IABC Café

The topic of employee engagement has become quite the rage for internal communicators. But, according to Kieron Shaw, head of research at Melcrum Publishing, some practitioners have missed the point. “As more and more companies become obsessed with it, it’s become more fad than fact,” Shaw tells us.

“The concept of employee engagement – a noble ideal about getting employees driven and motivated by what the company is doing and wanting to help it get there – has very quickly been lost in the last couple of years. It’s become a thing rather than an ethos; a product rather than an ideal; and, more often than not, a survey rather than an overall change in the way the business functions (vis-a-vis its relationship with employees).

To illustrate, Shaw draws from a recent research project:

Question: “So you talk about employee engagement being a big thing for you. What are you trying to achieve? What’s your ideal outcome?” (i.e., is it to build trust, to improve customer service, to harness innovation, etc?)

Answer: “Well, this year, I suppose our ideal outcome is to get a better score on question 37 in our Employee Engagement Survey.”

In other words, some people have lost sight of the fact that employee engagement is about making a real impact, not survey results. This is a nuance, albeit an important one, that can be hard to grasp. As a Gold Quill judge, I see it all the time. Successful campaigns aim to “enroll 20% of employees in a new health plan,” or “drive ticket sales by 3%,” not simply “raise awareness” (generic and way overused). There has to be some end… some measurable change in behavior that connects to the business plan or bottom line.

“The Employee Engagement Survey has become such a thing — putting a number (index score) on engagement in the organization, that people have lost sight of the fact that engagement is actually just an idealized state (i.e., motivated, efficient, caring, connected to the business strategy, profit oriented, et al.). It becomes so overwhelming that it just starts being a process (e.g., “C’mon guys, how are we going to shift our engagement score from a 65.7 to at least 68.0?”),” adds Shaw.

Another way to put this: we’ve become intoxicated with the measurement, not with the actions that result from true employee engagement - such as discretionary effort (employees going the extra mile for quality or service). Shaw is blunt on this point, “there’s a lot about this whole topic that people fuddle and mess about – they jump on the bandwagon with the term without really knowing what they’re doing.”

In his session, he outlined key factors that motivate, drive and engage employees, with a special look at senior and front-line leadership. If you were there, and took notes (even mental), please share them here in the comments section.

- Charles Pizzo

and you live in Toronto. You may want to check out the IABC and Ragan Innovative Communicator conference. I just received the brochure when I returned back to Toronto.
A number of the Washington conference speakers are on the agenda — including my fellow conference blogger buddy Russell Grossman and Kellie Garrett, the outgoing IABC Regina Prez and leadership guru. The conference is being held in late September, which is the most beautiful time of the year in Toronto.

First, happy Canada Day ! Today is Canada’s 138th birthday and celebrations are taking place in every corner of the country. Here in Regina, there is a huge public party in beautiful Wascana Centre complete with three concert stages, food and a performance by Great Big Sea and spectacular fireworks show to cap it all off. If you think the Canadian Hospitality Suite is fun - just imagine the entire country partying in the same spirit!

In many ways, the past week has been a blur. Travel, meetings, receptions, interviews, graduations, all-night parties and a bit of work thrown in for good measure. I’m currently in the office working to deadline for a client but my thoughts keep returning to the events of the past week. Some of the things I’m thinking about:

1.What a great conference we just experienced. Unfortunately, leaders rarely get an opportunity to attend much beyond plenary sessions but I have to say the buzz in the hallways was that the conference was a winner. In my trips up and down the hotel elevator, I always ask conference attendees how they are enjoying conference. In Washington, all I heard were positive comments. From conference first timers to conference vets, everyone said they thought it was the best conference they had been to for some time. Way to go program committee and staff for putting together a fabulous professional development opportunity. The IABC International Conference continues to be the premier event for communicators. It is difficult to even describe the experience of attending the conference but I’m happy the Café was able to, at the very least, provide a taste. It really is something every communicator should experience in person.

2. What a great job the Café Coffee Press Corps did - and continues to do - to bring the conference experience to those who could not travel to Washington. I have thoroughly enjoyed the coverage (having not been able to attend any sessions!) and have had emails from members and non-members telling me how much they have enjoyed the Café coverage.

3. How we can make the coverage even better next year. Charles’s audio posts were a fabulous addition and pictures would be great. Maybe we need a group of official photographers along with the Coffee Press Corps. Feel free to send in your own suggestions for the coverage next year.

4. What a great leadership team I will be working with this year. As I mentioned in my remarks at the AGM, that team includes the board and its committees, task forces and work groups, staff, regional leaders and their boards and chapter leaders and boards. There are about one hundred members alone serving on International Executive Board committees. Speaking of which, I am putting the finishing touches on the appointments list and intend to have it posted in the Member Centre at iabc.com so everyone knows who is working on their behalf to make IABC the professional association of choice for communicators worldwide. Look for it in the near future.

5. How many fascinating people there are in IABC. I returned home with a fist full of business cards from the many interesting people from around the world I met in Washington. It will take a while to sort through them and follow up on the various things we committed to.

Well, I better get back to that project. Maybe I can get the first draft done before the concert. Have a great Canada Day!