Do you care as much about employee satisfaction and retention as you care about customer satisfaction? If you don't, you should.

Employees end up being the first customers. This is an even stronger reality in B2B organizations, where the organization's internal culture invariably influences the quality of service provided.

But how do you achieve high levels of satisfaction and low turnover? Engagement is much more than satisfaction and happiness; it's also commitment and involvement. There is no engagement without satisfaction and happiness at work and in the role, but these two ingredients are not enough.

The organization's mission must be linked to the goals of each employee. Of course, it's important to foster team spirit and mutual help; however, we cannot forget the individual. How can we know if we are doing our job well and have a sense of accomplishment if we don't have defined goals? Each role should have a clear job description with the main tasks, objectives, and responsibilities. In this way, each employee has a perception of how their performance contributes to the achievement of the organization's objectives.

Recognition based on achieving well-defined goals contributes to commitment to the organization's success. We all want recognition and appreciation for a job well done. Nothing is more motivating than feeling valued, but the annual performance review is not enough.

It's also necessary to recognize that there are factors external to the organization that we cannot control. These factors will certainly influence employee engagement. The idea that we have two spheres – the personal sphere and the professional sphere – and that these spheres are mutually exclusive, like oil and water, is unrealistic in light of today's society. We have to look at the employee as a whole, and the reality is that there are times when these two spheres intersect, and flexible working hours become a key factor for personal and professional fulfillment.

When one sphere is not fulfilled, the other suffers. If we are understanding of extraordinary situations that occur in the personal sphere, we believe that employees will also be cooperative in extraordinary situations in the work sphere, such as tight deadlines. Only highly engaged employees will "burn out" because they feel the company's success is their own.

The benefits of high engagement levels are clear: increased productivity and retention, and a reduced risk of burnout. In short, talented individuals who feel valued and have well-defined goals will perform better and stay with you longer.

Rui Reis

Executive Director of Mind Source

Posted in RH MAGAZINE RH MAGAZINE