Improve Employee Engagement

Powerful Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Human resources have been focused on how to improve employee engagement for years. This metric is ever so important as people are a company’s greatest asset and they bring in the business.

​A highly engaged workforce makes all the difference! Motivated employees have the capacity to create exponential returns for the companies they work in. When implemented with best business practice, sales improvement and strategies to improve teamwork this becomes a potent combination.

As we know, highly engaged employees do wonders for productivity and profitability. So how do we engage employees so they perform to the best of their ability?

Statistics have shown that purpose-driven employees who are self motivated, are a sure-fire way to improve employee engagement. An NLP for work course would definitely give employees clarity as to the path ahead, with step-by-step tools for application to the workplace.

Purpose is related to values and values are tied to motivation. This is why companies do well when they execute an NLP program especially with a top-down approach.

When employees learn basic models to make change, then use them in their daily life, this is where exponential returns are generated. These employees have the freedom to apply models learnt to the relevant contexts they are in and feel liberated.

This is the magic to improve employee engagement which then makes solving all other issues within the company, a seamless process. While many may think it is not such a simple task, to implement strategies to improve teamwork, I think it actually is. The crux is to use change models rather than give advice.

​Most companies dream of this enviable position, to have minimal employee turnover as it saves a lot of money and time. Investing in an NLP program could on the contrary be perceived as spending money but in the long run, can act as a saviour to the company’s pocket.

​Exit interviews as employees leave a company reveal the following:

• They didn’t feel valued
• They were not aligned with company mission/values/culture
• They didn’t get along with their direct managers
• They weren’t satisfied with their work/role
• They didn’t feel supported
• They didn’t see any career growth/future in the company

It is sad if companies wait to this point to realise how disengaged and demotivated their people are. Whether you are a company that has a high turnover of employees or not, I would highly recommend an NLP for work program that will guarantee to improve employee engagement.

Why do I say that? I have had the privilege of working through two insurance companies, where we executed a company-wide NLP initiative. This proved to be the best money spent for the company, as employees (within two modules of learning tools from a customised NLP program), heightened their motivation which sent performance shooting through the roof.

While NLP has been hailed as a more expensive program to launch in a company, compared to other modalities, if these are the results then I say look at the ROI rather than absolute dollars spent and DO IT!

This is what having engaged employees felt like:

• Motivated and passionate about their work and the company
• Satisfied with their work/role
• Committed to the company’s goals and mission
• Valued that they’re contributing to the company’s success

Not doing it only means you are leaving money on the table and no one wants to do that. Like turning a switch on and off in the house, an NLP for work program teaches employees where their switches are, and when to turn them on and off.

​Rolling out a company-wide NLP program is second to none, as change models are used simultaneously by everyone in the company. This type of 100% execution has the potential to pull everyone together in a concerted effort towards a new culture of engagement, that is set up as norm for the future.

​Over several months of rolling out this modularised NLP program, the client noted the following traits, indicating improved employee engagement across the board -

• Employees exercised more discretion
• Employees were more willing to initiate tasks
• Employees produced better quality work
• Employees volunteered to help out with projects/colleagues more
• Employees demonstrated more accountability

How can one refute any aspect of this? Isn’t this HR’s dream? Statistics show that 70% of employees are disengaged and 80% of this is due to their direct manager.

A quick glance at figures like this tell me managers lack coaching skills which are fundamental skills of how to be a good team leader. On top of this, 30% of new staff start looking for a job within the first six months of joining a company and 46% leave in 18 months.

The cost of this turnover has been proven in the past to be exorbitant and to be avoided at all costs. So here are some tips to improve employee engagement.

1. Invest in best practice
Train managers to be good team leaders and train them on strategies to improve teamwork. Employees with a great manager who possess coaching skills, stay longer and work harder.

2. Communicate and collaborate effectively
Managers have the capacity to learn new ways of maintaining open and effective communication. Some of these processes are taught at an NLP for work course:

• Engage with new staff from Day 1. Nothing is worse than waiting six months to tell an employee you’re not happy with them.
• Have regular team meetings/discussions. Make sure these are constructive to provide useful feedback.
• Give and receive regular feedback. Address issues as soon as they happen. Don’t wait until it spills over and disrupts the work place.
• Coach for development frequently. This means bite-sized and gradual development rather than radical, major shifts that may be stressful.
• Help improve and develop employees in their current role. Start with where they are and throw new challenges a step at a time.
• Provide career advancement opportunities. An employee who can see a path within the company is more likely to be engaged than one who doesn’t know where they stand.

​The bottom line is, never underestimate employee engagement. It can cost you dearly. Improve employee engagement regularly and enjoy the rewards that it brings.

The level of employee engagement can fluctuate depending on what’s going on in the company, business environment or employee’s personal life. Hence it makes sense to keep your finger on the pulse and remain current.

You could prevent low morale and productivity, high turnover and a host of other problems by engaging your employees through NLP for work practices.

​In addition, equipping managers with best practice and training on how to be a good team leader. Employees will thank you for it in more ways than one and you will stand to be the benefactor.

Sylvia Fernandes is the Founder & CEO of VIA Frontiers. She is a Master Trainer of NLP who is specialised in corporate applications. She started her business in Sydney in 2002 and has been operating in the Asia Pacific Region ever since. She is currently based in Singapore. She is also the author of Bye Bye Black Cat -- Turn Your Luck Around and Realise Opportunities. Visit VIA Frontiers for more information.