Engage to retain staff - Employers can drive productivity through better employee engagement

This post came out from The Straits Times (12 June 2014)
Title - Engage to retain staff - Employers can drive productivity through better employee engagement

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Climate
2. Trust
3. Acknowledge needs

On Climate

• Climate refers to the perception attached to a work environment, what it feels like to work there and, according to Robert Stringer, "drives performance because it is tied directly to motivation - that is, to the energy people put into their work".
• This goes back to an employee's willingness to put in the extra mile, resulting in increased productivity and business performance.

On Trust

• Trust is another important factor in improving employee engagement and also relies on managers leading the way. To establish a climate of trust, managers should focus on three areas: listening, actioning commitments and encouraging employee contribution.
• Building trust in the workforce relies on two way communication. Managers have to actively listen to employee's concerns, follow through with their commitments and open up opportunities for feedback, or face a workforce that feels distanced and unaccomplished. 
• This can be difficult in Singapore, as there has traditionally been little consideration for contribution in the workplace. However, it is possible to build trust when leaders see the link between trust, engagement employee needs and productivity and then infuse it into their everyday work.

On Acknowledge needs

• Acknowledging the personal and professional needs of employees is also important when it comes to effective engagement. Forum has identified five key needs that contribute to a highly engaged employee: Accomplishment, Recognition, Enjoyment, Belonging and Advancement. 
• These factors don't hold the same value for everyone - what is important for one employee may not matter to the other. This means that, while employee engagement efforts should be implemented across an organisation, they should also be individual. It also again highlights the importance of a manager's role in team and individual employee engagement. 
• Managers need to recognise their employees' needs and understand how to manage them in the right way and get the best out of their team. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big