Employee engagement has been on my mind continuously.  For as long as I can remember and regardless of the organization I’ve worked for, I’ve been part of an employee engagement team.  Like many things, as professionals we know what engagement is and that we need employees to feel engaged to achieve the goals of the organization.  What we all struggle with is what can we do to influence the work culture so that employees are more engaged.

Several months ago I wrote about using this blog as a collaboration tool in order to learn more about employee engagement.  Specifically, I said I wanted to show:

• Engagement means different things to different employees
• If an employee is engaged, you should be able to see evidence of it every day
• Engagement is an ongoing cycle, not an annual survey

There were some great contributions from HR and business colleagues from around the country.  Most notably, people responded that engagement happens when you feel valued for what you do, when your supervisor shows they are committed to you and your development, and when you’re appreciated for excelling at work that may not (directly) be part of your job.  Lisa Rosendahl and Paul Hebert had some impressions about what employee engagement means that I’d like to share.  Lisa said that it’s, “people choosing to come to work and give it their best.”  Paul added that it’s, “the PROACTIVE application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities,” of the employees.  Those are all great descriptors that capture engagement.

Having a working definition allows us to bring it back to the important question of what we can do to influence the culture to promote an engaged workforce.

1. Foster an innovative environment
2. Provide challenging work assignments
3. Give recognition daily
4. Connect employees to the organization’s mission
5. Be intentional, honest, and interact with integrity

Remember, engaging employees is far more than a pep rally or a fun event.  While those have value, it’s the day-to-day interactions with individuals that matter.  What do you think?  What other ways do you try to influence a culture that promotes engagement?

Culture by AagaardDS

Do you ever get your mind stuck on a topic and then every thing you hear, see, or read seems to be about that topic?  I’ve been like that lately on the topic of culture.  I go to Barnes and Noble or Borders and pour through books about it.  I read articles and posts online about it.  I am a sponge when it comes to learning about different perspectives on culture.  I am especially interested since I am working in a new organization and still learning about and adapting to the culture.

How important is culture fit in retaining your employees?  I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying  it is a critical component.

An organization’s culture is a mixture of many things:

• Culture is based on the core values that define the way the company does business.
• It is the make up of personalities and behaviors of the employees that are hired.
• It is also the framework within which employees must work in order to be successful.

It is not always easy to pinpoint the culture, but an employee certainly knows when they do not fit within it.  It is important for hiring managers to understand their culture and hire employees who will be likely to achieve success within the framework.  In the “Can HR Keep Your Secrets?” session at HRevolution, led by Jen McClure and Lisa Rosendahl, there was quite a bit of discussion around culture and who owns it.  Jen asserted that HR ultimately owns culture because we are the ones who have some power to influence it.  While part of me knows this is true and that in many organizations HR does have the ability to influence culture, is that how it SHOULD be?

Who owns the organization’s culture?  In a mature organization, can employees actually shape culture?  Give your opinion in the comments.

It’s been several weeks since I removed my old blog roll and started highlighting bloggers I recommend.  If you missed my post on blowing up my blog roll, the reason is that I think the list of blogs is long and anyone new to my site would not understand what each blog I like is about or why I read them.  Instead, they would just have some random link to a blog.

I will highlight several blogs each month and add them to a new page.  I hope the additional detail will help people find some great blogs to read.  Here are my four for today:

• Seiden Leadership-  This blog, by author, acclaimed speaker, and advisor to SmartBrief Workforce Jason Seiden, is one of my “must reads” every day.  Jason is the author of two highly successful business books; ‘How To Self Destruct‘ and ‘Super Staying Power‘.  Jason’s blog mixes solid leadership advice with humor and a good dose of snark.  He covers everything from business to politics to music.  Best of all, Jason tells you how to LIVE.  I don’t mean like all kumbaya.  I mean, he tells you how not to be a jerk, how to be a better colleague, a better boss, a better friend, a better parent.  That’s pretty damn cool.  Now go, read his stuff.  Oh, and be sure to reach out to him because he’s someone you’ll want to know.

• Inflexion Point-  Mark Stelzner.  Need I say more?  I don’t think I do, but I will for the sake of this being a blog I just told you I’d tell you about.  Mark is a respected industry leading consultant who guides us on all things related to business strategy and operations as it relates to human resources.  He is an advisor to SmartBrief Workforce and also founded Job Angels, a grass roots movement to help job seekers.  Mark’s writing style is direct and is often in story-telling mode.  When you read his posts, you’ll feel as if you’re on the journey with him, not just reading something where you’re on the outside looking in.  I think that is one thing that makes his blog so special.  You become PART of it with him.

• Simply Lisa- Don’t let her blog’s title fool you, there is nothing simple about Lisa Rosendahl or her blog.  Lisa is a seasoned HR pro and blogger who has been recognized by more industry experts than I can list here.  Suffice to say, she’s a writer you need to follow.  Lisa brings the practical, “in the trenches” side of HR to you in her blog.  She also brings a unique spin on all aspects of human resources.  Throw in a little on social media and some posts on how Lisa personally deals with challenges and you’ve got a great blog to add to your reader.

• tHRyving-  Kelly Mitton authors this GenY blog.  While relatively new to the space, don’ t let that or the fact that she’s early in her career stop you from subscribing.  It’s the main reason I read her posts.  She brings a fresh look to some of the old, tired processes of HR.  Kelly tells us what is on the mind of college students and those recent graduates as they enter the HR arena.  She is basically like a coach for all of us who have been doing this job for a long time.  And, we NEED her.  What a great opportunity to hear from someone like Kelly so that we can understand what motivates our future leaders.  So, take a moment and head over to her blog.  She’s definitely thrYving!

So, if you’re not already subscribed to these four blogs (OR Mine for that matter), why not do it today?  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.  And, if you have any feedback on why you like reading Jason, Mark, Lisa, or Kelly, add that to the comments.

Today, I want to point you in two different directions.  Sometimes there are other bloggers who just have info that is far more interesting than what I alone can create.  Today is one of those days.

First up, Fistful of Talent.  As I’ve mentioned before, this is my personal favorite HR blog.  I love reading posts from multiple contributors on many different leadership and business topics.  Not just HR.  Today, they have posted their Talent Management Blog power rankings.  I’m thrilled and honored to be included.  WHY?  Because when peers recognize you for what you do, it is just an honor.  This one means a LOT to me.  Thank you FOT team!

Please check out their post today to see what blogs they are reading and find some new ones to follow yourself.

It’s also HR Carnival time again and Steve Boese has pulled together a fun sports edition of the HR carnival.  Be sure to check out his blog for all the great contributions.

Some of my favorites that are “must reads” this time are:

• Naomi Bloom’s post ‘Reflections of a Digital Immigrant Gone Semi-Native‘.  This post inspired me to write my own plan and I hope it will inspire you if you haven’t checked it out.
• Lisa Rosendahl asks us ‘Have You Checked Your Credibility‘?  I didn’t know this was going to be part of the carnival and I just read the post earlier today.  Lisa does a great job of challenging us to reflect on our own credibility and how it affects decision-making.

It’s HR Carnival time again.  Lisa Rosendahl really outdid herself and you need to check it out here.  But, before you do, I want to tell you something about the carnival.

First, the amount of hours that a host puts into pulling all the posts together, reading them all, deciding how to put them together in a cohesive manner, and then link to each one is a great deal of time.

Second, the reason the carnival is valuable is that not only does it consolidate many great posts in one place, it also helps you easily find a new blogger or two to follow.  I have a GoogleReader choc full of great blogs, but it never fails that each time the carnival comes out, I find another blog or two to follow.  This time for me it is:

• John Hunter, Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog, wonders, Undercover Boss – Will They Really Change?
• Cathy Missildine-Martin, author of Profitability Through Human Capita asks Is Engagement So Last Year?

So, get over to Lisa’s blog and read it for yourself!