Workplace Engagement: Features And Benefits

Think of the person at work who is most motivated and most committed to their job. This colleague can help you understand the key features of engagement in the workplace.

Work engagement is a positive emotional state. The hallmarks of this engagement are energy, participation and effectiveness at work.

Engagement is a buzzword that management gurus love. They promote engagement as a strategy that helps companies become more competitive. However, that is not the only advantage. Engagement in the workplace also benefits employees. So be sure to read on!

How do you discover employees who show commitment in the workplace?

Being engaged at work means being committed and emotionally involved with the company. However, that does not mean that the employees who have a workplace engagement do not have a social life outside of the office.

What they do do is make full use of their time at work. In other words, they focus on creating added value for their company.

One characteristic of this type of employee is that they do not complain. They also don’t say bad things about the company. In fact, they do the exact opposite. They take pride in their work and talk about it with their loved ones. People who are engaged at work also express positive feelings about their employer.

They do this because they genuinely feel good about their work. Moreover, they also enjoy their colleagues. There is no pretending in their positivity.

When the company has new initiatives and new projects, these employees also show interest and want to participate. So they are often involved in things that require a lot of dedication.

They also don’t care that they have to work extra hours. Importantly, what they do helps the company solve problems. They do this even without getting paid.

Engagement is not the same as addiction

So you have now read the above characteristics. You may now believe that these people are addicted to their work. That is not the case at all. People who are addicted to their work feel uncomfortable when they are not at work. So they don’t enjoy their free time.

In addition, they experience a nervous tension, feelings of fear and a constant feeling of discomfort.

However, when people are fully committed to their work, they have a completely different emotional state than addicts. They feel positive, motivated and full of energy. They are not anxious. Their professional life and their personal life are fulfilling and happy.

In addition, engagement in the workplace leads to better health, lower stress levels and greater self-confidence.

Employees who are engaged at work believe that their effort, their resources and their sacrifice will help them overcome challenges. They are responsible and independent problem solvers.

What do engaged employees have to offer the company?

Individuals engaged in their work carry out their duties in a very effective manner. They persevere and sometimes they even exceed what is required. This helps to ensure optimal performance at work and contribute to a healthy working environment.

Their positive attitude is infectious. It also motivates the rest of the team. One person’s commitment can spread and create an environment of collective engagement.

How can you encourage involvement?

We just mentioned it. Usually the employees themselves promote engagement in the workplace. They inspire others to fulfill their responsibilities and to internalize the company’s values. People around them feel motivated to take advantage of opportunities to further develop their profession.

However, the employer is also responsible for clearly explaining the philosophy of the company during the application process. Prospective employees should be willing to talk about their budding engagement from the very first interview. In other words, they have to identify in some way with what the company offers them.

The inquirer should also clearly explain the company’s values. This makes it easy for potential employees to become familiar with these values.

As you can see, the responsibility to plant the seeds of engagement during this conversation is something that has to come from two directions. The candidate must be motivated to be part of the company. The person hiring must show them the way.

3 key factors to drive engagement

In general, there are three factors that promote engagement in the workplace: personal development, a good working environment and a good salary. The intention is therefore that the employees feel satisfied in these three areas. Companies that succeed in doing this are more likely to perform better.

To achieve this level of employee engagement, companies must provide ongoing training. That way, people won’t feel like they’re stuck. They will then feel that they have real opportunities to advance in their professional life.

It is also important for employees to experience that they can openly discuss problems and challenges. Bosses who take care of their employees thus not only benefit their department but the entire company.