thinkBox

PROVOKING THOUGHT GENERATING DISCUSSION ENGAGING EMPLOYEES DELIVERING RESULTS

Latest trends in employee engagementSpecial Report 2012

The role of line managersHow managers can help to motivate and mobilise employees

edition four: 2012

KARIAN ANDBOX

Also in this edition…\ Discretionary effort and how to measure it

\ The games Boards play How gaming can improve understanding

\ The busy fool Why doing less but better is key

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§keep calm

and

carry on

talkIng

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2620All employees are not equalUsing employee segmentation can play a key role in making sure the right message gets to the right people at the right time

Soaring salesJLP bucks the trend of doom and gloom on the high street

Keep calm and carry on talking Regular conversations between managers and employees are where the holy grail of real employee engagement takes place

Getting your head in the gameSimulation games can play a key role in helping employees understand organisational strategy and change

Discretionary effort – aligning for successCreating the right focus and getting more from employees is what effective employee communications is all about

thinkBoxwhat’s inside

3What’s inside

32Latest trends in employee engagementThe views of two million employees analysed: what are the latest trends in employee engagement?

Welcome to the new edition of thinkBox. I once met a communications vice-president who said to me that he had changed career from being a corporate lawyer to becoming a communicator. He was an older guy and at first it seemed a strange move, but as he spoke his passion for communications and its ability to change business culture shone through. But the thing he found most frustrating was attending board meetings where his fellow executives started listing their achievements: ‘Profits are up’; ‘Sales are flat’; ‘We are close to making this acquisition’.

And then his business president’s gaze would fall on him. As he began the summary, colleagues would start shifting papers, putting away documents and pens. They simply weren’t interested. He told them about all his department had done – media briefings, town halls, newsletters, brochures and the list went on.

The problem was that he had nothing tangible to give them. There was no evidence of outcome, only of input. Measurement and evaluation of communications was in its infancy then. He knew he had to do something. At first, he started to introduce new methodologies. As the months rolled on, he had a growing set of metrics around employee engagement and key message retention.

There was no blinding epiphany for the Board (there never is) but gradually he got their attention and he did it by attaching, where possible, a dollar value to his team’s activity. He was able to establish a direct correlation between communication and the impact it has on the business. At last they listened.

We now live in an age where budgets are under pressure as never before and where jobs have been cut. Nowadays, it’s all about bang for buck, the bottom line and all those other American-inspired business credos, which are no less true for being clichés.

This issue of thinkBox is all about being more effective and making a difference in our professional work. It is written by experts for experts, using research data to support best practice. Our aim is to provoke discussion, inspire fresh thinking and challenge orthodoxy.

A word from the editorGhassan KarianFounder, Karian and Box [email protected]

thinkBox is a publication from Karian and Box Ltd, 14 Clifford Street, York Y01 9RD. Tel: +44 (0)1904 654 454 www.karianandbox.com

© All thinkBox content is the exclusive copyright of Karian and Box Ltd

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Book reviewsGood reads on how to lead and engage employees

The Busy Fool– and how not to be one

PORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPEC

Ghassan

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The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) boasted a 60 per cent increase in profits in the first half of this year at £145m – thanks to a culture which values engagement and puts the well-being of its staff first.

The partnership’s ultimate purpose is ‘[to ensure] the happiness of all its members, through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business’.

That is why many JLP employees (known as partners), openly say they are proud to work for the organisation. This is mainly driven by the fact that employee engagement is at the heart of everything the company does.

JLP’s distinctive structure plays a key role in achieving this purpose. Every permanent member of staff is a partner who owns the business,

with the elected board members being supported by a wider council of partners. All JLP partners share in the profits and it is this high level of partner involvement that leads to greater trust in JLP’s management.

The values of JLP are evident across the business and leaders walk the walk as well as talking the talk.

For example, the salary of the partnership’s current Chairman, Charlie Mayfield, is capped at 75 times the average of non-management partners. In addition, the salary of Managing Director, Andy Street, is reputedly way down the executive pay leaderboard. Far from being disgruntled, Street talks of how he was attracted by the JLP ‘magic’ which he firmly believes makes his role more fulfilling than the jobs of many of his competitors.

£59.4b – £64.7b

is how much disengagement costs the economy.

10%increase in investment in

engagement could raise profits by

£1,500per employee per year.

3x faster is how much engaged organisations profits grow than their competitors’.

60% of highly engaged employees exceed

or far exceed expectations for performance.

Source: ‘Engaging for success: enhancing performance through employee engagement’, David Macleod and Nita Clarke, 2010.

Partnership model bucks high street trend‘‘

‘‘The values of John Lewis Partnership are evident across the business and leaders walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

Facts

thinkBox

In these days of economic doom and gloom on the high street, one business which puts a high value on employee engagement, is bucking the trend with soaring sales.

in the news

‘the bottom line’ on engagement

5

The spearheading of change programmes by senior leaders can make the difference to improving engagement levels, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Employee Engagement Conference heard recently.

Eric Collins, managing director of Nampak Plastics (below), told delegates that the firm’s employee advocacy score had increased from 20 per cent to 81 per cent in three years after he drove a cultural shift at the packaging manufacturer.

He explained that the company had already gone through a successful period of cost-cutting and was at its leanest, but he wanted to improve business performance by ‘using people to help make a difference’.

‘Sometimes people block changes because they can’t see it for themselves,’ said Collins, ‘but behaviour has to come from the top’.

Despite initial resistance from some members of the board who were used to a traditional command and control structure, Collins pressed ahead with staff feedback sessions, which he fronted personally.

A lack of performance feedback, team meetings and departmental co-operation were the main issues highlighted by staff, as well as a low level of employee engagement.

A primary focus for the new approach included leadership training for line managers.

As a result absence levels fell by 26 per cent, labour turnover rates were reduced by 38 per cent and overhead costs per million bottles were cut by 7 per cent between 2007 and 2011.

In the news

‘‘ ‘‘The key to success has

been focusing on doing the simple things well to make sure employees are engaged.

Simple comms best for safety at Olympic site

Behavioural changes ‘have to come from the top’

London’s Olympics were a huge success for Team GB, and as a showcase for London and the UK. But they were more than that.

As well as being a major project that came in on-time and on-budget, the site also boasted an impressive safety record that surpasses the industry average.

The results speak for themselves; the Olympic Park site had an Accident Frequency Rate of 0.17 compared to an industry average of 0.4.

From the outset, the importance of communication was emphasised. The key to success was the focus on doing the simple things well to make sure employees are engaged.

All supervisors were given training on leadership and communication skills to help ensure that key issues and progress of work could be effectively communicated to the right people. In addition to daily briefing sheets, senior management also gave regular updates on the progress of the work, while encouraging feedback from workers onsite.

This was done through multiple channels including anonymous feedback cards, regular surveys, employee representatives, through supervisors and personally to senior managers during their site ‘walk-arounds.’ In addition, low-cost incentives, such as breakfast vouchers, were used ‘on the spot` to recognise positive behaviour and senior managers also gave out awards which were publicised in the site newsletter.

‘‘

‘‘Sometimes people block changes because they can’t see it for themselves but behaviour has to come from the top.

A guide to crisis communications thinkBox6

All employees are not equal

We live in an age where multinational companies have workforces that span continents. Our global corporate village encompasses many different races and cultures working together. Young people and their increasingly older colleagues rub shoulders in the most diverse work environments ever seen.But one size does not fit all when it comes to communications and that’s why using employee segmentation can play a key role in making sure the right message gets to the right people at the right time.

7All employees are not equal

Is anybody listening? Where employees are, what they do, their language, cultural differences, attitudes and their prejudices will all influence how

they react to communication.

Combined with this diversity is the wide choice of communication

tools available; as well as traditional print and face-to-face channels, we can use a wide variety of electronic media including email, blogs,

texts, apps, video conferencing, Facebook, Twitter, and intranet

sites.

How do you make sure your messages aren’t falling on deaf ears?

A blanket email sent to ‘[email protected]’ is unlikely to work. While it is all too easy to press ‘send’ and tick a box, the chances are few employees will actually read your all-important memo. Bombarded with messages, employees become saturated with information; they can start to feel cut off from organisational priorities and, as a result, lose motivation.

Knowing me, knowing youCompanies and organisations need to take a much more sophisticated approach towards understanding their employees. Knowing how or why employees’ opinions vary enables targeted messages that grab attention and can have an impact.

Segmenting employees into smaller groups, based on attitude, demographics or other information, is not a new practice.

External Marketing companies have been doing it for years, creating new products to suit different customer preferences and defining targeted advertising strategies depending on their audience. This practice can be used just as effectively for internal communications and engagement.

Jessica has a strong academic background in economics, business and environmental management. She has a Masters in Research and, since completing her PhD, has led on a range of Karian and Box projects with businesses ranging from TNK (Russia’s largest private oil company) to TUI Travel and Warburtons.

Dr Jessica Wiegand [email protected]

It’s estimated that around

2 hours are wasted each

week on dealing with unwanted or irrelevant

communication

Poor communication channels rob small-to-medium businesses of

44% of their productive time

(SIS International Research, 2009)

Acknowledging different employee needs

leads to

greater employee satisfaction, lower

turnover and greater productivity

thinkBox8 All employees are not equal

Ready, aim, fire Segmentation is a means to an end, rather than the end itself. There is no point segmenting employees if you do not have a clear idea of how communications can be tailored for specific groups.

1 Maibach et al. (2011) Identifying Like-Minded Audiences for Global Warming Public Engagement Campaigns: An Audience Segmentation Analysis and Tool Development. PLoS One; 6, 3, e17571

2 Experian (2011) Avoid the segmentation trap. Experian Marketing Services. Online resource: http://www.experian.co.uk/assets/business-strategies/white-papers/wp-avoid-the-segmentation-trap.pdf

Knowing your targetIt is not enough to simply know how your employees differ; you need to be able to make use of the information.

Experian (2011) give an example of a particular segment2…

“Young fun” 40% male, 60% female One of the youngest segments, but 56% aged over 35

Mean age: 38 Both single and married Over half have children Tend to be:

- Manual / factory workers - Clerical / office workers - Some students - Some unemployed

This type of segmentation would only be useful if the organisation had a database that collected this level of detail.

It would need to be a fluid process to update segments when employee circumstance or detail changed. Segmentation can be a very powerful method to engage employees by focusing on individuality, but should only be conducted to address a specific problem.

Segmentation: the Acid Test How segmentation is used will inevitably depend on a range of factors. The value gained by segmentation should be the primary focus. The following five principles are the acid test for effective segmentation: (1) Are your segments distinct from one another?

Are segments similar enough to be effectively targeted by the same communications strategy? (2) Do segments have direct relevance to business

and communication aims? (3) Are segments large enough to justify the time

and effort required to target them? (4) Are individuals within segments accessible and identifiable within the organisation? (5) Would the organisation be capable of targeting

one or more of the identified segments?1

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Segmentation in action:Internal communications has traditionally been segmented by business division (74%), grade (67%) or location (62%)3. This has its benefits, but there are also other types of clusters that could be used to target employees more effectively.

Personal demographics e.g. age, tenure, gender, nationality

Pros: Some targeted communications could be relevant such as new employee and retirement information. Different generations have diverse priorities and values which provide different perspectives in the business world, so targeting employees based on age can work well. Segmenting by nationality can enable communications in an employee’s native language, leading to better understanding. The segmentation can be done without prior analysis as the segments can be relatively easy to define, thus minimising the initial costs.

Cons: Personal demographics are not necessarily a good indicator of attitudes and interests (though tenure often correlates with engagement). There

are data security issues regarding the use of an employee’s personal information. Care needs to be taken

to ensure the communications segments are not interpreted as sexist/ageist/racist.

Case study: Targeted incentivesIncentivising employees is a good method to improve motivation. However, if the incentive does not align with employees values and interests, the incentive is ineffective.

Employees with little disposable income may not be motivated by cash rewards or vouchers, as their priority will be to pay bills.

Employees with larger disposable incomes, may not be motivated by theatre tickets but by travel benefits or holidays.

For more senior employees, it can be the recognition of their achievements that is the biggest motivator.

Segmenting employees by income and grade and targeting incentives accordingly could therefore be much more motivational, and have a much better take-up rate.

Case study: Demographic differences in the workplaceFew studies have been conducted on the effects of personal demographics on attitude. However, in a large study conducted by Edgar and Geare (2004), distinct differences in attitude on different topics were found.

Women and non-Europeans perceived the application of equal employment opportunities as more important than men and Europeans respectively, and employees in professional roles perceived training, development, recruitment and selection as more important than non-professionals.

Understanding these differences within a workforce can enable communications to be tailored according to interests.

Reference: Edgar, F. & Geare, A. (2004). Employee Demographics in Human Resource Management Research.

Business demographics e.g. employee location, business area, grade

Pros: Efficient, communications structures are usually already in place; news and effects of change will be similar for those within the same grade and business area.

Cons: Blanket communication to employees based in a location will not cater for the different needs of those within

that location. Individuals within the structure are not identical. If communications are always conducted through a certain channel or segment, you can end up with delays if there are

‘gatekeepers’ who have to approve communications.

3 Melcrum publishing

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Employee attitudes

Pros: Knowing which employees are positive and those who are less committed can enable fine-tuning of communications and incentives that will resonate with individuals.

Cons: It is difficult to create communications lists according to interest and attitudes. It would require interviews, focus groups and/or questionnaires to determine the attitude clusters initially.

The clusters would then not easily fit into conventional communications targeting, so there would then need to be a complete overhaul of the majority of companies’ addressee lists. The whole process would take considerable time and financial outlay.

Objectivity may also be called into question as, often, you will need to know individual views to target individual employees.

Access to channels: messages targeted towards those who have access to specific channels

Pros: Easy, cheap, channels are already in place.

Cons: Spreading important news using only one channel can result in many people missing the messages.

It can miss out key demographic groups and it might be interpreted as a ‘sneaky’ method of communication if not everyone has access. Furthermore, many will get irrelevant communication as there is no way to target messages according to interests.

Case study: Warburtons and the green agenda

In 2010, Karian and Box conducted research for Warburtons which aimed to assess employees’ levels of understanding and engagement with the business’ green agenda. Employees were placed into one of four segments based on their responses to questions that gauged levels of understanding of the environmental priorities, and levels of related belief.

Four categories of employees were found:

Green ChampionsHad a high understanding of what they can do and what Warburtons is doing, and have high belief and support for the green agenda.

AdaptorsHad high belief but low understanding of what is done or can be done.

ScepticsHad high understanding of what is being done or can be done, but low levels of support and belief in the green agenda.

GreenaphobesHad relatively low levels of understanding of and belief in / support for the green agenda.

The insights and detailed information on different employee attitudes and behaviours has subsequently been used to help shape company-wide engagement on environmental activity as well as targeted local and, critically, peer-to-peer communication.

‘‘

‘‘Waiting a year or two, for the next engagement survey to form an opinion on employee attitudes is not enough. At a time of change, you need to know what people are saying: do they understand your priorities and do they support them? What are they doing to deliver them? That’s what’s critical.

This is why pulsecheck® is an important tool for any organisation going through change right now.

Andrew Moys, Director of Communications, John Lewis Partnership

pulsecheck®

www.employeepulsecheck.com

A guide to crisis communications thinkBox12 §keep calm

and carry ontalkIng

13Keep calm and carry on talking

Readers whose memories go back to the 1990s will recall a famous British Telecom advertising campaign which featured Bob Hoskins telling us: ‘It’s good to talk’. As professional communicators, it is both a mantra and an aspiration. Regular conversations between managers and employees are where the holy grail of real employee engagement takes place.

Whatever you call this type of communication – team time, huddles, briefings or just plain old staff meetings – making sure your organisation actually does it is vital during both good times and bad.

The business case Recent research4 and real life examples from major UK and international businesses shows that there is a proven link between good team communications and improved business performance. It is a lot more than just common sense.

The regularity and quality of team communication can have a direct and major impact on levels of employee engagement. Yet this form of everyday communication is still not given sufficient resources and priority by some organisations.

4 Karian and Box research data in this article is based on the views and feedback of over 650,000 UK employees in 12 large and medium-sized businesses participating in engagement research between 2008 and 2011.

Employees who participate in frequent (up to once a week) team meetings, have an aggregate level of engagement of 4.12 (on a scale of 1-5).

This compares with an aggregate engagement level of only 2.55 for those who participate in meetings less frequently than once every month.

Headline finding: Organisations can improve the overall engagement of their employees if they increase the frequency of line manager communication to at least once a month.

Jennifer joined Karian and Box with a Masters from Manchester Business School, specialising in Marketing. Jennifer has worked on a range of strategic and creative projects for clients such as Aviva Investors, BP, HSBC, Manchester Airport Group, TUI Travel, Sellafield and Warburtons.

Jenny Hill [email protected]

FREQUENCY OF TEAM MEETINGS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON ENGAGEMENT (FIG 1.0)

Not very engaged 2.0

Neutral 3.0

Engaged 4.0

Highly engaged 5.0

Not engaged 1.0

“The frequency of team meetings at my company is very low”

For this group average engagement is 2.55


“The frequency of team meetings at my company is very high”

thinkBox14 Keep calm and carry on talking

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70%

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100%

72%68%61%

48%

Up to weekly

Fortnightly/monthly

QuarterlyLess oftenthan quarterly

24 point engagement opportunity

Regularity of team meetings

TEAM MEETING REGULARITY (FIG 2.0)Frequency of team meetings vs. overall engagement

40%42%11%7%of employees have meetingsup to weekly

of employees have meetings

fortnightly/monthly

of employees have meetings

quarterly

of employees have meetingsless often than

quarterly

How frequent is frequent?There has always been a debate on frequency and timing of team meetings. Every organisation does things slightly differently and many have unique needs. But all studies point towards ‘more is better’.

Figure 2.0 shows results from 2011 research across a large multinational. We can see that weekly meetings result in the highest level of engagement but also that monthly scores are good too.

The major drop in levels of engagement occurs when employees are able to meet less often than once a month. This can be considered the frequency ‘tipping point’; the moment when levels of engagement start to fall dramatically.

Other studies corroborate this finding, where monthly team meetings sustain good levels of engagement. A little more

conversation It is really critical to have team meetings that are seen as useful and worthwhile by the people taking part. When people feel the meeting is a good one they report higher levels of engagement.

The similarity between the scores relating to the quality of line manager/team communication and the

frequency highlights the link between the two factors. Frequent line manager communication enables managers to build relationships with their team and to encourage open dialogue and discussions. This in turn improves the overall quality of team communication and also has an impact on employee trust in their manager.

The data shows that employees who have both regular team meetings and high quality dialogue at those meetings are the most engaged. Having only one or the other is not enough on its own.

We can see that good line manager communication goes beyond cascading information

through regular team meetings. It has to be about having real two-way

conversations that are relevant to employees and provide them and the organisation with value.

15Keep calm and carry on talking

All quiet on the line manager front…Providing employees with the opportunity to have regular, high quality face time with their manager is even more important during times of uncertainty or economic difficulty.

When whispers of change, redundancy or efficiency cuts circulate around the coffee machine, regular conversations can provide the reassurance and motivation that employees need.

Yet our research data shows that employees are having less face time with their line managers to discuss team or individual objectives and performance. In particular, a 36 point decrease in the regularity of team meetings over the last three years correlates strongly with lower employee understanding and engagement.

The regularity of team meetings has declined steadily since 2008. Similarly, line managers being seen to communicate on business issues has fallen.

Feedback from a number of large businesses highlights two primary reasons for this decline in frequency.

There are simply fewer middle / line managers around due to delayering and restructuring initiatives in response to the financial crisis of 2008/9. Businesses cut costs aggressively and stopped hiring. They also restructured in a way which widened spans of line management control.

Difficult economic and market conditions are making it is harder to reach performance targets. People are working longer and harder to achieve more elusive KPIs. The focus on hitting these numbers is becoming more paramount.

In a nutshell, there are now fewer managers under greater pressure to deliver more challenging financial targets.

As such, they default to communication by issuing emails, passing on information and/or reducing the time they spend communicating with their teams. For many, both regularity and quality of team communication go out of the window when the pressure is on.

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

2011201020092008

DECLINING REGULARITY OF FACE-TO-FACE TEAM MEETINGS (FIG 3.0)

Have regular meetings with line manager and team

Line manager communication on important business issues

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Finding managers who are able to effectively communicate with, engage, involve and motivate their teams is a challenge for many organisations. For many managers this type of engagement is not seen as part of the day job.

This may be because of a lack of ‘softer’ people skills, or a perceived lack of time.

Organisations need to recognise the fundamental importance of team communication and, most importantly,

do something about it. This involves making sure it is on the organisation’s agenda and that line managers are provided with the resources, support and information they need.

Time for a ‘team’ talkWhile budgets for 2012 are being squeezed across most organisations, the evidence shows that focusing on line manager and team communication is a priority that can provide measurable returns.

Team engagement is achieved through…

recruiting, reviewing and rewarding the right management behaviours

magnified through enabling, engaging, equipping, empowering and evaluating line managers

while removing managers without the necessary behavioural attitudes and the potential to change.

Based on best practice research and experience of working with a large range of organisations, Karian and Box has identified the key factors which determine the effectiveness of line managers in engaging their people.

17

The five ‘e’ factors In the world of the non-scientists, this equation really comes down to the five key ‘e’ factors (set out below). As well as recruiting people with the right behaviours, organisations need to support managers.

Keep calm and carry on talking

1 Enable• Do line managers have a clear

understanding of the role they play for their team and what is expected of them?

• Do they understand the business case for line manager communication and the potential benefits for them and their team?

2 Engage

• Do they have the passion and belief in the business to go the extra mile and to motivate their team?

• Do they feel personally involved in the success of their part of the business?

3 Equip

• Do they have the practical tools, capabilities and resources for team communication?

• Do they feel they have the confidence and support they need?

4 Empower

• Are they given the space, time and/or technology to bring their people together to communicate as a team?

• Are they encouraged by the business and their own managers/senior leaders to engage their people?

5 Evaluate

• Are they evaluated (especially by their own teams) for how well they engage their people?

• Are engagement metrics part of the package of KPIs on which they are reviewed and rewarded (especially where those rewards are financial)?

The team engagement ‘equation’:

The five ‘e’sBy asking these questions,

businesses can determine

whether they have the

fundamentals in place to

ensure line managers can

engage their teams.

How many of these ten

factors does your business

have in place?

E = r3b × (5e) – b2


Turning talk into action There is a myth that investing in line manager communication is more complicated and less measurable than other channel investment, such as commissioning a new employee publication. However, a number of organisations have put in place a framework for transforming team leader behaviours in order to raise levels of engagement.

Equipping and enabling line managers with the skills to engage and mobilise their teams is the basis of this approach.

(i) Toolkit

A number of businesses have provided their managers with the tools to increase the skills associated with communicating and engaging their teams. A practical toolkit can form the basis for this approach, providing everyday support and advice to enable the right team leader behaviours.

The development and introduction of a practical toolkit can result in increased positivity across key engagement metrics.

(ii) Evaluation

Embedding a process for evaluation of team leadership and engagement capabilities is a critical part of making sure the support is having an impact. This could include self-evaluation and 360° team evaluation of their line manager, with personalised reporting aligned to Learning and Development needs

Self-analysis questionnaire which generates individual reports for managers to identify their strengths/weaknesses.

Specific surveys for measuring success of process, or integrated as part of employee, with reports specific to line managers and their teams.

Case Study:

The following case study from Nationwide Building Society demonstrates how improvements in individual scores for line manager skills led to improvements in overall engagement.

Large-scale improvement in engagement (up over 20% compared to 2010) – in particular in perceptions of senior leadership team and communication.

Uplift in confidence that the organisation will achieve the priorities (up 29% compared to an average 3% increase for ‘all’ employees)

Increase in the perception of having the opportunity to give feedback on issues that are important to employees (up 24% compared to 3% for ‘all’ employees)

Clearer picture of where attention should be focused to support the business priorities (compared to an 8% fall in positivity for ‘all‘ employees in 2011).

19

Case Study:

Going above and beyond A holistic approach to improving line manager communication and engagement at Heathrow Airport.

Heathrow has used an integrated approach to help improve the capabilities and performance of their managers. This has had a significant impact on key metrics.

This approach was based on the principles of the 5 e’s:

Enabled The first step was making sure every employee has a team leader. Heathrow then established their expectations of team leaders and focused on making sure the critical role they play is understood.

EngagedProviding individual team leader reports based on employee Pulsecheck surveys helped managers understand the impact they personally have on the engagement of their team.

EquippedIndividual reports also enabled employees to pinpoint where they needed additional support or development. This was the best way of helping to equip them with the skills they need.

EmpoweredProviding clear direction from leadership was a critical part of making sure managers understand that team communication is part of their daily routine, rather than a ‘nice to have.’ A key part of this was ensuring that managers were given time to communicate with their teams; something they did not have previously. A major focus on this aspect of communication was presented by the business, and led by CEO Colin Mathews.

EvaluatedEvaluation was placed at the heart of the process to make sure the activities were credible and constructive. Allowing managers to understand how they are viewed by their team and how they compare to the business as a whole provides clear, actionable results. This process, achieved through monthly tracking of a small, core set of metrics has been fundamental.

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Percentage of employees having weekly meetings

TEAM MEETING REGULARITY (FIG 4.0)Frequency of team meetings and their impact on engagement

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Keep calm and carry on talking

The direct impact on understanding that having managers who provide, regular, high quality team communication can have is seen in this graph (figure 4.0)


The extra mile– and how to measure it

Discretionary effort

It is difficult to describe discretionary effort without using metaphors: going the extra mile; going above and beyond; making a difference; making it count. If four in five of your employees say they are willing to go the extra mile then surely that deserves a pat on the back?

But beware – effort in the wrong place can be just as bad as no effort at all. Discretionary effort can only be effective if it is properly focused on the right business priorities and behaviours. Creating the right focus is what effective employee communications is all about.

21The extra mile

On the right lines Any credible discussion about discretionary effort is linked to what is called ‘alignment’. If employees do not guide their efforts in the right direction, then they will not be able to make a difference to the business priorities, regardless of how far they go beyond the call of duty. Ultimately, their extra efforts will be wasted time for them and a wasted opportunity for their organisation.

By contrast if employees have a good understanding of their business priorities, their role and how they can improve what they do, then their discretionary effort can make a difference to the bottom line.

Nick Barnes [email protected]

Nick is a Director of Karian and Box Australia, having spent five years at Karian and Box in the UK.

In that time Nick has led on a series of major employee research programs for clients across a range of industries. Nick specialises in employee engagement research and workforce mobilisation.

Mind the Gap The benefits of discretionary effort are widely acknowledged, but there is room for improvement in the way the concept is measured.

One of the most common ways organisations measure discretionary effort is through associated questions in employee engagement research. However, the term must be considered alongside employee alignment with the business priorities if the ‘quality’ of the metric is to be captured.

The following example illustrates why:

If nine in ten employees are willing to go the extra mile, but only seven in ten understand the main priorities in their part of the business, then just over a fifth of those making extra effort are not basing those efforts on the correct business priorities.

The discretionary effort of these employees is likely to represent a missed opportunity for individuals and the business.

I am often willing to go the extra mile at work

I can describe the main priorities in my part of the business

70%

20%“Missed opportunity”

(i.e. low quality discretionary effort)

90%

90%

thinkBox22 The extra mile

Model behaviour The model below provides a visual way of comparing discretionary effort with employee alignment. The purpose of the model is to distinguish discretionary effort that is ‘making a difference’.

It is this refined type of discretionary effort that should be a target for HR, communications and engagement professionals.

Dis

cret

ion

ary

effo

rt

Alignment

How is it calculated? Each point on the matrix is a different business. The model can also be used to measure at an individual, team or business area level.

There are two aggregated scores needed for each point: an alignment score and one for discretionary effort. These two points are plotted against each other on the axes to give a discretionary effort score.

The scores are created using a set of questions for each axis, e.g.:

Alignment index:

I can see how my job makes a difference to the success of my business

I can describe the main priorities for my part of the business

I understand how the current business values relate to me

Discretionary effort index:

I am often willing to go the extra mile at work

I am proud to work for my organisation

I feel like a valued part of my business

Mobilised troops This is the discretionary effort that organisations should be aiming for. It represents employees who know what action they should be taking and then take it.

Robots Employees who know what is expected of them and what action they should take and only deliver the bare bones of what is expected of them. What they do not do is make effort that is above and beyond their job description due to lower levels of engagement.

Headless chickens These employees are willing to go the extra mile and make lot of effort. However, they are not aligned with the business priorities and therefore their discretionary effort is not sufficiently directed.

Wreckers These employees do not understand the business priorities and are not willing to make any extra effort. They are a drain on the organisation.

(Figure 5.0)

Headless chickensHigh discretionary effort / low alignment

Mobilised troops

WreckersRobots

High alignment / low discretionary effort

23The extra mile

Spending more quality time Once you know where employees sit on the matrix, what can you do about it ? How can the quality of discretionary effort be improved?

The matrix below has been designed to help answer this question. It builds on the model on page 22 by allowing organisations to identify where their main problems lie and, more importantly, points to practical ways of improving the quality of discretionary effort.

Line Manager communication and engagement

Lead

ersh

ip c

om

mu

nic

atio

n a

nd

en

gag

emen

t

How is it calculated? The figures indicate the percentage of discretionary effort that falls into each quadrant.

There are two aggregated scores needed for each point: line manager communication and engagement score, and a leadership communication and engagement score. These two points are plotted against each other on the axes.

The scores are created using a set of questions for each axis, e.g.:

Line manager index:

I have regular team meetings with my manager / supervisor

My manager / supervisor involves me in decisions that affect me

Team meetings with my manager are of a high quality

Leadership index:

Leaders inspire me to do my best

Leaders listen carefully

We get regular updates from leaders on how my part of the business is performing

(Figure 6.0)

Bigger picture, but lack of local/individual understanding

Working towards the right direction, but poor understanding of how they can make a

difference in their part of the business

Poor quality discretionary effortAny effort is not based on direction from the

line manager or leadership

High quality High quality discretionary effort that is

contributing to the individual part of the business and to the business as whole

Stronger local focus, but lack of understanding of where it fits

into the bigger pictureUnderstanding of role in their part of the

business, but not how it fits into the bigger picture

25%A key part of understanding how to improve discretionary effort lies in two key drivers from an employee point of view:

Line manager communication and engagement For example, the focus on line managers equipping individuals with the right information / support / encouragement to go the extra mile.

Leadership communication and engagement For example, the role leaders play in providing clear, visible direction and leading by example.

The matrix uses data based on employee perceptions of communication from their line manager and leadership team to gauge the quality of their discretionary effort.

It is based on a calculated premise that ‘valuable’ discretionary effort is based on quality communication and engagement by both line managers and business leaders.

Therefore, weaknesses in either of these two areas is likely to have a direct impact on the quality of discretionary effort.

Hig

h

HighLow

Low 6%

19% 50%

thinkBox24

One small step…Understanding where employees fit on the matrix will help identify key actions to help move most employees into the high quality discretionary effort quadrant. Most solutions are common sense and the following table provides some simple, practical solutions that can have a real impact.

Quadrant Description

Characteristics

Verbatim from qualitative research

Solutions

High quality discretionary effort

Strong perceptions of communication from managers and leadership resulting in high quality discretionary effort

Leadership Clear direction and priorities Visible, authentic leaders

Manager Regular meetings to translate business priorities

Opportunities recognition/opportunity to discuss performance and development

Clear and consistent explanation of role that employees play

‘I know what’s expected of me and how my role contributes to the success of the organisation. I am happy to go above and beyond my job description on most days. It helps that I have a really good manager who keeps us in touch with what is going on and the leadership team here are pretty good. They walk the walk rather than just talking the talk.’

Share success stories to celebrate employees who go the extra mile

Profile great managers and leaders and use as part of future recruitment

Local focus, but lack of understanding of where it fits into the bigger picture

Strong perceptions of individual line managers, but poor overall direction provided by leadership resulting in discretionary effort that doesn’t necessarily work towards organisational goals

Leadership Lack of clear direction & priorities Lack of visible, authentic leaders


Opportunities recognition / opportunity to discuss performance and development


‘My manager is great and really helps us understand what we need to get done here. It’s a great team and we all put a lot of effort in. But if I’m honest, I’m not 100% sure what’s going on at Head Office or in other parts of the business.’

Provide opportunities for employees to hear/see leaders. A blog or virtual forum would be a cheap option, although face to face would have more of an impact if possible

Share line manager success stories and profile great examples for internal use

Bigger picture, but lack of local understanding

Strong leadership from executive team, but poor perceptions of line manager communication resulting in discretionary effort that might not be targeted in the best way at an individual level

Leadership Clear direction & priorities Visible, authentic leaders

Manager Lack of regular meetings to translate business priorities

Lack of recognition/opportunity to discuss performance and development

Poor explanation of role that employees play

‘Our leadership team are doing a really good job. It’s an exciting time to be working here and I am willing to go the extra mile. I don’t really have much to do with my manager, we don’t really have team meetings.’

Invest in team communication skills to equip line managers

Provide resources and support for team briefings

Make team communication a critical part of recruitment and performance evaluation process for managers

Poor quality discretionary effort

Poor perceptions of both line manager and leadership communication means that any discretionary effort is likely to be misguided

Leadership Lack of clear direction & priorities Lack of visible, authentic leader




‘Why would I make extra effort at work? I come in, I do my job and that’s that. My manager is the same, and the leadership don’t care about us here.’


Provide opportunities for employees to hear/see leaders. A blog or virtual forum would be a cheap option. Although face to face would have more of an impact

The extra mile

25

Quadrant Description

Characteristics

Verbatim from qualitative research

Solutions

High quality discretionary effort

Strong perceptions of communication from managers and leadership resulting in high quality discretionary effort

Leadership Clear direction and priorities Visible, authentic leaders


Opportunities recognition/opportunity to discuss performance and development


‘I know what’s expected of me and how my role contributes to the success of the organisation. I am happy to go above and beyond my job description on most days. It helps that I have a really good manager who keeps us in touch with what is going on and the leadership team here are pretty good. They walk the walk rather than just talking the talk.’

Share success stories to celebrate employees who go the extra mile

Profile great managers and leaders and use as part of future recruitment

Local focus, but lack of understanding of where it fits into the bigger picture

Strong perceptions of individual line managers, but poor overall direction provided by leadership resulting in discretionary effort that doesn’t necessarily work towards organisational goals

Leadership Lack of clear direction & priorities Lack of visible, authentic leaders


Opportunities recognition / opportunity to discuss performance and development


‘My manager is great and really helps us understand what we need to get done here. It’s a great team and we all put a lot of effort in. But if I’m honest, I’m not 100% sure what’s going on at Head Office or in other parts of the business.’

Provide opportunities for employees to hear/see leaders. A blog or virtual forum would be a cheap option, although face to face would have more of an impact if possible

Share line manager success stories and profile great examples for internal use

Bigger picture, but lack of local understanding

Strong leadership from executive team, but poor perceptions of line manager communication resulting in discretionary effort that might not be targeted in the best way at an individual level

Leadership Clear direction & priorities Visible, authentic leaders




‘Our leadership team are doing a really good job. It’s an exciting time to be working here and I am willing to go the extra mile. I don’t really have much to do with my manager, we don’t really have team meetings.’


Provide resources and support for team briefings

Make team communication a critical part of recruitment and performance evaluation process for managers

Poor quality discretionary effort

Poor perceptions of both line manager and leadership communication means that any discretionary effort is likely to be misguided

Leadership Lack of clear direction & priorities Lack of visible, authentic leader




‘Why would I make extra effort at work? I come in, I do my job and that’s that. My manager is the same, and the leadership don’t care about us here.’


Provide opportunities for employees to hear/see leaders. A blog or virtual forum would be a cheap option. Although face to face would have more of an impact

The extra mile

For discretionary effort to have a positive impact it needs to be high quality. That means effort that is meaningful, proactive and based on the organisational vision and priorities. Measurement of discretionary effort that does not account for quality produces misleading data that damages the credibility of a concept that is a critical employee engagement metric.

Getting your head in the game

Simulation games are no longer reserved for teenagers and techies. They can play a key role in helping employees understand organisational strategy, change and challenges. PowerPoint presentations, handbooks and emails can help inform employees, but involving them is much more of a challenge. Like a pilot learning to fly on a flight simulator, strategy simulation games allow people to understand the cause and effect of actions they take.

Strategy simulation games allow an experimental approach to problem solving when a real life experiment would not be possible. Such games are designed to reproduce situations where collaboration, critical thinking and evaluation are required. The situation may be simulated, but the key messages, debates and strategic solutions that it generates are very real.

27Getting your head in the game

Board games and the games Boards playBoard members and senior leaders make difficult decisions almost every day. Such decisions involve balancing key priorities and allocating scarce resources, yet employees usually only see the final decision.

Gordon Welsh

This can, at best, result in confusion or apathy or, in the extreme, resentment and anger towards the business and its ‘ivory tower’ leadership. If a business has effectively communicated its strategy, individuals will be able to penetrate the management jargon and understand where the business is headed. That doesn’t mean they necessarily understand why and support the direction and how to get there. ‘Why have they done that? What makes them think that’s a good idea? They just don’t get it!’ are not uncommon sentiments heard when businesses try to communicate strategy in traditional ‘tell’ mode.

A key part of this reaction is a misunderstanding of the mechanics of decision making within organisations.

That is where strategy simulation can play a part. If businesses can help employees understand why difficult decisions are made by the leadership team and encourage them to consider what they would do in the same situation, then this is the foundation for building consensus around future direction.

Creating a shared understanding is the key to engaging people and encouraging them to take responsibility for the active role they play in their organisation.

Using gaming as part of an integrated communications approach can help encourage employee:

involvement and active participation in organisational issues

insight into the process of decision making and the difficult decisions that must be made

enlightenment about what the organisational values and priorities look like in practice

understanding of the internal and external pressures facing the organisation

consensus that employees would come to similar conclusions

innovation to help solve key issues or problems

development of their personal view and of a common language based on the organisational culture and values.

Gordon is a communications professional who has worked at senior level for organisations including Rolls-Royce plc, Sellafield and Royal Mail. A former journalist, Gordon was also NATO spokesman in Sarajevo, Bosnia. He is currently Group Corporate Communications Manager of Dana Petroleum plc.

thinkBox28 Getting your head in the game thinkBox

Targeting the (i)Players of 2012 Using gaming as part of your employee communication strategy is not just about allowing employees to have more insight into their organisation. It is also about using knowledge of today’s workforce to communicate with them more effectively.

According to a recent OfCom report, we live in a world where people are addicted to Smartphone technology. That’s not to say that internal communicators have to follow the crowd and only focus on tweets, posts and web-based apps. However, it does mean recognising that holding the attention of today’s workforce requires more careful consideration than ever before.

Providing unexpected, creative and involving ways of communicating is the best way to explain key messages in the most high-impact way.

That’s not just the case for the tech savvy. The way key messages are communicated to all employees deserves attention. How often are employees asked to attend meetings

or presentations where someone talks at them about organisational change or strategy? Even if they manage not to drift off, how much of this information is actually absorbed? While there is a clear place for such communication, solely relying on these channels when communicating business priorities can result in poor employee understanding and engagement.

Online or offline, that is the question As with any communications approach, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to using gaming as part of your business strategy communication and there are lots of available options. Gaming is a broad area and could be anything from a simple card game to a full-scale virtual world.

A key decision is between online and offline games:

Online gaming

Pros Creation of a virtual world that

simulates the work environment

Instant, interactive cause-and-effect scenarios

Could be made widely available following the development/purchase of a web-based program dependent on employee access to computers/the internet.

Cons Usually focuses on an individual user

experience

Less centred around team debate and discussion

More training-based rather than communication-based

Often more expensive

Offline gaming

Pros Creation of a set of scenarios and

challenges based on an organisation’s priorities, aims and values

Can be, designed to be used as part of a team meeting

Centred around debates, discussions and team work

Easier to develop internally which keeps costs down and ensures the game is completely relevant and targeted

Not dependent on computer/internet access

Usually lower cost than online solutions

Cons Generally less flexible than an online

solution

Relies on a manager setting the game up and explaining the rules

29Getting your head in the game

Work hard, play hard Until recently, strategy simulation has been more commonly considered an educational tool in universities, in the military or as part of employee training processes. But communication professionals are now beginning to embrace it as part of an integrated engagement strategy.

At the most basic level, such online or offline games work because they encourage active participation which consequently improves retention of information.

A good gaming strategy stimulates knowledge creation and exploratory learning based on the principles, values and scenarios involved within an organisation.

While games differ depending on the business and on the desired outcomes, there is a core process that every successful strategy game follows (see steps 1-5 below). It’s not rocket science and the principles can be fairly simply adapted for a specific need.

Game on.

Attracting employee attentionIt’s possible to use high impact visuals

or audio to help generate interest and a buzz around the process.

♥Strategy games are an unusual way of approaching employee

communication and they therefore attract employee

attention.

Getting started To start the game, the scene is set for players. This is an opportunity to provide context and background

information.

♣ Players are very receptive at this early stage of the game so this is a good opportunity to communicate key messages.

Making the connection

An important feature of business strategy games is that they encourage

employees to use their knowledge and experience to address the

challenges.

♦ This provides an opportunity to encourage the application

of organisational values, for example.

Drawing conclusions

The final part of business strategy

games is the summing up and

drawing conclusions phase. This is an

important part of summarising the

session and the key learnings of the

game.

♠Making sure there are

key takeaways is a critical

part of the success of

strategy games.

Setting the challenge

Guided small team activities.

♦This is about giving employees the

opportunity to think, question,

discuss and analyse.

♦Structured activities are

designed to guide the process

and keep it focused.

1

1 3

3

2

4

4

5

5

2

thinkBox30 Getting your head in the game

Undertaking a major strategic review of its future direction, the Royal Mail, a 350-year-old institution employing over 180,000 people across the UK, had a challenge on its hands. On the horizon was the liberalisation of the mail industry and the increased threat from competitors.

The Royal Mail faced two choices – develop the options for change and implement them, involving employees at or near the implementation stage; or get employees involved much earlier in order for them to understand the rationale and context of the change.

The organisation did its homework, gathering data on the likely shape of its markets, the competition, the threats facing the business and the opportunities available to it. All this was translated into user-friendly communication packs for discussion by employees. Every team worked through the process, which was structured like a board game, and had the opportunity to take time thinking about the im pact on them and their colleagues. Making changes will always be difficult but people had the opportunity to consider the same facts as the real Royal Mail Board and understand the challenges facing the organisation.

Who? Targeted at all employees Facilitated by team leaders

When? Time was allocated for teams to work through the game together

The sessions took place during the development phase of the strategic review

What? A board game played by teams of up to 10

Why? To involve and seek feedback from employees during the strategic review

To improve understanding of the situation and decisions being made

To stimulate discussion and teamwork during a time of change

Case study:

Winner takes it all…. Strategy simulation games are not a replacement for other methods of communication, but they can be a valued addition to an integrated internal communications strategy. They provide an unparalleled opportunity for employees to apply their knowledge and to help each other learn through collaboration and development. It may seem unconventional, but it is an opportunity to provide a fresh way of breaking through the clutter and to engage employees with your key message.

How we help make it happen?An infographics-based performance ‘dashboard’ can help engage employees with critical business headlines and metrics.

The process:1. Define the business need

The key question is ‘what do you want employees to do with the information?’

2. Identify the key metrics To have an impact the data must be relevant, meaningful and accurate.

3. Craft the visual ‘story’ The visual story will be based on the key data the business is communicating.

Engaging employees with critical business results and performance metrics is a challenge facing many businesses today. Providing simple Infographics allows businesses to tell a story in a way that is more compelling than just sharing complex briefing documents, data and PowerPoint slides.

Infographics can be used to help: Improve understanding Build engagement with key results

Reduce frustration and ‘Chinese whispers’

Save time

If you want to know more about how infographics could be used to help your business then get in touch: 01904 654454, [email protected].

KARIAN ANDBOX


Over the last three years there has been a major decline in employee mobilisation and engagement scores across many businesses and organisations. And it is not difficult to understand why. The Eurozone is in potential meltdown, we are living through the toughest economic conditions since the Great Depression and companies are having to work far harder just to stay in business. In the public sector, cuts on an unprecedented scale have slashed staff numbers.

Yet it is precisely at this time that having an engaged and committed workforce can deliver a competitive edge and bring some relief to hard-pressed companies. So why isn’t it happening?

The not so mysterious death of workforce engagement

SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL

33

The magic threeThe truth is there are only a handful of really effective ways to deliver an engaged workforce. Most traditional channel-based internal communications activity simply does not deliver. At best, it acts as background music to the reality that employees experience on a day-to-day basis.As such, if you had to concentrate your efforts on the most critical areas to deliver genuine employee

engagement, where would you start?Our study has isolated three areas (continued overleaf) which can collectively bring the most value in promoting engagement.Health warning: Sadly, none of these three provide a quick fix. However,

improved focus on them will enable business leaders,

HR and communications professionals to make the

right long-term decisions for the organisation.6 The research data in this article is based on the views and feedback of

over 650,000 UK employees in 12 large and medium-sized businesses

participating in engagement research between 2008 and 2011.

Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water…The credit crunch that shook organisations in the second part of 2008 has played a major role in driving a decline in employee engagement.Just as things seemed to be returning to ‘business

as usual’ in 2011, the Eurozone crisis provided a fresh round of market scepticism and low employee

engagement.Many organisations were forced to undertake measures such as cost reduction and transformation

programmes to drive efficiency to survive the economic difficulties. Unsurprisingly, this has had a

negative impact on employee morale.While business leaders are at the mercy of economic

headwinds, our research suggests other internal indicators have also contributed significantly to the

decline and business leaders can influence these.

Special Report

SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL REPORT • SPECIAL

10% drop in engagement 2008 to 2011

50

55

60

65

70

2008 2009 2010 2011

Figure 7.0 Engagement on the slide…Since the Karian and Box benchmark study in 20086, engagement has been falling…As illustrated below, the rate of decline was most

pronounced from 2008 to 2009 then slowed down

between 2009 and 2010. Despite already low scores

in 2010, a combination of factors has driven down

engagement for a third year in 2011.


The ‘holy trinity’ of employee engagement

Analysis of the data underpinning this study highlights three critical factors

which are leading indicators of whether employees are engaged or not –

you can call them the ‘holy trinity’ of employee engagement. These factors

are currently acting as the primary driving forces behind the decline in

engagement and, if tackled, can be used to rebuild it.

The critical drivers are:

Put simply, there is correlation

between positive results for these

three drivers and overall levels of

engagement.

The difference between the three drivers is

not large.

This indicates that each of them plays

an almost equally strong role in driving

mobilisation.

Business leaders delivering a clear

vision and direction to employees

Enabling regular, high quality face-

to-face communications between

employees and their line manager

Giving employees a voice in the

decisions an organisation is

making

‘Talking heads’

‘Team talk’

‘Talking back’

123

‘‘

‘‘

An employee is much more likely to be engaged if

they have a clear direction from the top, regularly

reinforced and contextualised by their line manager,

and a say in the business decisions which affect them.

35

‘Talking heads’ A clear vision can drive an engaged workforceProviding a clear vision is a key driver for employee engagement. Yet many leaders are not delivering a consistent message

But the water is muddier now…In 2011, fewer than half of employees felt that their organisation’s leaders set out a clear vision of where the organisation is headed. This compares with 58% who felt the same three years earlier.

‘Talking heads’

‘Team talk’

‘Talking back’Checklist

Leaders should help shape employee understanding of the organisation’s vision and direction.

Top down communication from the leadership team needs to be clear, consistent and compelling, particularly during a time of uncertainty.

A fundamental part of engaging employees is delivering a clear, consistent message of where the organisation is heading.

Senior leaders are responsible for helping create a shared vision for their people.

60%

62%

64%

66%

68%

70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

80%

40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80%

‘‘ Our findings verify the relationship between employees having a clear vision and being engaged. It is common sense that if you know what you are working towards and you know the direction in which your organisation is headed, it becomes easier for you to feel part of achieving the related business goals.

Figure 8.0 shows that clarity of direction has a considerable impact on engagement.Whilst other factors can improve engagement, clarity of direction can help employees turn this into action. A key part of understanding business messages is being able to put them into context and see where they fit with the bigger picture. Having a clearly communicated strategic overview helps employees understand the objectives of their team in a day-to-day context.

Em

ploy

ee e

ngag

emen

t

Employee clarity on business direction

Em

ploy

ee c

lari

ty o

n bu

sine

ss d

irec

tion

Figure 8.0 A range of businesses were plotted on the graph, highlighting the correlation between employee clarity on business direction and levels of engagement. The higher the clarity, the greater the engagement.

100

201120080

11 point drop in clarity of direction

2008 to 2011

Figure 9.0


‘Talking back’

‘Team talk’

2.0 Not very engaged

3.0 Neutral

4.0 Engaged

1.0 Not engaged

For this group average

engagement is 2.3

4.51

2.3

For this group average

engagement is 4.51

My Business leaders

don’t listen to what I have to say

My Business leaders

listen to what I have to say

5.0 Highly engaged

Figure 10.0

The impact of listening on engagement

Whilst ‘top down’ communication

is a key area of focus, at the other

end of the spectrum, ‘bottom up’

involvement is equally important.

Organisations that collect and

respond to employee feedback

are in the best position to keep

employees engaged.

Enabling employees to feed their views back

up the management chain is a key driver for

engagement

Figure 10.0 shows the considerable impact

on engagement for organisations where

leaders learn to listen to their employees.

Feeling they have a voice increases

dramatically how engaged employees feel.

Segmentation analysis conducted again and

again across many organisations has shown

this consistent finding.

FREQUENCY OF TEAM MEETINGS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON ENGAGEMENT (FIG 1.0)

Not very engaged 2.0

Neutral 3.0

Engaged 4.0

Highly engaged 5.0

Not engaged 1.0

“The frequency of team meetings at my company is very low”



“The frequency of team meetings at my company is very high”

§keep calm

and

carry on

talkIng

Encouraging regular conversations between

managers and their teams can help build real

employee engagement. Whether you call them

team time, huddles or just plain old staff

meetings, it is these interactions that can have a

real impact during the good times and the bad.

This is more than just common sense. The Karian and

Box research and real life examples from major UK and

international businesses demonstrate a proven link

between good team communications and improved business

performance.

Yet in reality this form of critical everyday communication

is still not given sufficient resources and priority by many

organisations.

See ‘Keep Calm and Carry on Talking’ pg.12-19 for more

analysis of the importance of team conversations.

37

Checklist Organisations should only ask for feedback if they are going to respond to it meaningfully. Superficial listening in order to tick boxes will have a detrimental effect on perceptions of the organisation’s honesty and transparency.

Explain that feedback is an opportunity for finding solutions, rather than an opportunity to complain and be negative.

Being heard reinforces a sense of belonging within an organisation and a belief that actions can have an impact. This can influence engagement and mobilisation. Make sure everyone within the organisation understands this.

‘‘

‘‘They listen but don’t hear…Whilst an increasing number of employees feel that they have a voice in their organisation... Figure 11.0 shows that a significant number of employees, across all of the demographic groups responded positively when asked if they have the opportunity to give feedback and offer new suggestions. This implies that many organisations have recognised the need to listen to employees. The percentage increase over the past three years is particularly significant in light of the overall downward trend for other engagement metrics in the time period.

… but many employees feel that their employers only pay lip service to feedback Despite a growing number of employees feeling that they have the opportunity to feed back, employee confidence that their ideas will be responded to has fallen. • Employee cynicism is likely to be a result of

organisations failing to show how employee feedback is used. A common example of this occurs when organisations conduct an engagement survey, but fail to feed back on the results to the employees who took part.

• Feedback needs to be listened to and acted on for it to be effective. If employees realise that their ideas or suggestions are not responded to then they will lose confidence in and are likely to become disengaged from the organisation. If organisations are going to ask for suggestions or ideas then they have a responsibility to respond to them. That is not to say that all ideas will be used, but they should at least be be acknowledged.

There has been a 14 point decline in people saying they are actively listened to by their employer. There is a perception of leaders routinely going through the motions of consulting employees, but disregarding suggestions and ideas.

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Opportunities to give

feedback on important issues

Confident ideas or suggestions are

listened to

2008 2011 2008 2011

Perceived feedback

opportunities up 9 points since 2008

Perceived listening down 14 points since

2008

Figure 11.0

thinkBox38 Book reviews

Steve JobsBy Walter Isaacson Apple’s Steve Jobs had a very keen sense of his own place in the pantheon of great inventors. That’s why he gave his biographer Isaacson over 40 interviews to research the book during his final battle with cancer.

Seen by some as a guru and creative genius and others as a dictatorial megalomaniac, Jobs divides opinion.

One of his greatest – and often overlooked – talents was an ability to inspire his employees to achieve things they did not think were possible. He told his first design team to ‘make a dent in the universe’. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jobs also instinctively knew that companies and large bureaucracies can end up actively working against what they were set up to do in the first place and with that ‘people’s ability to do truly great work all but disappears’.

This bestselling book isn’t just about Jobs. It is also a fascinating treatise on the development of the personal computer.

As you would expect, he has some piercing insights into business and corporate life. In the age of the focus group, he was all about providing real leadership:

‘A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.’

book reviewsthinkBox Leader of the Gang

Pond Life: Creating the Ripple Effect in Everything You Say and Do By Jon Hammond This book presents a simple, straight forward guide to better communications.

Hammond clearly expands the dos and don’ts of communicating with confidence, pulling out 5 principles for creating personal impact. This easy to read, honest book provides excellent insight into better verbal communications, which is key in business. Providing real life examples from his own 25 years of experience, the author identifies the key to great communications is understanding your listener. A great book for anyone looking to improve their day-to-day communications.

39Book reviews

Primal Management: Unravelling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance By Paul HerrWe know that many employees work for more than just a payslip at the end of the month, but what really motivates them? In this book, Herr argues the five social appetites that are key to creating passionate employees.

These five appetites are innovation, competency, attaining goals, cooperation, and self-protection and this book digs deeper into how the satisfaction of these appetites can lead

to a more motivated, organised and productive workforce. Using examples of companies that have benefited from ‘Primal Management’, Herr offers practical tips on implementing and measuring these principles. The book offers a fresh way to look at motivating human behaviours to produce real productivity.

Start with the Answer: and Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders By Bob SeelertChairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, Bob Seelert has a background of leading successful companies, and it is from this position he presents his wisdom.

In no longer than a few pages each, he presents ninety-four clearly headed guiding principles. Drawing from forty

years of experience, Bob gives time-tested advice on change management, company turnarounds, dealing with mergers, marketing management, leadership lessons and personal career. Everyone can learn from these invaluable insights in leading employees by a man who has proved he can do it.

Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck – Why Some Thrive Despite Them All By Jim Collins and Morten T. HansenRenowned business teacher Jim Collins is back with his latest book asking the question ‘Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not?’

This book explores not only business performance, but also the external factors businesses face. Based on nine years of research, Collins and Hansen explore why

some organisations have outperformed their industry’s index by 10 times (10X) despite extreme conditions. Collins and Hansen explore the attributes the leaders of these ‘10X’ companies displayed, and based on the evidence presents lessons on how to lead employees through times of uncertainty successfully.

thinkBox40 Book reviews

Information is Beautiful By David McCandless

Referred to internally as the Karian and Box office ‘bible’, Information is Beautiful is more than just an aesthetically pleasing coffee table book. It represents a new way of looking at the way we interact with information in an age where we are bombarded by facts, figures and fiction.

There are no dry facts, theories or statistics. Instead, Information is Beautiful contains visually stunning displays of information that blend the facts with their connections, their context and their relationships – making information meaningful, entertaining and beautiful.

Text is kept to a minimum and the unique visuals are easy to flick through but intriguing and engaging enough to study for hours. While the book is not a manual for creating your own data visualisations, it is a fascinating insight into how powerful information can be when it is presented in a visually compelling way.

For more information visit: http://www.informationisbeautiful.net

Reality CheckWhile reality TV has been given a bad name by programmes such as ‘The Only way is Essex’ and ‘Made in Chelsea’, the sub-genre of workplace reality TV actually offers some valuable lessons and insights for communicators. We’ve picked three of our favourites.

Undercover Boss (Channel 4) ‘Undercover Boss’ provides leaders with invaluable insights into the day-to-day running of their business. The programme may be formulaic at times, but the familiar revelation that leadership teams are often out of touch with their frontline employees is a humbling reminder to any organisation.

The Choir: sing while you work (BBC)Gareth Malone’s latest TV series may seem a bit too Disney to work in the real world, but it actually has quite a powerful message. If forming a choir can improve morale in an institution undergoing serious change then perhaps there is something to be said for such unorthodox ways of bringing employees together.

The Apprentice (BBC)Viewers may enjoy laughing at some of the candidates but the programme also holds up a mirror to today’s workplace. Many of us are guilty of slipping into bad corporate habits such as using outdated buzz words (blue sky thinking anyone?) and overcomplicated vocabulary. The programme is a healthy reminder to keep communication simple, clear and genuine.

on the boxthinkBox

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pulsecheck®

To engage this man you have to get beyond the face and inside his head.To communicate with Tim Brady the individual, you need to know what he is thinking. That will keep changing, so you need to keep asking him.

Organisations usually only measure employee engagement annually. To gain real insight into what individuals are saying, you need to keep the conversation going. Only then can your communications really get through to all the Tim Bradys in your organisation.

The pulsecheck® approach enables organisations to regularly measure what individuals are thinking, saying and doing on the priorities that matter.

Will the real Tim Brady please stand up

www.employeepulsecheck.com

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The Busy FoolA senior executive of my acquaintance once told me about an illuminating conversation he had when presenting a proposal to a Scottish billionaire businessman. It was a high pressure meeting and the executive could feel he was not making ground. The billionaire eyed him levelly and asked ‘Why should I invest in your business when I don’t know what your senior team are actually doing?’ Feeling the heat now, the executive blurted out, ‘I can assure you they’re all busy.’ ‘Yes, but busy doing what?’ came the reply. ‘They are busy fools’.

When someone has built a business empire from nothing and created countless jobs and wealth, it is worth paying attention to their opinion. Here was a man who knew how to use his time in the most effective way possible.

How many of us know people who tell us they are incredibly busy. They rush about from meeting to meeting. They send us and other people emails. They set up other meetings which then spawn steering groups, committees, working parties. Their first response to a problem is often to get on a train or plane. They will do anything it seems except carrying out meaningful work that produces tangible results.

The concept of the busy fool is not a new one. It is an

expression which has seldom been far from my thoughts during my own career. Let’s be honest, there are times when all of

us have fallen into this category.

Why? Because in the modern business

culture no one can be seen to be

moving at

less than 100 miles an hour. In some ways, that is a good thing. Nowadays, there is much more pressure to deliver and get results.

The problem comes when the activity itself becomes the end result and not the output of the activity. I have seen at first hand how some senior directors create a whirlwind of activity that often produces no meaningful output. Teams run about talking to themselves about themselves, living in a bubble and cut off from what is actually happening inside their own company.

In a previous thinkBox (Autumn 2010), we wrote about the need for professional communicators to build an effective working relationship with senior operational managers. ‘Busy fool syndrome’ is often a symptom of not having this relationship.

But there are also key issues around delivery, measurement, relationship building and having the moral courage to do the right thing.

So how do we make ourselves more effective and avoid being a ‘busy fool’? Here is my three-point plan about how to be as effective as possible.

thinkBoxLastword

“Do less, but better”

In the modern business world, everyone is under pressure to be as busy as possible – or at least to be seen to be busy. But being busy is very different to being effective. And it’s being effective that really matters.

1 Measure output, not input

When you have successfully delivered a plan, that is only half the battle. Measure the output of the plan to ensure it is effective. In other words, if you organise 10 town hall briefings a year, what does that actually deliver in terms of more engaged employees? Put measurement and evaluation at the heart of what you do.

2 Communicate and reinforce success

It is an old adage for any professional group that the ‘builder’s house is always falling down’. You have delivered a plan, you have measured it, it is producing results – so make sure your own organisation knows this. Let people know that you are being effective. It is a well known military maxim that you reinforce success not failure. If an idea is working, do more of it.

3 Do less, but do it better

In today’s challenging economic climate, using resources in a targeted and effective way is critical. Being efficient is about approaching communications in a careful and considered way to make sure what you deliver is high impact, relevant and beneficial. It’s not just about reducing your costs, it’s about rationalising and understanding what works and what doesn’t. Get rid of anything that does not add value as it is just white noise.

Ghassan Karian [email protected]

43Lastword

Karian and Box has recently been helping a range of organisations build more engaging, mobilised workplaces. Here’s a few examples of how…

Making the difference, every day…

Sellafield Ltd: pulsecheck report March 2012

Confidential

Change engagement Supporting global organisational change programmes across HSBC Group and conducting worldwide research into how employees are applying the banking groups new values in the workplace.

Safety and engagement research Employee research on safety culture in both BP and in Sellafield has been complemented by new engagement research projects for TNK (one of Russia’s largest oil companies) and Heathrow Airport.

Line manager skills The focus on boosting line manager communication skills and practice has led to major programmes supporting businesses ranging from Aviva Investors, Barratt Homes and Nationwide to TUI Travel and Warburtons.

Communication reviews Communication effectiveness audits have provided invaluable insights for organisations ranging from the UK government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to ACE Insurance (one of the world’s largest underwriting businesses).

Nuclear Safety audit

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That’s why we’ve recently helped the following businesses engage their people…

lastminute.com

We combine logic and magic to deliver communications which help change employee thinking and behaviour.

KARIAN ANDBOX

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