Here's why you need more 'engaged' employees

Picture an employee coming to work, completing all deliverables as per the to-do-list and leaving as per scheduled time. Now visualize another employee displaying an entrepreneurial mindset, looking for ways to contribute beyond the job. Which one do you think is engaged?

Employee Satisfaction vs. Employee Engagement

Let’s break this down – employee satisfaction is essentially job satisfaction. It answers the questions of how content an employee is with the job or employer with regard to the basic needs like salary, infrastructure, work culture etc. A satisfied employee is one that’s happy in the company and the role his/her job fulfils in life.

Employee engagement, on the other hand, is something that goes beyond the job role and happiness. An engaged employee is aligned with the company’s vision and goals and this impacts his/her productivity and performance at work. Ultimately, an engaged employee is likely to stay longer in the organization.

Does your organisation have satisfied or engaged employees?

If you’re wondering what could be the answer to this question at your organization, here are a few cues to gage-

• Do your employees know and live the company’s values and support your vision?

• Are your employees your brand ambassadors - Identify oneself as one with the organization with pride?

• Do they look beyond tasks and collaborate with others towards the larger goal?

• Are they open to communication in taking and sharing feedback?

• Are they constantly looking for ways to learn new things and grow as individuals?

If you see the above indicative factors, reward them! If you don’t, it’s time to encourage them.

How can employee satisfaction lead to employee engagement?

Even though an employee may seem content with the job, and this is more often that not enough to retain employees, it is not enough to ensure productivity. Engagement, however, has proved to result in higher productivity levels in an employee.

In an instance reported by Decision Wise, an individual chooses to be engaged in what they do, overlooking the elements of satisfaction in the given situation. Examining the instance in question, the elements of engagement are clearly defined as MAGIC – meaning, autonomy, growth, impact and connection. An engaged and motivated individual will look for these elements as they play a greater role and hold more value than the basic needs of satisfaction.

But can you be sure?

Yes! Engagement involves the heart, hands and mind of the employee as compared to a transactional relationship witnessed with employee satisfaction. Engaged employees brings a contribution to the organization and unique ideas to the table. Their choice to do a certain task a certain way leaves an impression in the work accomplished by them. That’s when you know – your satisfied employee is highly engaged at the workplace.

Improving Employee Engagement

For a highly productive workforce and a better bottom line, it is essential to focus on employee engagement and not satisfaction. As the experts say –

While an engaged employee is satisfied with his/her job, a satisfied employee isn’t necessary engaged with the job.

Source: https://www.peoplematters.in/blog/guest-article/heres-why-you-need-more-engaged-employees-22033