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The Engagement Revolution
7 Pillars for a Transformational Workforce
In an ever-changing workplace and workforce, organisations need to reimagine employee engagement. We need to go beyond the traditional definition of an engaged employee. Let's try to spot an engaged employee: super productive, positive, and solution-focused, spreading cheer and speaking good about the company inside and outside, ambitious, and always learning!
Some employees may come by these characteristics naturally, the majority not. We have long debated the “Nature vs. Nurture theory” on leadership. However, creating a super engaged workforce needs a huge amount of nurturing to shape characters. What we give to employees beyond salary and bonus can make a big difference in workforce engagement.
Engagement is no longer a “one size fits all” approach it now requires customisation to resonate across different generations, cultural backgrounds, and career phases. There is no doubt that employee needs are complex and will vary from person to person. Yet, the top seven overarching principles have emerged as key drivers of an inclusive and meaningful workplace.
1. Purpose and Values
At the heart of engagement lies a purpose-driven mission. Research suggests that when purpose and long-term strategy are communicated with clarity, a spike in employee engagement is observed. Employees increasingly want to know their work contributes to something bigger, aligning with their own values.
Research also suggests today's workforce expects their employers to focus on mission-driven people/planet problems, e.g., social, climate, and sustainability. Radical transparency being upfront about both challenges and successes empowers employees to feel they're part of the organisation's broader narrative.
Today's workforce wants more from their jobs. They look for a bigger purpose, opportunities to learn & grow, and to feel part of co-creating their future and a more holistic approach to life-work integration.
2. Job Design
This sense of purpose is bolstered by intrinsic motivators like meaningful roles, challenging projects, and clear career paths. Take Gen Z as an example: many seek fast-paced, evolving roles to keep them energised and inspired. Organisations today must offer impactful roles so that the job itself becomes an incubator for learning and development, resulting in increased confidence and contribution to organisation. People thrive in environments where they're encouraged to innovate, experiment, and push boundaries without fear of failure. Technology is another cornerstone of modern engagement. Streamlined, user-friendly digital tools can make work more efficient and enjoyable and less operational, freeing up time for more value.
3. Learning & Development
L&D interventions need to move beyond traditional broad categorisations by embracing a more nuanced approach to understanding individual learning needs and preferences. The best strategy is to use a combination of demographic, psychographic, and behavioural data to develop a multifaceted understanding of the workforce. This approach enables the creation of L&D initiatives that are not only tailored to the diverse needs of your employees but also resonate with them on a personal level and create future-fit capabilities for organisations. Offering pathways to upskill or reskill signals an organisation's genuine investment in its people, fostering high engagement.
4. Connects and regular feedback
Today's workforce's need for constant validation and being heard is very high. I feel this need is felt in all generations; employees crave in-person connections and support to either feel validated or timely course correct. These connections are beyond the regular pulse checks and surveys, which are done anonymously in most organisations. Regular check-ins, multi-source feedback, and authentic communication with line managers and skip-level leaders help build trust. Organisations must also invest in coaching and mentoring programs to establish two-way connections with senior leadership.
5. Structured Rewards & Recognition
Employees need to feel appreciated, valued, and recognised for the discretionary efforts they put into their work. A structured and decentralised recognition framework enables timely, on-the-go recognition of “what and how." This not only reinforces the values of the organisation, but also creates a high-performance culture.
6. Benefit of Benefits
Any organisation can only do “so much” when it comes to raises and bonuses. In addition to insurance coverage, loans, or comprehensive health benefits, organisations will do well in crafting flexible policies like remote work options, generous leave, family caregiving options, and inclusive policies, as they are essential in balancing work with personal well-being. These benefits do create loyalty, gratitude, and stickiness towards organisation.
7. Inclusive Culture
Employee engagement is more than just satisfaction at work. It's about feeling a part of the company, where one's opinions are valued and contributions are acknowledged. In the context of inclusion, engagement transcends to a deeper sense of belonging, where diverse voices are not just acknowledged but actively celebrated. It's said, “Diversity is a fact, and inclusion is an act!" Organisations that weave inclusive practices into all business processes send a signal that each one is valued, and employees feel free to bring their authentic selves each day to the workplace.
Today's workforce wants more from their jobs. They look for meaning, chances to grow, and to feel part of co-creating their future. By embracing these pillars and customising the interventions nuanced to workforce demographics, organisations can create an environment where employees feel motivated, valued, and prepared for the future, ultimately benefiting both individuals and the business.
*Ms. Poonam Burman serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Godrej Industries Limited (Chemicals). With 27 years of experience in HR business partnering, she has worked across a diverse range of industries, including FMCG, IT product development, automobiles, textiles, oil and gas engineering services, mining products and services, and telecom.
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Ms. Poonam Burman
Chief Human Resources Officer - Godrej Industries Limited (Chemical), IOD Member
Owned by: Institute of Directors, India
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the articles/ stories are the personal opinions of the author. IOD/ Editor is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in those articles. The information, facts or opinions expressed in the articles/ speeches do not reflect the views of IOD/ Editor and IOD/ Editor does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
