By Michael Divers

Bold HR

 

We all know that the challenges posed by the economic crisis since 2008 have put an enormous strain on the relationship between organisations and the people they employ.

Overlay this with the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation, the unrelenting advance of technology and new ways of working and it’s no wonder that in many organisations employee engagement is at an all time low. Recent reports suggest that only one third of employees in the UK feel engaged and that we are ranked ninth for employee engagement in the world’s 12 largest economies.

Apparently, if our employee engagement levels were similar to those of the Netherlands, our GDP would increase by £25.8 billion.

The recent Top 100 Best Companies to Work For provides some fantastic case studies and gives great insight into how organisations can mobilise their people behind these challenges and use that energy, commitment and talent to innovate, deliver fantastic customer experiences and drive performance and growth.

More than ever, removing the constraints that organisations impose on their people is critical if they are truly going to survive and prosper. So what can we practically do to build employee engagement in our organisations? Well, a good start would be to reflect on what lies at the heart of the relationship between a business and its people – just what is ‘the deal’? In most places this is just assumed and invariably the wrong assumptions are made.

Of course, the contractual relationship is captured in terms and conditions of employment (or at least it should be) and what is expected in terms of performance should ideally be set out in performance objectives.

But when you think about it, there is something more fundamental to the relationship that needs to be discussed and agreed.

And invariably it’s not.

It’s highly likely that those in the Top 100 best companies have figured this out because they understand that attracting and retaining amazing talent is critical to their future success. So, if you work for them you will believe in what they stand for and understand where you fit in and what is expected of you.

They will support your career development and you can see your future with them. Your manager will treat you well and you will feel fairly rewarded for the contribution you make. And for many people, they will want to see their employer give something back as it grows and becomes more successful.

Of course, none of this is rocket science and many businesses do this intuitively. Engaging with that talent to shape and articulate ‘the deal’ that lies at the heart of the employment relationship is a key to unlocking an organisation’s potential and driving our city’s economic growth.