A few weeks back, we posed a question in one of our posts – what engages you? Ever since writing the article, I’ve found myself thinking
about the things that really engage me at work. There’s a huge range of factors that come into play here – and it’s the same for each and every one of us. There isn’t a simply one thing that makes us a tick a box in our heads to say we’re engaged – we all have relatively lengthy lists of unique requirements where employee engagement is concerned.
After thinking on this for some time, I decided that I wanted to share a few of the things that engage me with our readers. The following list includes the things i really need to be happy at work – and without these things, it simple isn’t going to happen. So, here goes…
Being Trusted.
I need to feel trusted to do my job well. This doesn’t just mean being trusted to handle confidential company documents or access to the accounts. It’s the smaller stuff that we’re told not to sweat that really makes a difference to my engagement. A good example of this is being allowed access to social media – so many companies continue to make the mistake of banning staff from using social media at work, for fear of them Facebooking until home time.
A little respect.
Being nice is completely free. It costs nothing to be respectful to your colleagues – whether you’re the CEO, Director or a graduate trainee, everyone is working for the same cause. How many times have you heard people saying they dislike their boss? It’s not exactly uncommon. So many of the horror stories that I’ve heard centre around a disrespectful boss who doesn’t value their employees – and it’s time for change.
Feeling that I’m making a difference.
I’m a nerd for analytics and metrics, and I love seeing how my role and the work I do makes a difference. My biggest kick is from seeing how people respond to what we’re saying.
Making Friends.
It’s really important for me to have friends at work. I love being able to connect with people on both a personal and professional level – and it’s always nice to share a few drinks with your colleagues, and to genuinely call them your friends.
Honesty.
I’m a firm believer in bringing myself to work. I certainly don’t change my attitude or personality to fit into a company culture, because I think it’s really important to be open and honest with the people around you. I need to feel that people are as honest with me as I am with them.
At People Lab, we love hearing about what engages different people. We’d really love you to share a few of the things that engage you – whatever it might be – because we’re really passionate about sharing best practice and hearing about what makes different people tick. If you’d like to keep the conversation going, please share your ideas in the comments section or via our Linked In Group.
