When employees know what their managers expect of them, they are more likely to feel connected to their employers. This is one of the findings of Gallup Q12, a survey that measures twelve key expectations that employees need to feel engaged at work. Gallup found that “engagement scores reveal that those with high Q12 scores exhibit lower turnover, higher sales growth, better productivity, better customer loyalty, and other manifestations of superior performance.” (1)
To see how Q12 performs in the “real world,” we posted each of the twelve questions on social networking sites and analyzed the results. In this series of articles, you’ll find out why employee engagement matters.
Q12, question number one, “Do you know what is expected of you at work??”
Ellen, CEO of a local university, was in charge of the training department at her institution. Because she was left alone, she often wondered if upper management noticed her efforts. Ellen got her answer during an executive meeting when her supervisor told her that the organization was launching a new service model. They invited Ellen to lead their training effort and took her to a three-day seminar on Exceptional Service. Ellen shared, “I learned more in that program than in all the workshops and seminars I had attended, and was able to help launch an incredible service model that is used to this day. My employer invested in me and that made me all the difference.”
Why did this work? Ellen’s employer not only invested in her by sending her to training, but also allowed her to use her skills, knowledge and talents in a new way. When her management set high expectations for her, they increased her confidence level. This new role also gave her the opportunity to take on more responsibilities, and in doing so, created a win-win situation: the company gained a more versatile employee, as well as a successful new service model for the company, and Ellen realized realized that management noticed and appreciated their efforts.
Caitlin, author, speaker, and journalist, began her career as a reporter for a major national newspaper. Being in such a tough and competitive environment, Caitlin herself realized that being on the cover was like climbing Mount Everest. She reached the pinnacle of her professional activities when one of her articles finally made it to the coveted spot on the front page. Shortly after, she Caitlin received a one-word handwritten note from her managing editor that simply read, “Gorgeous.” Although this was decades ago, Caitlin shares: “It made me feel deeply grateful that I was able to do it at that level and that someone with such high standards liked my work. I was lucky that he was emotionally generous enough to share that praise with me.” “. . I still have that note and treasure it. Compliments are very rare in my business.”
Why did this work? The key point of this story is that an event that happened decades ago was still having such a profound impact. The transformational moment in Caitlin’s career occurred with a single word, ‘Magnificent’. While reporters in the publishing world are expected to give their best effort on every story, it is important to recognize that these efforts are made by people who thrive on the encouragement of their superiors. It is essential to capture your staff doing things well and recognize them with sincere words of praise.
When employees have a clear understanding of what management expects of them at work, they excel. Investing in training and providing accurate job descriptions are key components to meeting and exceeding expectations in the organization. When you let your employees do what they do well and take the time to honestly and sincerely praise them for their efforts, you’ll have a more productive, happy and engaged workforce.
###
(1) Thackray, J. (2001, March 15). Real comments. Gallup Management Magazine.