Inspirational quotes on employee engagement
Employee engagement is one of the most important challenges facing business today. You know when it is a serious topic when The Economist runs the article “Reinventing the Company” on its front cover. This is not just the topic of the moment, it is also based on a growing issue. The facts make very stark reading. In the Gallup State of the Global Workplace Report 2013 they state that “currently 13% of employees across 142 countries worldwide are engaged in their jobs — that is, they are emotionally invested in and focused on creating value for their organizations every day.”
They go on to say that of the remainder, 63% are not engaged and 24% are actively disengaged. When you really consider these statistics, it brings home a very serious message; the way that business is conducted today is just not working.
“It’s sad, really, how a negative workplace can impact our lives and the way we feel about ourselves. The situation is reaching pandemic heights — most people go to work at jobs they dislike, supervised by people who don’t care about them, and directed by senior leaders who are often clueless about where to take the company.” Leigh Branham and Mark Hirschfeld
Business has to change and transform employee engagement into an asset that will help deliver superior results whilst also improving the lives of its members. This requires connection. The ability of an organization to connect its employees to the company and to each other.
“Employee engagement is the art and science of engaging people in authentic and recognized connections to strategy, roles, performance, organization, community, relationship, customers, development, energy, and happiness to leverage, sustain, and transform work into results.” David Zinger
A successful business is founded on its people. If you get this right, everything else will fall into place.
“Your number one customers are your people. Look after employees first and then customers last.” Ian Hutchinson, author of People Glue
Quotations can be both insightful and inspirational. Here are some great quotations to help company leaders think about what is important in their business and what are the key catalysts to creating a compelling connection culture.
Purpose; ensure that the team understands, is committed to and is passionate about the core purpose of the company.
“There are only three measurements that tell you nearly everything you need to know about your organization’s overall performance: employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow. It goes without saying that no company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.” Jack Welch
“Create caring and robust connections between every employee and their work, customers, leaders, managers, and the organization to achieve results that matter to everyone in this sentence.” David Zinger
“Connect the dots between individual roles and the goals of the organization. When people see that connection, they get a lot of energy out of work. They feel the importance, dignity, and meaning in their job.” Ken Blanchard and Scott Blanchard
Performance (Leadership); devolve from command and control by focusing on desired outcomes, rather than limiting people to specific activities and tasks. Encourage innovation and experimentation.
“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person — not just an employee — are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” Anne M. Mulcahy
“Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.” Sam Walton
“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” Stephen R. Covey
“Remember, GReAT leaders focus on Growth, Recognition and Trust.” Kevin Kruse
“As a leader, you have to be authentic and constantly connecting with employees” Jeff Immelt
People (Culture); encourage a culture of cooperation (talent amplification) and knowledge flow. Help individuals get to know their colleagues, learn about their passions and skill-sets and understand how they can assist. Build a culture of connection.
“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.” Doug Conant
“The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.” Sybil F. Stershic
“Culture is about performance, and making people feel good about how they contribute to the whole.” Tracy Streckenbach
“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it’s true. If you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be dumb and lazy.” Warren Buffett
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” Simon Sinek
Productivity; apply lean principles (lean collaboration) to the way people work and reduce waste (too many emails and update meetings) by removing cumbersome processes, procedures and reporting.
“It is never an idea, technology, market forces, or access to capital that makes a company innovative. What differentiates an innovative company from an average company is the people working inside the company.” Jag Randhawa
“The simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity. Tom Peters
“Highly engaged employees make the customer experience. Disengaged employees break it. Timothy R. Clark
