Employee engagement is a concept that every manager has on their to-do list. And yes, having an engaged workforce makes for a more productive, profitable company and a better place to work. However, if organizations only focus on top-down measures to engage, the people at the top may feel left out of the equation.
Being a leader is not an easy job. Aside from everything else on their plate, maximizing the engagement levels of their teams is a huge responsibility. It can take a toll on your leaders and lead to stress, burnout, and disengagement.
Therefore, part of a team’s job is to identify and reduce potential stressors, support leaders in problem-solving activities, and provide support to the people who most need it. In other words, your leaders need to be recognized for THEIR efforts as well.
Employees expect their efforts to be acknowledged and recognized. This same emphasis on good work must be given to leaders as well – no matter how senior they may be. The recognition doesn’t have to be grand – small, meaningful actions also make a big difference.
Because leaders may be reluctant to participate in the various engagement activities that their employees have, they are often seen as “too busy,” “too important,” or “don’t want to be bothered” to get involved with their team members. Giving your leaders sometime of their own can reap significant benefits. By encouraging their participation in a leadership retreat, you’ll provide them with the gift of time away, to create stronger relationships with their peers, and not have to think about managing people, making decisions, or giving another PowerPoint presentation. The chances are good that after such a retreat, they will come back renewed and invigorated while feeling recognized and appreciated for the excellent work that they do.
Here are a few ideas to engage your leaders.
- Humanize them. Get them personally involved with their team members by setting up one-on-one lunch meetings with individual staff members or small groups. Give them time to get to know what makes their employees tick – as well as what ticks them off.
- Let them leave. Give your leaders periodic days off to spend with their family or on their own, to encourage a better work-life balance. By removing some of their stress, you will help develop a healthier culture throughout the workplace.
- Let them accomplish their mission. Ask your leaders about the goals they would like to accomplish, both personally and professionally, and give them the time, money, and resources to achieve them. When you allow them to grow and develop in the areas they are most interested in, you are setting the stage for a stronger leadership team.
- Finally, create an environment where it is safe for everyone to express their appreciation – both up the ladder and down. If your employees are uncomfortable acknowledging their manager’s because they fear being seen as “sucking up,” you must take steps to eliminate that fear and create a more open environment to express appreciation.
When everyone in your organization feels acknowledged for the good work they do – including your leaders, you are setting up your company for long term success.
