Employee Engagement Taking Business Success to the Next Level

One of the valuable lessons we have learned in the past few decades is that having satisfied employees is not inconsistent with enjoying high profits. In fact it may be argued, as employee satisfaction increases, so does customer satisfaction and profit. Like pursuing quality initiatives, where managers see up-front cost looming large, encouraging dedication and loyalty amongst your employees may require an initial investment, but the benefits for the business in the longer term will more than pay for costs. This book may be misinterpreted by some as a relinquishment of business authority by managers to employees who will act in self-serving ways. That is wrong. I do not recommend that the employees run the company, only that they should be integrated into the business organization as more than labor contributors. There are many different management styles that give rise to differing corporate cultures, all along the spectrum from highly autocratic (..."you're not paid to think, just do exactly as I say!") to completely consensual (..."we can't come to a decision unless we are all in agreement"). And, each of these cultures can result in successful businesses. However, the most successful outcomes are probably the result of some softening and consolidation of these cultures, where employees have an opportunity to voice their opinions and have input before final decisions are made by managers. As we will see, employees want to be a part of the decision-making process. While they don't need to have their opinions acted upon in every case, they need to be a valued part of the process. When I started to write, I envisioned a series of essays I would give to my adult children as a guide through their work lives. Then I came to my senses and realized that they wouldn't pay any more attention to this advice than they have paid to any other advice I've given to them. I take comfort that 6 this doesn't diminish the value of the advice, but rather speaks to the state of nature that is parenthood. Thus, the book format was conceived, but it has a new dimension and another dilemma. As a treatise for my children, it would be written from the perspective of the employee. However, the concepts of employee satisfaction relate to the cooperative efforts of employees and employers. Since we shouldn't consider employee satisfaction from a unilateral perspective, we must develop a framework where employees and their employers form a relationship. Furthermore, that relationship should transcend the structure of two groups (managers vs. employees) who have a coexistence that is sometimes uneasy, to a truly synergistic combination of interests and skills that add up to a total enterprise that is greater than the sum of the parts.