View or download the printable version of the Quick Guide to Employee Engagement Drivers and Discussion Questions (PDF).
What are the employee engagement drivers? Employee engagement drivers are specific conditions that create engagement. Improving these conditions will create a higher level of engagement which leads to increased recruitment and retention, increased job performance, and employees going above and beyond for the good of their colleagues and the organization.
Ten employee engagement drivers: Clear and Promising Direction: Ensure that staff and faculty understand how their work is connected to the goals of the department, college, campus, and University.Commitment to Excellence: Set and encourage high expectations for the quality of work, including demonstrating a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.Confidence in Leaders: Communicate openly and honestly to build trust and confidence in leadership.Development Opportunities: Encourage the ongoing learning and development of skills and knowledge and ensure everyone has opportunities to receive coaching and mentoring.Respect and Recognition: Interact respectfully and consistently recognize good work and meaningful contributions.Authority and Empowerment: Ensure that everyone has the autonomy they need to accomplish their work and the empowerment to make decisions.Clear Expectations and Feedback: Define roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations and provide regular feedback.Collaboration: Expect and support cooperation and the sharing of ideas within and across the organization.Support and Resources: Ensure everyone has the skills, training, information, and resources needed to succeed.Work, Structure, and Process: Actively manage workload so that it is distributed equitably, aligns with goals and priorities, and allows for improvements in the way work is done.What’s Next? Consider the context of your work, then use the questions in this guide to provide feedback that informs priorities and action planning to increase employee engagement.
01. Clear and Promising Direction Ensure that staff and faculty understand how their work is connected to the goals of the department, college, campus, and University.
Discussion Questions: How are the reasons behind strategy communicated to faculty and staff in your college/unit? How is your college/unit a leader among your peers? In what ways are you in the forefront and in what ways are you lagging behind? Do faculty and staff understand why your college/unit is focused on these particular strategies and goals? How can you tell? How is your work linked directly to the college/unit goals and the goals of the University? How do employees in your area hear about what’s happening at the leadership level in your college/unit? Discuss and plan ahead: Open the Discuss and Plan Ahead Google Doc worksheet to reflect on the most important engagement drivers for your work. Note how they impact your role, what you might want to talk about with your supervisor, and any issues that should be prioritized.