Introduction
The concept of employee engagement has been around since the 1990s and it’s here to stay. The "new world of work" means that companies are embracing mobile technology, social media, big data and analytics to create a workplace that is increasingly digital, global and flexible. Employees are connected 24/7 and expect an experience at work that provides them with the flexibility to manage their work in a way that fits into their busy personal lives. If you want to keep your employees happy and productive in this new environment, you need to drive engagement with management. This will be critical for success in the future because employees who feel engaged also tend to perform better than those who don’t (and vice versa).
The new world of work is a reality
The new world of work is here and it is not going away. It’s not a fad, trend or phase either. This isn’t a bubble or hoax; it’s very real. The research and evidence supporting this shift in the way people work is everywhere – even if you don’t want to see it!
So what are some things that will help us deal with this new reality?
Management engagement: Leaders are uniquely positioned to drive employee engagement, but many struggle to do so effectively.
Despite their best intentions, many leaders are not effectively engaging and motivating employees. Why? At a time when people need to be more productive than ever before—and face an increasingly demanding set of competing priorities—leaders need to understand how they can be most effective in driving employee engagement.
A leader's ability to drive employee engagement is directly tied to their own level of engagement. In fact, leadership is a learned skill; it doesn't come naturally or come easily. It needs to be developed.
But leadership isn't just about being engaged yourself; it's also about being open and honest with your team members about what you're going through as a leader, so they can see how you balance those demands on their behalf. Leaders should also be collaborative in nature—they should seek out input from others rather than making decisions on their own (unless absolutely necessary). Finally, good leaders know that they must stay involved with the day-to-day activities of running the business in order to stay connected with employees and keep them motivated for success collectively
Building employee engagement through technology
Technology can help employees be more engaged in their work, jobs and careers.
Employees are increasingly using technology to assist them in managing their time, especially when it comes to scheduling meetings and keeping up with other projects. Employees that use these tools have higher levels of engagement than those who don’t. If you’re looking for new ways to engage your employees through technology, consider the following options:
Employee engagement means more than meeting in the middle
Employee engagement is a mindset, not a one-size-fits-all concept.
Employee engagement is not the same as employee satisfaction. In fact, you can be satisfied with your job and still disengaged from your company or organization. The difference between the two is that being engaged means feeling like you are part of something larger than yourself—a team with a common goal that helps each of its members grow professionally and personally. If you’re satisfied with your job, it may mean that you feel good about what you do but don’t care much about how successful the company or organization is as a whole.
Companies are already embracing the new world of work, and what leaders do now will have a lasting impact on their people, their customers, and their communities.
If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you're already embracing the new world of work (or at least thinking about it). But whether or not your organisation is ready to embrace it, one thing is clear: The new world of work is here to stay. Companies that don't make changes will be left behind.
The old model of employees working in an office full-time and then being rewarded with benefits like healthcare and paid time off was never designed for today's workforce—and now that we live in a world where more people are freelancers than ever before, there's no going back. Employers need to quickly learn how to adapt their employee engagement strategies if they want their company culture and performance outcomes to stay competitive into the future.
Conclusion
This new world of work represents an opportunity for companies to become stronger and more human. We firmly believe in the power of people, and that’s why we’ll continue pushing ourselves forward with our commitment to employee engagement.