Employees Need More Than Feedback

Entrepreneur.com recently published an article titled "Stopping Employees From Jumping Ship is Easier Than You Think" along with an accompanying infographic. While the title is compelling, the piece raises important questions about management's role in fostering employee engagement.

However, organizations should consider a deeper question: How can we create employees who genuinely want to contribute, remain committed, feel motivated, and work toward shared objectives?

Frequent, specific, and relevant feedback from managers undoubtedly matters. Yet a puzzling reality persists: if feedback alone were sufficient, why do organizations continue investing substantial resources in measuring and improving employee engagement?

According to the Corporate Leadership Council: "Engagement is the extent to which employees commit to something or someone in their organization and how hard they work and how long they stay as a result of that commitment."

Engagement fundamentally centers on building committed employees. The practical question becomes: How do managers influence this commitment? Three key factors emerge: Connection - Managers must clearly communicate company goals across functions through internal communication and objective-setting, enabling employees to understand how their work connects to organizational strategy. Contribution - Managers establish realistic expectations so employees recognize their role's importance to company success. Trust - Employees trust their manager to provide direction, resources, and development necessary for success.

Managers must go further than providing regular performance feedback. They should establish clear connections between employee efforts, performance outcomes, and results the organization values. They should ensure individuals have necessary tools and resources to perform effectively. They should offer training and developmental experiences that build required skills and knowledge for employee success.