What are the keys to employee engagement? What drives employees to come to work on a Monday morning charged up and ready to go? A recent compilation of data received from 281 companies and over 970,500 employees points to 10 key factors that contribute to employee engagement.
The survey was conducted by Peter Barron Stark.  Companies with the most engaged employees have ten specific differentiators that set them apart.
The following Ten Keys to Workplace Excellence originate from themes that Stark and his team noticed when reviewing statements that had the largest discrepancies in favorable responses between the Best-of-the-Best Benchmark and the Overall Benchmark. Below each of the 10 Keys is the largest differentiating statement within that particular theme.
The 10 Keys to Workplace Excellence
- A Compelling, Positive Vision with Clear Goals
Statement: “I am clear on the company’s goals and future direction.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 92.2% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 76.7% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 15.4 - Communication
Statement: “I feel/management at my company communicates opening and honestly with employees.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 82.0% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 60.1% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 21.8 - Hiring the Right People
Statement: “I feel my company hires the best/most qualified candidates possible.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 81.3% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 61.1% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 20.2 - Teamwork
Statement: “In my opinion, the departments at my company cooperate well together.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 83.2% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 65.4% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 17.8 - Continuous Improvement and Innovation
Statement: “I am encouraged to take the initiative to improve the quality in my area.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 93.0% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 70.5% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 22.5 - Recognizing and Rewarding Performance
Statement: “I feel my company appropriately rewards the highest achievers.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 74.8% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 57.0% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 17.8 - Accountability
Statement: “Job responsibilities at my Company are clearly defined.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 88.5% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 74.4% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed the Overall by: 14.0 - Continuous Learning and Growth
Statement: “My company places a high value on training and educating employees.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 87.7% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 70.3% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 17.4 - Problem Solving
Statement: “When conflict arises at my company, it is resolved in a timely manner.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 79.9% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 67.7% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 12.3 - Customer Service
Statement: “People at my company feel free to communicate up the ladder to get answers to customers’ requests.”
Best-of-the-Best Benchmark: 87.6% favorable
Overall Benchmark: 74.4% favorable
Best-of-the-Best exceed Overall by: 13.1
We certainly concurr with all these results. We found in our 2012 Survey of 2835Â Global HR Executives that trust and communication were serious pain points. Â
Copyright TIGERS Success Series by Dianne Crampton
Image by iStock
About Dianne Crampton
Dianne Crampton helps committed leaders build cooperative work environments and teams of committed and engaged employees.
She accomplishes this using her proprietary TIGERS® team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. TIGERS® serves merging organizations, organizations undergoing culture change and founding leadership teams with the commitment to be recognized as one of the best companies to work for.
Dianne also licenses and certifies organizational development specialists, corporate trainers, coaches and independent consultants in the use of TIGERS® catalytic resources to improve work culture and team dynamics. One of these tools earned a nomination by Merrill Lynch for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
A thought leader in the team culture movement, Dianne Crampton holds international trademarks and copyrights and is a published author, speaker and Founder of TIGERS Success Series, Inc.
This is great info Dianne and I think it applies equally to solo-preneurs – in fact I do believe that each of the factors you point out are things that a solo-preneur might want to look at when assessing how they show up for themselves in their own business – I’m going to do that myself!
Amethyst,
I think you make a good point. And, this also applies to all your vender and contractor relationships as well.
Thanks for taking time to visit the site and read what interests you in the Den.
Dianne