First, there was The Great Resignation. Then came Quiet Quitting. And now, we’ve got Quiet Vacations. When it comes to employee engagement, it may feel like everything is changing—but it’s really not as complicated as you might think. Watch Bobbie LaPorte’s August 13 “Calling the Game” video to learn three fundamental truths that are rooted in neuroscience and our most universal human needs.

Science-Based Strategies to Combat Current and Future Disengagement Trends

It seems like every other leadership publication I come across has a new angle on how to address employee engagement.

This is not surprising…although it has become a more prominent topic since the pandemic. And that’s understandable since the whole employee/manager relationship and dynamic changed when everyone was working remotely.

And now that we are working in a mostly hybrid world, we have seen trends that reflect the continued lack of engagement – from The Great Resignation to Quiet Quitting to, most recently, Quiet Vacations – where employees use formal work holidays to create an extended “vacation” – working virtually without using PTO.

The recommendations, approaches and programs to address this continuing issue probably number in the hundreds. I am not an expert in this area, but I would like to offer a three-part, science-based, common-sense framework to build employee engagement that is based on foundational needs we have as humans.

1. On the individual level: People need to understand what’s expected of them and how it plays to their strengths and the things they do well. This creates the predictability our brains crave while also giving them agency in their work.
2. On a team level: Do team members support one another, and do they have a shared understanding of what success looks like for the team? This creates the sense of belonging that we all crave…. particularly in a remote working environment.
3. On a company level: What is the employee’s connection to the broader organization, and is the mission exciting to them? This gives meaning to their work and a feeling that they are part of something larger than themselves.

Predictability and certainty, autonomy and personal agency, belonging and meaning—these are all human needs rooted in neuroscience that, when included in your relationships with your team, can significantly impact engagement. Even addressing one part of this framework can yield positive benefits that might surprise you.

Transcript: It’s Race Day: Engage Your Team in Work That is Critical to the Organization that Would Truly Excite Them

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tips for 2023 called “It’s Race Day”, where I help you close the gap between thinking and doing. There’s a time to train and a time to race.

I am sure many of you are worn out and unsure from the last 3+ years of start-stop-start again on key projects that are important to your team. And for many leaders, this is heightened now when people are feeling unsure of their positions; they are thinking – can or should they commit to long-term projects; and maybe keeping a low-profile and doing low-risk work is a safer option.

It is completely understandable that your team might feel that way – but that is exactly the opposite of what you need them to do right now.

How do you engage your team in work that is critical to the organization that would truly excite them?

Consider these three steps to engage your team:

1. Line out some of the more significant projects that remain unfinished or are languishing on your long list of “To Dos.” Break them down into smaller, more manageable sets of work, or scale them down from what you had originally planned. Maybe not as ambitious as what you would like, but see what you can spin up that would be far better than waiting for everything to feel right.

2. Be very clear about how this work supports the broader company goals, particularly those that serve the evolving needs of the org over the next 12-18 months during these times of change. It’s important that your team sees how their work is connecting to the bigger picture and also that they are building sustainable skills for an uncertain world.

3. Finally, consider the experience, domain knowledge, and untapped skills of your team members that could be deployed on this project. By linking the assets each team member brings to the work – particularly skills that they feel they would like to use more of – you are not only helping them see their potential contribution to the project but also connecting them to their strengths, which we know from Positive Psychology is a powerful approach to helping people see what’s possible during times of change.

This may not be the perfect solution to moving your work and team forward – but remember, there is no room for perfection now. Only doing…..not just thinking.

I hope your week is one of doing, of taking action. Remember: there is a time to train and a time to race. It’s Race Day.

Transcript of Your Best Next Move: A New 3 Cs Approach to Employee Engagement – Part 3 

Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity.

Over the last two weeks I’ve focused on the subject of employee engagement, because it continues to be an important issue for most companies. I’ve cited a new survey from the Conference Board where 30% of employees say their level of engagement is lower than six months ago. And 18% said their level of effort had declined over the last six months.

There has been so much emphasis on this issue with many different programs, approaches and viewpoints offered. I have suggested perhaps a new way of approaching this issue, based on my experience training for endurance events. I offered three points that have helped me successfully cross the finish line that I hope will be helpful for you to consider.

They are the three Cs:

• Connection
• Certainty
• Contribution

I have already covered Connection and Certainty.

This week I will share the final concept of Contribution.

I think we all understand that it is a basic element of human nature to be validated, to feel we have value, particularly during these times when people feel disconnected, not sure how or where they fit in.

As leaders, we can always show acknowledgement and praise for good work and value that a team member contributes, but more than that is the connection to a larger purpose.

I know it may sound trite, but helping team members see how their specific work contributes to – but doesn’t fully satisfy – the complex needs of today’s changing organization is a critical  focus. Many of the issues leaders are being asked to solve are ones we may not have experienced before, and we need to draw on the collective talents and skills of all involved to address them .

Here’s my tip:

Think about your team or organization’s larger purpose. Why do people join your company and come to work every day? Who is the ultimate beneficiary of the work your team does? It may be internal stakeholders or external customers…or even the broader community in which you operate.

If your organization was disbanded tomorrow, who would feel it the most? Work back from there and find simple, consistent ways to remind your team of what their personal contribution means.

You can reinforce this in 1:1 meetings and by sharing team successes that show how their work impacts and benefits others. Help them (literally) raise their head from the day-to-day work they do to see the downstream benefits of what they are producing.

That’s my tip for the week. These “Best Next Move” tips are going to take a break for the remainder of 2022. I wish all of you and a successful close to what was another challenging year, and a happy holiday season.

I will see you in the New Year.