Evaluation of How Employee Engagement Impacts on Organizational Performance - Essay Example

Introduction

The productivity or profitability of any organization depends on the employees. The solidarity and stability that is exhibited by the employees in the workplace ensure that they meet the needs and expectations of the firm. However, employees must be encouraged to make sure that they meet their obligations with relative ease and comfort. There are numerous ways through which the staff can be more motivated, have greater commitment and enable stronger engagement in the organization. The employment of these principles in the workplace guarantees success to a greater extent. The absence of incentives crucial for motivating employees affects the exploitation of capacity and potential of the staff.

Engagement of employees plays a critical role in enhancing the performance of an organization. Having a greater responsibility in the workplace is one of the ways through which employees can be motivated and their commitment enhanced. Delegating some duties to the staff makes them significant stakeholders in the organization. However, the employee has to be put in a position that matches their skills and competence. Putting employees in key positions within the organization increases the level of engagement in the activities of the organization and makes them appreciate the challenges and areas that require adjustments. While in these strategic positions, the employees strive to do their best in ensuring that the organization excels. Moreover, when employees are given greater responsibilities through delegation of duties, they become motivated and confident. Tracy (2011) argues that having more responsibilities and assignments raises the engagement of the workers at all the strategic levels.

Communication and knowledge management also improves employee engagement and increased organizational performance. Communication in the workplace is vital because it ensures that the organization operates efficiently and productively. If the employees can communicate up and down the chain of communication within the organization, their commitment, morale and productivity are increased. Communication in the organization involves the transmission of information between different entities established within the organization (Watkins & Leigh, 2008). Communication can include messages, emails, and telephone calls.

Workgroup and lateral communication lead to improved performance of the organization. When the executives and middle-level managers communicate with the junior staffs in the organization, it is likely that they will be motivated by improving their productivity. Consequently, Communication ensures that there is employee job satisfaction. The staff always feel empowered if they can communicate upward the organization structure. Ideally, when communication in the workplace is upward, it involves a feedback (Watkins & Leigh, 2008). If the managers can listen to the concerns of the workers and respond, enhanced job satisfaction by the worker is relatively high. Moreover, employees become more engaged when information flows from the superiors to the junior workers.

Communication improves organizational performance because it provides a leverage through which employees can obtain facts, share thoughts, ideas, and concerns that are influential to the well-being of the organization (Watkins & Leigh, 2008). Knowledge management is also significant in the sense that it helps in sharing, developing and using the information in the organization to meet the needs of the organization. When the organization shares crucial information about the company, it provides the employees with a basis through which they can operate or conduct their functions by adhering to the objectives of the firm. Knowledge management enhances organizational performance because it aids in creating awareness among the employees on the goals that should be accomplished and the essential strategies.

Having a higher level of job satisfaction, and a sense of achievement and contribution improves employee engagement and impacts to a greater extent on organizational performance. Employees derive job satisfaction when they are respected and given the necessary support they require to accomplish their duties. Moreover, trust between the staff and the senior management establishes a good relationship. The workplace environment must be free from stress, harassment, and prejudice. When the employees derive satisfaction from their jobs, it is possible for them to work towards achieving the goals the organization. Achievement and contribution are catalysts for organizational performance. Employees should be notified of their contribution and the extent to which their effort has helped in enhancing productivity.

Employee involvement is designed to ensure increased commitment to the success of the organization. This strategy requires the involvement of workers in decisions that affects them in a positive way and increases their control and autonomy (Hughes, 2012). The aim of this technique is to ensure that the worker's level of motivation, productivity and satisfaction is achieved. Decision-making in any organization is significant because they determine the success or failure of a particular system. The contribution of the employees through decision-making process makes them feel as though they are shareholders in the organization. As a result, they work towards implementing the resolutions that they were instrumental in constructing. This technique serves the interest of the organization because the employees become the central figures in achieving the goals.

The involvement of staff in learning and development increases employee engagement in the organization. The learning and development of employees can be viewed from a model leadership point of view. The model includes four facets that include to develop, guide, direct and achieve (Garber, 2013). In the organization, the management should train the employees in various areas that are crucial for meeting the objectives of the firm (Sange & Srivasatava, 2012). The management must provide guidance and support to the employees. It is imperative to underscore that there are areas might complicate the work of the employees, and that may lead to failure.

Learning and developing the skills of the employees helps in ensuring that they gain the knowledge that can assist them in undertaking their tasks. The leaders in the organization can secure the engagement of the employees by sharpening their skills on various issues that make them more productive. Employees who understand their core mandate and duties are best placed to enhance organizational performance. Learning and development involve investing in the employees through the impartation of knowledge. The employees become more engaged because they exhibit a level of gratification for the organization for taking them through processes that aid them in doing their work. This approach is essential because it motivates the employees and makes them more committed.

The essence and critical importance of employee engagement in an organization cannot be overstated. Engagement within an organization enhances the productivity of an employee to a greater extent. For example, employees who are engaged are more likely to take initiatives and pursue learning goals. Engaged employees establish new knowledge, support the vision and the mission of the organization, respond to emerging opportunities and take on volunteering as well as mentoring (Schaufeli and Salanova, 2007). Moreover, the engaged employees derive immense job satisfaction from their duties and are more committed to meeting their obligations. It must be denoted that engaged employees usually have the determination to succeed and venture into other areas that might be beneficial to the organization. Engaged employees have tendencies of going beyond the job description and changing and arranging their job with an aim of fitting the new environment.

A worker who is engaged with an organization exhibits a positive attitude. The positive attitude stimulates the creative and integrative perspectives that bring more value to the organization. Engagement plays an essential role in influencing the intentions of an employee to continue working in an organization or quit (Hallberg and Schaufeli, 2006). Engaged employees are more stable, and that is why their retention rate is high. However, it must be noted that engagement does not guarantee retention in the sense that if an individual finds a lucrative opening in another organization, they are likely to venture in those areas.

Employee engagement plays a significant role in ensuring that the performance of the organization is elevated. When the workers are motivated and committed, they work towards realizing the goals the of the organization. Engaged employs introduce stability and solidarity in the workplace. Ideally, these workers create an environment where coherence and proper foundation of doing tasks are defined. The relationship that that the employees have with the organization through a detailed engagement process make the workers conduct their businesses with the objective of ensuring productivity. Organizational performance has a positive correlation with employee engagement. When the organization develops a better relationship with the employees, they become more involved, committed and motivated.

Conclusion

The motivation, commitment and stronger engagement within an organization depend on how the firm relates to the organization. If the organization does not engage with the employees in a structured manner, then it is possible that they will not find meaning in their job and as a consequence the organizational performance declines. Communication and knowledge management, involving staff in development and learning, having greater responsibility are some of the components that ensure employee engagement. When employees derive satisfaction in their job due to safe, secure and better working conditions, they become motivated and committed. Engagement makes the employee goal-oriented, focused, innovative and exhibits a positive attitude. Moreover, the employees often work towards accomplishing the goals. Employees who are engaged are more likely to be retained because of the desire and motivation within the organization. Organizational performance occurs as a result of stronger employee engagement, greater commitment and more motivation of staff.