Every employee is good at the time of recruitment. After requirement, he may either continue as a good employee or become a bad employee. According to Gallup Research, each employee needs six basic requirements in his workplace. If the six things are available, employees are engaged. If these things are not there, employees become disengaged.
Expectation
Employees want to know what is expected of them. If the expectations are explained in a clear manner, there are greater chances for better performance and engagement. Target must be clear and task list must be specific. Expectation will become specific if the goals for the current year, current quarter, current month and current week are split up, but all the four goals are given at the same time to the employees.
Recognition
All employees are given equal quantity of work. Some employees perform the work better and faster. In such a case, they must be recognized and rewarded. There are two advantages. The recognized employees are motivated to perform still better. At the same time, they are also projected as a model for other employees. Average employees might have considered the target as humanly impossible. Now, some human beings have achieved the target before their eyes. This will motivate them to improve their own performance.
Encouragement
Recognition is for the extraordinary employees. Encouragement is for the average employees. Somebody must tell them that their present work is all right and if they proceed in similar manner, they can perform better in future. Underachievers should not be discouraged. They also must be encouraged because such an encouragement will serve as a boost for their future improvement.
Environment
No employee is an isolated island in a workplace. He is definitely influenced by his colleagues. For example, if an employee is honest in a government office when majority are corrupt, the honest employee also will become corrupt in course of time. Similarly, if the co workers are not committed to quality work, the individual good worker also loses his commitment. The workplace is important, but the work environment is more important.
Feedback
Every employee may have a feeling that he is the best employee. But his brain tells him that it may not be true. In such a situation, he wants to crosscheck with others. He wants the opinions of others. He wants the reviews of others. In other words, he wants a true feedback. So, immediate and correct feedback ensures the continuous engagement of employees.
Development
Employees want to learn further and develop their career. This attitude must be appreciated because it will result in their improved performance and better productivity. Opportunities must be organized for their all round development. It may be a training program. It may be a study leave. It may be a subsidy in the fees for a distance learning program. It may be reimbursement of a book purchased. When their knowledge increases, their performance improves and the company prospers.
Thus expectation, recognition, encouragement, environment, feedback and development are the six basic requirements for employee engagement in an organization.