2. Employees become more focused on results and success by developing key priorities and action plans.
  3. Communication improves through facilitated processes. People feel validated because their concerns are addressed.
  4. Conflicts and issues that have been latent within groups are resolved.
  5. Accountability is increased by reducing ambiguity with clear, measurable action plans.

 
Engauge for RESULTS©: A Process to Improve Collaboration and Efficiency in Professional Teams 

En-gage-ment: an internal state of being; what I am thinking and feeling about my job and how these thoughts and feelings influence any extra effort I expend.