I'm sure you've been told that employee engagement is the key to business growth.

But what does employee engagement actually mean?! 🤔

This is my perspective and a very HUMAN way that I suggest we embrace it.

What is Employee Engagement?

I like to think of engaged employees acting like the ENGINE that moves your company forward 🚂

They make leadership targets a reality using their exceptional;

• Clarity of mission and drive 🎯
• Ability to cultivate trusting relationships with colleagues and customers 🙌
• Knowledge and belief in what your business creates ❤️

They’re amazing and I’m sure you’d like more of them, right? 🤩 The only catch is, engagement isn’t a characteristic, it’s an experience created by leaders.

And engagement levels currently only sit at 23%* on average. 😬

But if you can tap into the power of engagement, it’s SUPER VALUABLE and difficult to copy.⚡️The very definition of a competitive advantage! 💪

There are 3 key interventions that will get your train motoring; Purpose, Autonomy & Relationships.

I'm going to talk about one each week for the next three weeks so I can go deeper than surface level on each of them.

Purpose

It may seem like an over-used term but an overwhelming 89% of workers* report that a clear mission and purpose are important in the form of either a shared vision between them and their company, or a sense of meaning in the job itself.

Employees get more personal fulfilment and job satisfaction, making them more productive and likely to stick around longer in role!

Artists think about meaning A LOT and leverage it to create work that connects. I believe this thinking translates into the workplace to aid team connection.

It's one of my favourite topics and cuts to the core of why I created Art After Dark.

Ultimately I believe that we all have a purpose, a reason for being, a calling that we have to answer in this life. I believe that it's this voice deep down inside of us that is constantly trying to find a way to fully express and realise itself.

As kids we're so connected to it. It's so clear and loud, but over time that voice gets distorted and it gets harder to hear our true thoughts, needs and desires.

We get distracted by responsibilities, news stories, social media. We push it down and numb it with various substances and things that make us feel good in the moment.

But that voice and purpose is omnipresent and if you can find ways to listen and connect to it, you can do what I believe we're all here to do, which is to be as fully "you" as possible!

When you understand this, it's the key that unlocks all human connection.

If you get this right with your team, it's like pouring rum on a fire! 🔥🔥🔥

Great leaders understand their people well enough to create work or frame it in a way that lights them up and provides a win-win for them and the organisation.

This doesn't mean that the minutiae of every day needs to be a bed of roses - spreadsheets still have to be completed and meetings attended - but the general cut and thrust of what they're showing up for needs to align with and ladder up to what makes them come alive.

As a leader, you can cultivate this and here's how...

Ideas for Action 👉

• GETTING STARTED: It's easy to get stuck by not knowing how or where to start. But I suggest simply asking people what they want. Most people know. Teasing it out of them and getting them to share it with you will depend on the level of trust in your relationship which can also be cultivated (more on this in 2 weeks!).
• ASK QUESTIONS: In your 121s or in team sessions, you can ask questions to better understand what is important to your people and what motivates them. Questions like;
  • What topic could you talk about all day?
  • Name 3 causes that you really care about.
  • If you were stranded on a desert island, what skills do you have that would help you survive?
  • What injustices really bother you?
  • What would you happily do all day for free?
• TEAM TIME: We learn who we are through others. People reflect back at us, it helps us feel seen and gives us a sense of belonging. As a leader, you can light the spark and help people to reconnect by bringing your team together. The important thing here is that the focus isn't about projects and tasks, it's about them as humans. You can do this in many ways, from team lunches to team sports. I help teams do this through play, storytelling, painting and drawing - the power of creative arts means it hits at a deeper level, fast!

This is about the individual and the community coming together. Coupled with a desire to change and be part of something.

I work with teams who want to make an impact but even though they may have A-player individuals, they've not yet found a way to fully connect to each other and unleash their collective magic!

From one-off sessions, to a programme of team connection that takes your team to the next level, Art After Dark can support you in achieving your business goals.

When you start with your team it will eventually have a ripple effect across the wider organisation. Other leaders will notice - it's truly magnetic!

Painting🖼️

In art, plums often represent abundance so this week I painted "Plum Passion" as I believe that tapping into purpose will help your people overflow with energy and engagement!

I encourage you to take a moment out of your busy week to reflect on what I've shared whilst studying my little painting.