Let’s Debunk the Top 5 Myths Surrounding Employee Engagement

No doubt, the term employee engagement is getting all the fame now. It is undoubtedly one of the most critical aspects of any organization’s success. It is an indispensable part of the company’s growth and demands continuous efforts from the HR team to foster a culture where employees thrive.

But the sad truth is, despite so much awareness, the employee engagement statistics are still meager. There are many misunderstandings and myths due to which it has been misunderstood in many contexts.  

So, we have decided to debunk the top 5 myths, after which you will get a more transparent and precise idea for creating an engaged, driven, and hardworking workforce.

Employee Engagement: 5 Myths

Employee engagement is a broad term that is abstract and demands an ever-evolving and developing process. Due to its core nature, the term is often surrounded by many misunderstandings and myths. Let’s learn about each one of them-

Myth 1# Sincere Employees Are Equal to Engaged Employees

This is the most common myth surrounding employee engagement; just because an employee is honest, punctual, sincere, and hardworking doesn’t mean he or she is engaged.

Yes, discipline and sincerity are considered top indicators performance-wise, but they cannot be regarded as top traits for employee engagement.

An engaged workforce consistently exceeds expectations. They look for better, innovative, and effective ways to contribute towards the organization’s success.

 Myth 2# Employee Engagement Demands Huge Budget

This is more of a misconception that you need to spend a lot of money to build a driven workforce. But this isn’t true.

The core principles of employee engagement involve employee recognition, developing a fair and rewarding work culture, effective and impartial leadership, robust communication, and more. All these factors require sincere efforts by people at various levels and departments. 

You can even incorporate many HR tools to enhance employee engagement with the proper budget and intent.

 Myth 3# To Build Strong Loyalty, Pay Heavy Pay Checks

This is a misconception that states the only way to retain your top talent is by paying them huge amounts of salary; sadly, this isn’t true in real life. Sometimes, you have to go beyond hefty paychecks to satiate the needs and demands of your employees.

Many studies have stated that employees need workplace rewards that shape their career paths and give them hope for a better future. They need educational opportunities to improve their skills and want to switch to ways that make them feel more connected to the organization’s mission, values, and service.

 Myth 4# Employee Engagement Is Only HR Responsibility

Another major myth surrounding employee engagement is that it is solely HR’s responsibility. On the ground level, the responsibility goes beyond just the top-level management; it is a collective responsibility that is to be shared by the entire team and the organization’s people. Employee engagement demands active participation and sincere efforts by employees as well. 

Employees can take several steps to increase their participation and take ownership of their engagement, such as:

• Setting goals and objectives before starting their daily work.
• Make sincere efforts to create stronger relationships with co-workers and management.
• Setting ethics and principles and abiding by them at all times
• To participate in team-building activities

Yes, HR managers play a more significant role in building an engaged workforce; the positive result is always a fruit that is yielded by collective efforts. Managers can even conduct timely surveys and organize meetings to implement better engagement ideas at work.

Myth #5 Employee Engagement Is an Unattainable Goal

Employee engagement, as mentioned above, is an ever-evolving process. It is not a standard process that, once applied, will always yield positive results. It is a multi-phase process that involves strategic and careful planning. Overall, it is attainable.

The key to achieving employee engagement is to break the process down into small, digestible steps and follow each step meticulously. You can create a workplace with loyal, genuine, and driven staff with consistency and practice.

Take one step at a time, and with time those small steps will lead you closer to your bigger goal, which is to achieve high employee engagement.

Conclusion

Employee engagement is not a one-time goal. It is not something you stop at once achieved. To create a healthier, happier, and more driven workforce, you must make consistent efforts toward creating and maintaining that habit.

By dodging these myths mentioned above, you can truly understand the concept of employee engagement and make exemplary efforts to foster the concept in your organizations.

Many employee engagement companies are making sincere efforts toward improvizing their current software and working towards developing one that would contribute to the progress and success of the organization and employees.