Free, Yes, Free, Ways to. Create a ERIN OWEN GREATER CINCINNATI WATER WORKS. Culture of Employee Engagement

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1 Free, Yes, Free, Ways to Create a ERIN OWEN GREATER CINCINNATI WATER WORKS Culture of Employee Engagement

2 Introduction: Professional BA from University of Cincinnati MPA in progress from Northern Kentucky University 22 years with the City of Cincinnati 14 years of supervisory experience in the public sector

3 Introduction: Personal (family, travel, sports & dogs)

4 Gallup: Engaged employees are those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace. What is Employee Engagement? Forbes: The emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals. Employee satisfaction What it isn t? Employee happiness

5 Why does Engagement Matter? Discretionary exertion Inventive & invested employees Individual & organizational performance Overall productivity Turn over Customer focus

6 Free Ways to Drive the Engagement Communication Conjoining Objectives Goal Setting Acknowledging Achievement Reinforcing Views of Benefits

7 Communication Research shows that the relationship between a Contact Center agent and his/her supervisor is a crucial component of employee engagement.

8 Having constructive conversations can positively impact employee engagement and produce quality results (Stone, 2013). Communication: Research Highly engaged employees hear recurring and uniform messages from management more frequently than employees with lower levels of engagement (Trahant, 2007). Leaders of high performing work groups communicate positive messages five times more frequently than negative comments (Wallace & Trinka, 2009). Employees who perceive their managers as effective communicators were more likely to perceive their organizations in a positive light (Harris Poll, 2015).

9 Weekly check ins with each employee Recognition program Communication in Action Uniformity in coaching Relationship building

10 Conjoining Objectives Conjoining of personal and organizational objectives results in both job satisfaction and commitment to expansion (Jernigan & Beggs, 2015).

11 Conjoining Objectives: Research A manager must strive to relate the organization s goals to the work of the individual to stimulate engagement (Pattakos, 2016). Engaged employees can see the positive results of their daily efforts on the organization (Trahant, 2007).

12 Structure goals to align with organizational goals Conjoining Objectives in Action Relate mission statement to daily tasks Explain the why Share organizational news and changes

13 Goal Setting Research shows that clearly prescribed expectations of what employees should do and how they should do it drives engagement.

14 Concrete performance goals create collaborative relationships that create engagement. (Baldwin, 1984). Goal Setting: Research Goal difficulty can enhance motivation (Wright 2016). Confusion about job duties decreases performance (Callier, 2016).

15 Create clear and understandable performance goals Establish short term goals Goal Setting in Action Set stretch goals that are ultimately achievable Provide ongoing feedback about these goals

16 Acknowledging Achievements When management recognizes accomplishment, they are making gains in the establishment of a culture that successfully emphasizes results, values, and initiative (Sanger, 2016).

17 Engagement is management s to lose. Acknowledging Achievements: Research Acknowledging achievements, even in a small way, increases positive emotions. Sharing success stories provides practical tips others can adapt in order to solve problems.

18 Do something more than a formal, yearly award Acknowledging Achievements in Action Praise publicly & authentically, in a timely manner Gauge what is expected and what is exceptional Hold managers accountable for fostering recognition

19 Reinforcing Views of Benefits Any and all benefits that the employee receives should be communicated effectively to them.

20 Reinforcing Views of Benefits: Research Enhanced relay of information about salary and benefits can actually be more important than the actual benefit. A strong benefit is a viable career path and career development. Sharing information on established programs geared toward employee wellness builds good will.

21 Share benefits at more points during an employee s career than onboarding Reinforcing Views of Benefits in Action Check in with eligible employees to see if they are taking advantage of benefits Help employees take full advantage Show a sincere interest in the employee s future career

22 I ve made these changes, what now? A culture of engagement can be solidified through onboarding efforts that introduce employees to their agency s history, mission, goals, and objectives, and ultimately demonstrates how the goals are met by the work done daily by the staff (Crosby, 2014). Managers need to show an authentic investment in their employees and help them plan a future (Puckett, 2015). Once a recognition program is established, seek continual feedback to make sure it is beneficial (University of Washington, 2016). Hold managers accountable.

23 Want to Know More? Relatively new field of study Very little focus on public sector

24 Further Reading All available on Amazon Likely not focused on public employees

25 Questions? Comments? ADULATIONS & APPLAUSE