Improving employee engagement through better leadership behaviour

A driving force behind employee engagement is good leadership. As a mindfulness practitioner and leader in the workplace, I have first-hand experience on why employee engagement is as important, if not more important, to the employee as it is to the company.

As a leader, a major part of ensuring employee engagement falls on my lap.

I check in often with my teams to gauge their engagement and ensure that the organisation is offering them the support they need. I recently hopped on a call with my team to discuss how their work was progressing and to thank them for their hard work, especially during the pandemic and the strain this put on regular working practices.

During one such conversation, someone commented, “It’s not often in an office that you actually see the results of your work, but when I hear updates about the things I’ve worked on it feels like I’ve actually done something.”

At that point, I recall another team member saying, “I know what you mean. When I do something, I usually have a good idea of why I’m doing it and it makes me feel this connection to my work.”

It’s gratifying to hear things like this, especially as a leader, because employee engagement is hard-won and very difficult to sustain. This is more so if you’re operating remotely or are facing major challenges like a global pandemic.

During any discussion on employee engagement, it’s important to acknowledge the fact that employee engagement is distinct from employee satisfaction.

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has towards the organisation they work for and its business goals. An engaged employee cares about their work and isn’t just working for their paycheck or waiting for the next big opportunity to come along.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report discovered that only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged in their jobs, i.e. emotionally invested in committing their time, talent, and energy. 67% are not engaged and 18% are actively disengaged.

Provide your employees with a sense of purpose and direction

Give employees a sense of direction by sharing company objectives and goals with them. This type of communication is a great way to show your teams what they should be working towards and the impact their work has on the company.

I share updates internally because it helps my teams feel like they’re a part of something and that their work has a real impact on the company as a whole. It’s a feeling that is often hidden from on-the-ground teams and can really contribute to a lack of direction.

When company goals are shared and emphasised by leaders, it can unite your teams and emphasise the valuable role each member plays within the organisation.

Offer training and opportunities for teamwork

Once you’ve put the right people in the right roles, employee engagement can be retained by making sure the work that each person is doing is meaningful both professionally and personally.

Training is another great way to boost engagement because it helps your employees feel challenged, valued, and engaged in their work.

A leader that emphasises training and teamwork is a leader that values their team, and employees will appreciate and respond to this. A misguided perception is that investing in training your employees will only drive them into the arms of your competitors. From what I’ve seen, this is far from the truth.

A company that invests heavily in people development boosts employee engagement and the associated loyalty this inspires in the workforce.

Leverage the benefits of mindfulness to build employee engagement

A workplace that fosters mindfulness encourages better leadership and cultivates employee engagement. Mindfulness creates a great place to work through employee engagement because it builds a culture of empowerment, happiness, and commitment.

The best way to create a workplace culture of mindfulness is with a comprehensive platform like Awakened Mind, which is specifically designed to supply you and your teams with the tools you need to develop corporate mindfulness.

Discover Awakened Mind’s range of resources, from our comprehensive Learning Center, selection of guided meditation tracks, and Neurosync™ technology and get started on your mindfulness journey today.