JOURNEY OF ENGAGEMENT

Angela Hinojosa, Leaves Admin & HR Support Services Manager

“An engaged employee cares about their work and about the performance of the company, and they want to feel that their efforts could make a difference. It is generally seen as an internal state of mind; physically, mentally and emotionally that binds together the work effort, commitment and satisfaction in an employee.” – Heryati Ramlan

I recall landing a job (that I did not have all of the knowledge and experience required) by displaying honesty and engagement during the interview. A few days after my interview, I got a call that they were offering me the position. I could not believe it – I was so excited! I asked the HR Representative why they had chosen me, and she said the team really appreciated my honesty, my display of vulnerability, and my engagement throughout the interview. They said that those skills are hard to find, and that the rest is teachable.

I was very excited for the opportunity, and knew that I had a lot of work cut out for me. Eager to learn and succeed in my new role, I attempted to engage experienced coworkers to assist in my learning. I quickly noticed that everyone was in their own world, not willing to share their knowledge, and were disengaged. It was difficult for me to understand how it was possible; not everyone enjoyed their jobs or looked forward to coming to work every day. Isn’t that the point of being part of a team? Doesn’t everyone want to learn, share their knowledge, grow and excel? For some, this translates into fear, distrust and disengagement. I really had to take a step back and understand that each individual thinks and feels differently.

Currently, there is a growing epidemic in the workforce around commitment and lack of interest from employees. A 2017 Gallup research study showed that 70% of the workforce in the United States show up to work feeling distracted, disengaged, and distrustful. To address this, other studies have shown that, to be engaged as an individual, you must engage the (3) brains: Understanding your priorities (the brain in your head), feeling passion (the brain in your heart) and experiencing the purpose (the brain in your gut). Without these three components, you may experience roadblocks, failure, frustration, and potentially give up on your job, dreams, or journey in life.

By engaging the three brains, you will be able to better understand your priorities, feel passion, and experience your purpose. This can lead to success, trust, and engagement in the workplace. You may ask yourself, how is that possible and how can I get there? It is not as complicated as it sounds. You can achieve this by simply changing what you say, and how you think, about everyday things. By doing so, it can change the way you hear, see, and feel about your surroundings.

Here are a few ideas that were shared with me, which can help you on your journey to engagement:

• Change your language: When thinking/speaking about a task or project, change your words from “I have to” to “I get to”. Try this a few times and say it out loud. I bet it will make you feel good about what you get to do.

• Be the change you seek: Think about what the change is and model it! Ideas do not become an action unless you make it so. Find a way to insert your thoughts in an upcoming meeting, or sit down with your leader to discuss a challenge you would like to seek out.

• Use your key learnings to succeed: Listen and learn from your colleagues. The more you embrace new ideas and learnings, the better equipped you are for the future.

I invite you to try these, and share them with others to increase engagement. When you are engaged, your productivity will increase, a more welcoming culture will emerge, and your performance will improve. Instead of counting down the minutes before you leave, you will feel better about going to work. In return, you will go home feeling good as well – which is a win/win situation for all!