You feel it, right? A global paradigm shift is happening. The way we communicate and listen to each other is changing, shaped by developments in social media, use of algorithms and digitization.
For example, what type of ‘listening’ is reflected in today’s news headlines? Brexit: a government consulting it’s people through a referendum and trying to act on the results, but the outcomes satisfying no-one. Immigration: to some a threat, to others a necessity. Populism: an increasing political influence that claims to represent ordinary people. What ‘conversations’ are happening when this type of news just keeps coming?
The same questions can be asked of the business world. Today’s change is exponential, driven by disruptive competitors, radical transparency and digitization. Organizations want fast, precise and qualitative insights. They need insights about their markets, customers, sales, and also about employees.
Why does all this matter in the context of employee engagement? The dual challenge is to address the organization’s need for quantitative employee insights that drive performance and the need to be open to employees’ voices to foster constructive conversation.
Is there also a paradigm shift when it comes to employee engagement? Do we need to find a new approach that puts listening and conversation the heart of our engagement strategies?
Regardless of the drivers for employee engagement, we know engagement has been important and valuable for decades, measured traditionally through engagement surveys.
However “Only 22% Of Companies Are Getting Good Results From Their Employee Engagement Survey” 1
Employee engagement is still an important focus. It's just where the investment and focus lies that is changing.
“Making engagement happen will be the business challenge of the next decade and a focal point of emerging talent imperative” Source AON Hewitt, 2014.
1 Harter, Jim, and Brandon Rigoni. State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders. Rep. Washington, DC: Gallup, 2015. Print.
*Link back to our Publication about this research.
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