The New Rules of Engagement

You can’t open a training or human resource magazine without hearing about the importance of employee engagement. A myriad of studies, articles, and research papers all support the concept that employee engagement is a critical driver of organizational productivity, profitability, and customer loyalty, and conclude that an engaged, motivated, and empowered workforce is far more likely to work at optimal levels than one that is dispassionate, de-motivated, and unempowered.

What isn’t as clear or agreed upon in the literature are the components that comprise and influence employee engagement. In fact, 10 different studies can sometimes offer 10 differing opinions on the factors that comprise and drive engagement. What also is not present in the literature is an agreed-upon definition for employee engagement.

In 2005, The Ken Blanchard Companies® conducted a comprehensive study to determine what role leaders play in increasing organizational performance, the connections between Strategic and Operational Leadership, Customer Devotion, and Employee Work Passion, and how these variables linked to Organizational Vitality.