Let’s first be clear that employee engagement is not equal to employee happiness or employee satisfaction. Engagement is an emotional commitment to organizational goals. Engaged employee’s performance leads to better business outcomes. Engaged employees are involved emotionally and they actually feel passion for the work they do.

Drivers of engagement are varied and unique to each situation.  In general drivers may include:

• Personal resources, the confidence an employee feels about performing their job duties based on the skills, training, and knowledge they have gained.
• An engaged employee will be allowed to critically think about their work and work processes.
• Employees who see that their job is important to organizational success are more likely to be engaged.
• Engaged employees have a shared understanding, with their supervisor, of job expectations.
• Employees have the proper resources to do their job.
• Engaged employees are empowered to do their job without micromanagement.
• Surveys regarding engagement show that employees want to have input into things having direct affect on their work or work environment.
• Cultures in which quality working relationships with superiors, peers, and subordinates support employee engagement.

Employee engagement is most affected through inspirational leadership.  A leader’s ability to share their vision for organizational success is critical for employees to understand where they fit and how they have a direct link to organizations goal accomplishment.

Leadership, regardless of style,  based upon trust, may be the bedrock of an engaged workforce.

Recognition and appreciation of others, expressed openly by leadership, is very important to an engaged employee.