There is a limit to what we can train people in. can you train people in an employee engagement program? Surely people are engaged, or they are not. Besides, people’s engagement levels change, depending upon a variety of factors within and beyond the workplace.

I define employee engagement as:

is a workplace strategy that provides the ideal conditions for employees in an organization to produce their highest level of productivity consistently; that they are committed to the strategic direction of the organization and its values; and that they are motivated at an optimum level to actively contribute to the success of the organization.

It is foundational to the well-being of the employee and the work they do.

This is a tall order. Surveys consistently show that most employees are either disengaged or neither engaged nor disengaged. And we also must factor in that an employee engagement profile will fluctuate for a myriad of reasons, many outside the control of the organization.

Can we design employee engagement training courses to meet this definition? In short, can we train people to be more engaged, or at least, less disengaged? And can these engagement programs for managers be sustainable?

The answer to these questions is probably no, if we are referring to traditional classroom style training programs.

Nonetheless, a comprehensive employee engagement training courses for managers can be developed that includes a variety of learning interventions. Some of these can involve traditional classroom training, but should also include experiential learning, conversations, changes in the workplace, attention to employee well-being, and a variety of other things.

Expectations

Is it clear what is expected of employees? Without clear expectations, it is likely the tensions will rise, and employees will mostly become disengaged.

Materials and equipment

To achieve optimal performance—with full engagement—people require the right resources. Adequate resourcing is encouraging. The opposite is true too: When resources are limited it’s discouraging.

Opportunity

Are all employees given the opportunity to exercise their natural strengths in the work they do? Research suggests a high correlation between job satisfaction and working on one’s strengths.

Recognition

Most studies also show that there is a shortage or rewards and recognition in most workplaces. A comprehensive employee engagement program will have both formal and informal recognition systems in place.

Caring

A caring attitude fostered by management is also important. This means treating people at work with dignity.

Development

Support a team member in their personal and technical development is another important element of engagement and leadership. Employees now have an expectation that organizations will support then in their learning and development.

Opinions

People appreciate it when they know their opinions count for something. The reverse is true: People become much disengaged when their opinions are ignored or dismissed as irrelevant.

Relevance

How relevant an individual feels their job is can have a significant baring on their level of engagement. On the flip side, if an employee thinks their job is relatively insignificant and unimportant, it diminishes their energy levels.

Commitment

Showing commitment to their work is characteristic of an engaged employee. As we know only too well, not everyone feels committed to their work. Nonetheless, you should assume that all employees have a healthy sense of viagra commitment to getting the job done to the best of their ability, unless proven otherwise. Simultaneously, you should be prepared if a colleague shows a lack of commitment.

Friendship

One of the most underrated engagement factors is the camaraderie and friendships made at work. Although you can’t directly influence who is friends with whom, people do form friendships at work. But employee engagement programs encourages and promote positive social interaction.

Progress

Conversations on the progress of work tasks is natural. But conversations on the progress of people’s development isn’t routine—and that’s disappointing. Talking to team members about their progress or—more particularly—their lack of progress can be heartening, if done with care.

Learning and growing

Engagement can come from discussing growth opportunities. People can be inspired by their involvement in a challenging work assignment or project, for instance.

All these factors are critical for a successful employee engagement program. Some involves employee engagement training courses and some of this may require employee engagement training for managers.