The Consequences of Ignoring Employee Engagement

Meet “Frank”.

Although Frank came from modest beginnings, he became a very successful employee. For many years his boss paid him well for work he enjoyed. His employer worked him hard (which he didn’t mind) but his boss didn’t really appreciate or recognize his work, not giving Frank his due. In the vernacular of our New Rules of Engagement℠, his employer didn’t “magnify his success” by recognizing Frank for the terrific work he performed.

Frank was loyal, but in the back of his mind felt he could do more, and certainly felt he could be more appreciated for his efforts. According to our research, employees who feel recognized at work are eight times more likely than those who do not to agree that “working here brings out my best ideas”, so it makes sense Frank felt something was missing in his job.

Because of his work load Frank wasn’t able to pay much attention to the outside world, and didn’t realize he had many admirers. One day, a friend told him about a job opportunity he should consider from one of those followers. It would require a relocation, which would take him away from family and friends. But the new employer wanted him to stretch in ways he wasn’t currently being challenged, and this intrigued and excited him so much he accepted the new gig.

And, wow, he produced!

The job change and opportunity to further spread his wings brought out his best. He was not only more prolific, the quality of work was markedly better. By all accounts, Frank took a significant step forward in his career, one that would have never happened if he had stayed with his previous employer, who paid him well but never found a way to bring the best out in Frank. Frank’s new employer also helped him receive the praise he so much deserved, and his life and career were never the same.

The accounts of folks like Frank happen all too often in our world of work. And with social media, it’s no surprise that Frank’s abilities were noticed by others, right?

Forgive me, but for dramatic purposes I’ve fibbed a bit in this tale.

The story of “Frank”, although true, is actually about Franz-- Franz Joseph Haydn, one of the masters of classical music. Haydn is known as the “father of the symphony”, whose career wasn’t in this century but in the seventeenth. Yet Haydn’s 200 year-old story is relevant to this day, because we continue to make the same mistakes in mismanaging employees:

• We don’t take the time to learn about the interests, skills and desires of our employees, which we call “getting inside their heads”.
• We don’t “magnify their successes”, celebrating those times when they have contributed meaningfully to enterprise.
• We don’t help them think about how they can develop their career, what we call “see their future”.
• We don’t offer employees opportunities to “take it to extremes”, challenging them to accomplish incredible things and, in doing so, grow in ways they may not have thought possible.

Ignoring our best employees has consequences. But when we lead our employees in a way where they feel truly appreciated their happiness improves and they can, to turn a phrase, help us make beautiful music together!

Take time to learn more about the New Rules of Engagement and Rodd Wagner’s Widgets: The 12 New Rules for Managing Your Employees As If They’re Real People, published by McGraw-Hill at: www.widgetsthebook.com.