The power of conversation: An introduction to the
Employee Experience Toolkit
Josina Garnham,
Training & Organizational Development Consultant, Professional & Organizational Development
More than any other metric, employee retention — or people choosing to stay in their organization — is a powerful indicator of culture. People who choose to stay and grow at the University of Washington are key contributors to the work that is accomplished in our varied departments.
Last year Professional & Organizational Development set about to understand the factors that promote employee satisfaction and engagement at the UW. That work led us to develop a toolkit to support managers across the University with having conversations that illuminate what keeps their employees engaged.
What does engagement mean?
Engagement at work is defined by an employee feeling respected and having a sense of inclusion and belonging on the team or in their broader department. Engaged employees feel as though they can bring their “best selves” to work and make valuable contributions to a greater good or purpose. Additionally, engaged employees feel they have opportunities for growth and development in their roles. According to a significant Gallup research study in 2019, “the number one reason people change jobs today is ‘career growth opportunities’ and the reason is on the rise.”
A lack of engagement has real costs — both in turnover and knowledge loss. When an employee leaves their position due to dissatisfaction there are associated costs in hiring their replacement, training the new hire and loss of productivity during the transition and training period.
Employee engagement in 2020
Gallup continues to closely track employee engagement globally. Unsurprisingly, along with many aspects of our work and personal lives, employee engagement statistics have shown a rollercoaster effect. During the summer months, employees were particularly engaged at work. In POD, we heard a number of stories of people experiencing a renewed appreciation for their team members, a willingness to provide others with patience and grace, and a sense of “we are all in this together.” As we move deeper into the year, engagement statistics are dipping — back to pre-pandemic levels.
This trend correlates with what many of us are experiencing in other parts of our lives. A Washington State Department of Health graph illustrating emotional responses to the pandemic showed a heightened emotional response shortly after the outbreak (hero and honeymoon phases), followed by a large drop and phase of disillusionment, which is where we are now.
Our current situation creates a clear call to action for managers to connect with their team members to acknowledge and celebrate their work, to discuss any challenges they may be experiencing, and to look to the future with hope and optimism. Selecting key questions from the Employee Experience Toolkit to foster these conversations is an important aspect of supporting your people. Try asking:
- What makes a great day (or great moments) at work for you?
- How do you see our organization (team/unit) demonstrating support for a diverse workforce?
- What opportunities for professional growth would you like to have? How would you apply these opportunities to your current work?
What is needed now
According to earlier Gallup research, “The quality of the manager is the single most significant factor in your organization’s long-term success.” Unfortunately, Gallup’s recent findings suggest that the greatest decline in employee engagement is at the manager level. That is really tough news for those who are in the position of supporting others and who play such a pivotal role in the well-being of the entire organization.
“The engagement of managers is critical because they set the tone for the engagement of the people who report to them — managers affect 70% of the variance in team engagement. They are responsible for keeping employees informed about what is going on in the organization, setting priorities, and providing ongoing feedback and accountability. Unfortunately, managers report higher levels of stress and burnout than the people they manage.”
Start with taking care of yourself
Managers will need to maintain their own energy reserves to continue to be resilient in the face of continuous change. Use transitions between meetings to re-center, refocus and re-energize. This may include getting outside for a walk or exercise, or simply take three breaths before joining your next Zoom meeting.
Managers should also strive to maintain work/life harmony and resist working around the clock. Not only will this benefit you, it will show your employees that you can walk the talk.
Then take care of others
Familiarize yourself with the Employee Experience Toolkit in its entirety. Consider registering for the self-paced companion Accelerator course to gain additional perspectives on key topics related to employee engagement. The toolkit is designed to be flexible:
- Managers may wish to weave a few questions into their regular check-in meetings or rounds (held weekly, bi-weekly or monthly).
- Some may decide to use it at the halfway mark between annual performance reviews as a way to touch on goals and to create an opportunity for reflective dialogue.
- Another use is to hold Employee Experience conversations with new employees as part of your onboarding process, perhaps using a few questions at a 90-day check-in and additional questions at the 6-month mark.
- Finally, managers can adapt and/or adopt select questions from the toolkit as part of a regular team check-in meeting. For instance, you could ask, “What are you finding most fulfilling about your work this week?”
Let us know your experience with the toolkit
We look forward to hearing your feedback about how you have used and adapted the conversation guide. Please tell us what has worked well, what you would like to see changed or updated and your best practices. We also want to hear from you with any questions and resources that would be helpful. You can reach me at josinag@uw.edu.
SOURCES
- “It’s the Manager: Moving From Boss to Coach,” Jim Clifton and Jim Hartner, Gallup Press, 2019.
- “Statewide High-Level Analysis of Forecasted Behavioral Health Impacts from COVID-19,” Washington State Department of Health, September 2020. https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/covid-19-statewide-summary-forecast-of-bh-impacts-20200624.pdf
- “U.S. Employee Engagement Reverts Back to Pre-COVID-19 Levels,” Gallup, October 2020. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/321965/employee-engagement-reverts-back-pre-covid-levels.aspx
