A recent article from the Huffington Post offered some new insight on the topic of employee engagement. With so many businesses struggling to get it right, we were excited to hear of some fresh ideas.
It’s a proven fact that an engaged workforce leads to better business results. But research still suggests the number of passively or actively disengaged workers in the United States hovers anywhere between 40% and 60%.
The Huffington Post was able to speak with Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, which was recently named one of the best places to work by Fortune Magazine. Becker states that he feels “the power of helpfulness” has helped them to generate and maintain extremely high levels of engagement within their teams. “We make sure that each and every one of our employees understand how we help our clients and how they fit into that. We’re always looking for ways to connect what employees do directly to the success of the client. This helps employees enjoy their work more, and it also boosts their engagement.”
The technique Becker and many other bosses use of helping employees just as much as their clients seems to be highly effective; and doesn’t cost a lot of money either. Employees receive weekly reminders about how the bank helps clients, through the in house TV program. The video feature a real customer experience, sometimes through an interviewing the customer themselves. This helps staff to understand and appreciate their role in helping.
In addition, leaders reinforce a culture of helpfulness by recognizing employees that represent these values. This includes acknowledging and praising them for helpful behaviors and reminding everyone that being helpful is key to the company’s success, and boosting staff morale in the process.
