In the success of a business, the employee commitment plays a fundamental role. Having a team involved with the mission and vision of the organization is the difference between exceeding the objectives or remaining stagnant.
It is something that we already knew, but the crisis experienced during the last two years as a result of the pandemic confirmed to us that there is nothing more important than people in an organization.
No matter what the type, size or sector of the company, without a team involved in carrying out the project it is impossible for the results to be good in the medium and long term.
But, a 2021 Gallup study stated that only 20% of employees surveyed were engaged in their work, down 2% from the previous year. And if we focus on Europe, this percentage falls to 11%.
To improve that numbers, companies need to update their talent management strategies with tools and practices that help improve employee engagement, drive growth and nurture employee development.
The commitment of the employees is a determining factor for the development of the organization
When team members are committed in their work, their engagement, enthusiasm, and optimism in the workplace increase.
Thus, companies that manage to link their workforce with their objectives, obtain greater productivity, a higher rate of loyalty, reduce absenteeism and create a physically and psychologically safer environment. In other words, with a high degree of labor commitment, companies become more profitable.
Additionally, if team members are on the same page with the organization and care about its growth, they are more likely to become brand ambassadors, positively influencing consumer behavior and generating more loyal customers.
On the contrary, when employees are not engaged, they tend to become bored and dissatisfied. They feel that their work is not valued, and that it is not worth working to improve. Consequently, motivation, productivity and performance drop and it is also more difficult for them to adapt to changes.
Listening to employees: the key to improving commitment
There is no doubt that commitment is a feeling that is closely linked to the employee experience.
Creating a positive environment that values and takes into account the needs and expectations of the workforce is essential to motivate that feeling of engagement with the company. And, to achieve this, it is very important to listen to their feedback.
When we give our team members the opportunity to share their thoughts about the organization, here’s what we get:
- Stronger and more lasting relationships. Asking employees in a two-way communication exercise demonstrates transparency and a desire to make things better. Employees value companies that are willing to listen to them, and with that, we build healthy and satisfying employee-employer relationships.
- More awareness and accountability. Listening to employees is a good way of making them understand that they have great value to contribute to the company. When teams know that their contribution to the business matters, they become more productive and efficient: tasks are completed on time, they pay more attention to detail, the quality of their work increases, etc.
- Resource optimization. Knowing what the workforce wants will save you time and money. If you want to start improving employee commitment, it’s better to ask directly what they need for a better employee experience rather than investing in improvements that may not interest them or are not well targeted. Using an employee survey or any other listening strategy for your employees, you will know which aspects of your commitment management you will need to address to create the greatest impact.
8 Ways to Improve Your Employee Commitment
Each company is unique, therefore, solutions to boost commitment will not be the same for everyone. That is why it is so important to ask employees.
Even so, and taking into account the previous section, here are a few tips that will guide you when designing and implementing a good strategy that will help you improve employee commitment.
- Make expectations clear.
It’s hard for people to commit to something they don’t know about. By defining the objectives, roles and tasks you will be facilitating the understanding of the work. When employees know what is expected of them, their motivation and involvement in achieving results increases.
- Provide the appropriate resources and training.
A team may want to achieve goals, but without the right tools and skills, optimism and hope turn into stress and frustration. And no one commits to an organization that generates discomfort. Instead, give your staff the tools for success and you’ll be earning their commitment.
- Empower teams.
Micromanagement is a leadership style that threatens job commitment. The constant correction, the negative feedback and the obstacles in the progress of the projects harm the enthusiasm and the desire to work. The alternative? Let your people make their own decisions and manage themselves.
- Recognize a job well done.
In Teams Insights we will not tire of reminding you of the importance of valuing and appreciating the efforts of employees. Public recognition, whether at a team meeting, in an official company-wide communication, or in the company newsletter, is a good example of the culture of appreciation that is needed to engage employees.
Incentives, prizes and other personalized benefits are also valid options for recognizing hard work.
- Cultivate a relationship of trust.
Trusting team members implies assuming that they will put all their efforts into developing their work in the most efficient way possible so that the project goes ahead. In this context, people feel safe to express their views openly, discuss controversies and strive to exchange win-win solutions.
In other words, trust breeds commitment.
- Collect feedback often.
Management teams are committed to the organization because their job is to create dynamics and operations that improve company results. They are directly involved in the management of the organization.
When we involve employees, the same thing happens. A simple and effective way to further involve the workforce with the organization is by frequently asking them about topics that they care about, or that directly influence their day-to-day activities. Employee surveys are the best solution to accomplish this task.
- Share the values and purpose of the organization .
A vision shared by the entire team represents a mental model of the future of the organization and the team. It guides all the decisions and activities that are carried out to move the project forward.
This shared vision generates in employees the perception of being part of a whole, creating a feeling of belonging that leads them to commit to the company.
- Offers growth opportunities.
When starting their professional career, one of the main objectives of employees is to be able to grow and add milestones. When this does not happen, they feel stuck and start looking for alternatives where they do offer that opportunity.
That is why it is so important for companies to have growth and promotion plans prepared. If team members feel like they can go one step further and climb the ladder, they are less likely to want to go somewhere else.
Employee commitment is essential for a successful business. Putting these tips into practice will help you take your organization to the top.
