Positive Employee Engagement Best Practices for Leaders

• In Event: Interactive Roundtable Discussions & Member Community Information Tables
  In Interactive Roundtable: Business Leadership Interactive Roundtable Discussions

Short Description

After briefly sharing findings from their institution and positive leadership knowledge, presenters will launch a discussion to identify best practices of how leaders positively engage employees, with the understanding of situational differences and context differences in various organizational settings.

Detailed Abstract

Disengaged employees cost U.S businesses between $450 billion to $550 billion each year in lost productivity (Gallup, Inc., 2013). Currently, 30% of employees in the United States report that they were engaged at work, whereas 52% report being not engaged at work (Gallup, Inc., 2013). This presentation combines employee engagement findings with positive leadership knowledge to identify best practices of how leaders positively engage employees. This will include: (a) typical employee engagement issues facing leaders, (b) obstacles and barriers to employee engagement, (c) findings from the literature about what works in employee engagement, (d) how the use of positive employee engagement practices led to a “best workplace” recognition, (e) best practices for leaders wishing to engage employees, and (f) strategies for leaders to implement those best practices successfully.
Typical Employee Engagement Issues Facing Leaders
This component will include the typical employee engagement issues leader’s encounter. Leaders must “learn the distinction between motivation and employee engagement, (and) why you should stop trying to motivate employees altogether and focus on engaging them” (Marciano, 2010). The issues will be examined as to the underling challenges facing the leader and a rationale will be given for why these challenges need to be embraced by the leader to engage employees.
Obstacles and Barriers to Employee Engagement
The component will identify the typical obstacles and barriers leaders face in attempting to positively affect employee engagement. Recommendations for addressing these obstacles and barriers will be provided.
Findings from the Literature about what works in Employee Engagement
This component will identify factors from the literature that affect employee engagement. This is critical information for leaders to know, if they wish to positively affect employee engagement in their organization.
Case example: How the use of Positive Employee Engagement Practices led to a “Best Workplace” Recognition
Crucial to employee engagement is “positive leadership” (Cramer, 2014). A significant foundation – possibly the most crucial responsibility of a “positive leader” - is building a “positive culture” for employees to flourish. This component will be an actual case example of how one business unit cultivated a positive, trusting culture of “fantastic team” of “outstanding talent” using positive employee engagement practices in the workplace, and in this case, how this led to a “Best Workplace” recognition from a national organization.
Best Practices for Leaders Wishing to Engage Employees
This component identifies the best practices for leaders to engage employees. A rationale for the inclusion of each best practice will be stated.
Strategies for Leaders to Implement those Best Practices Successfully
This component identifies strategies for leaders to use to implement the best practices in their respective organizations, with the understanding of situational differences and context differences in various organizational settings.
(this should have been submitted as a workshop if you wanted to have small group discussions) Small group session: If time allows, attendees will work in small groups to share best practices in employee engagement from where they work and what strategies and support is used to deliver that best practice.
The end of the presentation will include subsequent question and discussion opportunities for attendees to interact about the issue of how leadership affects employee engagement.

Participants

• Craig Domeck, Palm Beach Atlantic University

• Arthur H. Johnson, Palm Beach Atlantic University