Employee Engagement in an Organization, Research Paper Example

Executive Summary

Employee engagement defines the extent to which the staff members feel passionate about their workplace responsibilities and are committed to putting discretionary effort into their jobs. Employee engagement is a fundamental aspect of an organization’s success as it affects workplace issues such as employee productivity and employee retention. If employees are not satisfactorily engaged, they may be less motivated to perform, and others may end up leaving the organization. For Northway Academy to be successful, it needs to establish an organizational strategy that emphasizes employee dedication to providing services. The strategies need to make the employees motivated and committed to organizational processes. Northway Academy’s customers expect respect, courtesy, and responsiveness from employees, which reflects their engagement in the organization. The employee engagement strategy established needs to address these customer requirements. This paper assesses the process North Academy should use to establish a strategy that will improve employee engagement. This paper identifies employee engagement objectives, and they will connect to the customers. Besides, this paper identifies the key stakeholders that will make the employee engagement strategy established at Northway Academy successful.

Identification of the Business

Northway Academy is an organization located in Minnesota. The organization’s mission states, “To offer adults, children, young people and their families innovative, quality services and supports that lead to growth and independence, regardless of the physical, intellectual or behavioral challenges they face” (Northway Academy, 2020). Northway Academy’s mission statement emphasizes partnerships that shape individuals’ lives in their community-based settings. The organization’s values include integrity, respect, inclusion, and growth (Northway Academy, 2020). The core values serve as a guide for how workers deliver services to attain the organization’s mission. Workers meet customer needs such as medical care, crisis management, management of behavioral issues, and care for the disabled. According to Northway Academy (2020), “The health, safety, and well-being of the individuals we serve and our employees are essential.” Through the notice provided on Northway Academy’s website, the organization remains committed to support and educate its workforce about job safety and how to provide services effectively

Definition and Purpose of Employee Engagement within Norway Academy

Based on Norway Academy, employee engagement refers to how employees remain passionate, committed, and put discretionary efforts into their profession because they are satisfied with their organizational roles. According to Shoobridge (2020), the degree to which employees are emotionally and intellectually committed to organizational activities is influenced by leadership or justice. Employees become unwilling to devote themselves to their work if there is a lack of supportive structures in an organization. Northway Academy’s employees have provided community-based care by leveraging the organization’s resources and support to maximize their professional potential (Northway Academy).

The purpose of employee engagement within Norway Academy is to attain organizational strategy and goals through their dedication to providing services. Community members such as children, adults, seniors, and families access services provided in Northway Academy. Some of the services accessed by community members include disability services, autism spectrum disorders services, brain injury services, mental health services, and supervision services that last 24 hours (Northway Academy, 2020). Northway Academy is committed to making a difference in communities through its programs. Employee engagement involves how individuals use cognitive, emotional, and physical resources to perform roles (Nwokolo, Ifeanacho, and Anazodo, 2017). Committed employees are energetic, effective and enjoy carrying out their duties than demoralized employees disengaged in their professional responsibilities hampering better performances and sales growth in an organization.

Definition of Engagement Objectives and how they connect to the Business

Engagement objectives refer to workable ideas in Northway Academy’s workplace to improve the organization’s performance. Popli and Rizvi (2017) uphold that service-oriented employees sustain an organization’s competitive advantage by providing desired products to customers. Employee behaviors during interactions with customers are integral constituents of service products. Customers expect respect, courtesy, and responsiveness from employees, which reflect their engagement in the organization. Value is created and measured during employee-customer encounters during sales or services provided. Customers measure the quality of services received in an organization by focusing on employee attitudes and behaviors. Engaged employees contain professional efficacy and are not exhausted from involving in organizational activities. According to Kang and Sung (2017, p.86), “From the employee’s perspective, being engaged is a state of mind, a psychological state of being engrossed in one’s role as an employee and team member.” Involved employees in organizational activities are vigorous in attaining organizational success due to positive workplace environment fulfillment. Employees’ efforts in Northway Academy’s engagement-profit chain enhance productivity and deliver better corporate results.

The engagement objectives connect to Northway Academy through the enhanced performance when their leaders meet employees’ needs. Senior executives in Northway Academy are the stakeholders occupying the highest position in the organization. The senior executives are involved in enforcing the organization’s mission and values. The leadership type introduced by an organization’s management can enhance employees’ dedication or deter their commitment towards organizational activities. Supportive leaders attain employee engagement needed to advance an organization’s high performance (Huang, Ma, and Meng, 2018). Outcomes such as retention, productivity, and profitability are yielded when leaders develop positive relations with employees. Milliman, Gatling, and Kim (2018) indicate that employee behaviors such as proactive problem-solving, collaboration, and speaking highly about the organization are developed when leaders are supportive. In Northway Academy, the interaction between leaders and employees leads to engagement that influences organizational performance. Organizations sustain high performance and effectiveness when there are positive relations between leaders and employees (Gutermann et al., 2017).

Identification of Key Stakeholders and Audience

In the Northway Academy, different stakeholders are relevant to this project. The key stakeholders include senior executives and workers. The audience comprises children with autism spectrum disorder, adults, and family members (Northway Academy, 2020). Senior executives’ stake in this project includes: Fostering inclusive cultures in organizations, supporting and empowering employees, brainstorming solutions to eliminate barriers hindering organizational productivity, implementing decisions, and taking actions to improve organizational productivity and availing resources needed in the production process. Workers’ stake in this project includes: Seeking developmental opportunities needed to learn and facilitate growth, cooperate with other organizational stakeholders to execute their functions and relate with customers to facilitate service provision. Community members’ stake in this project includes raising the voice when faulty products or inappropriate services are provided in an organization and providing the feedback needed to improve organizations’ services.

Barriers, and Risks and How to Overcome Them

In Northway Academy, employees’ interests are unmet due to barriers such as the lack of an inclusive culture, the inexistence of a focus group to voice employees’ concerns to the executive team, and program supervisors’ disengagement with the team members. Risks arising from employees’ disengagement in their functions include poor organizational performance, unmet productivity objectives, and dissatisfied customers. The leadership style in Northway Academy affects employee behaviors and service outcomes. According to Shuck et al. (2017, p.268), “Grounded in common understanding, appraisals about engagement within a working context contain both cognitive and affective appraisals that influence a behavioral outcome.” The lack of inclusive cultures leads to a dysfunctional workplace where there is no meaningful work engagement (Kuvaas et al., 2017). The inexistence of inclusive cultures leads to disengaged employees that are rebellious. Workforce inclusion and employees’ views about their organizational rules affect their energy and commitment to enhance business performance (Goswami and Goswami, 2018). Satisfactory outcomes cannot be realized by leaders when they are unable to regulate employee behaviors and improve their engagement in organizational activities. Leadership behaviors and interactions with subordinates affect employees’ attitudes towards task execution. Leaders must eliminate barriers to employee engagement to realize organizational objectives (Bridger, 2018).

The barriers hindering employee engagement in Northway Academy can be eliminated by establishing an inclusive organizational culture, adopting an appropriate leadership style, and reducing program supervisors’ workload to attain adequate time for engaging with the employees. Leadership styles such as transformational and transactional influence subordinates leading to effective organizational performance. Transformational leaders motivate subordinates by appealing to their ideals and values. When a leader inspires a vision for the future, employees are intellectually stimulated (Veleva, Bodkin, and Todorova, 2017). It is essential to focus on employee engagement because service delivery depends on their commitment. According to Schneider et al. (2018, p.15), “Workforce engagement is likely a result of more than the attributes of the work itself.” If Northway Academy’s management does not focus on employee engagement, a likely outcome is a demotivated workforce that is reluctant to engage in productivity to meet customers’ demands. Akingbola and van den Berg (2019) assert that employee engagement is HR’s core area. Executives recognize employees’ contribution to organizational success as their determination or passion enables organizations to overcome barriers to progress. Employee engagement in organizational activities leads to customer loyalty by providing superior services (Veleva, Bodkin, and Todorova, 2017).

Plan Development to Improve Employee Engagement in Norway Academy

In Northway Academy, employee engagement can be improved by emphasizing the organization’s mission. The mission should contain a goal as it is the foundation for the organization’s culture. According to Goswami and Goswami (2018, p.66), “An engaged workplace encourages commitment and energy among the workers of the organization to enhance production and business performance.” Leaders that connect with employees utilize human resources to realize competitive advantage. Northway Academy’s executives should alter core values and the mission statement to foster an organizational culture that will lead to engaged employees. Behavioral intentions such as motivation, turnover, and commitment are influenced by leadership styles towards the market and customer orientation. Smith and Bititci (2017) indicate that employees feel empowered to provide customer services and quality outputs when organizational leaders are supportive. Employee engagement in service delivery also contributes to an organization’s financial success and customer satisfaction. The customer value process hinges on employees’ engagement and displayed behaviors when making sales (Al-dalahmeh, Khalaf, and Obeidat, 2018). A sense of loyalty is fostered among employees when organizations promote inclusive cultures. Jena, Pradhan, and Panigrahy (2018) assert that employees develop positive attitudes towards work when recognized and supported in an organization.

Employee engagement in Norway Academy can also be improved by concentrating on engaging the management to influence team performance. Leaders that recognize employees’ contributions to organizational success are confident and engaged in their roles. According to Nwokolo, Ifeanacho, and Anazodo (2017, p.17), “leadership style has in the past triggered both the progress and pitfalls of every organization, institution, and Nation.” Employees become engaged in their workplace if leaders are fair and supportive. Leaders who involve employees in organizational dialogues offer creativity needed to influence specific outcomes such as customers’ perception of quality and helpfulness (Smith and Bititci, 2017). Leaders that focus on employee behaviors and service outcomes deliver customer value. Norway Academy’s executives will take appropriate actions to realize an engagement level critical for organizational success if they focus on employees’ well-being.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Line managers that make appropriate decisions to treat employees and protect jobs establish successful organizations. According to Bridger (2018), employee engagement adds value to a business if engagement goals and strategy align with the organizational strategy and goals. Employees’ loyalty and engagement are inspired when senior leaders remain supportive throughout the execution of organizational activities. Often, trust, empathy, compassion, and leaders’ direction are drivers to employee engagement in an organization. Shoobridge (2020) propound that engaged employees in their professional duties are associated with lower turnover, minimal errors, and reduced employee turnover. Employees’ commitment to organizational activities is ushered in through organizational justice. Leaders enact a corporate management philosophy leading to a culture whereby the workforce is deemed valuable in organizational success. Relations and employees’ views about morality influence their attitudes in challenging opportunities to attain success (Shoobridge, 2020).

Internal corporate communication positively affects employee engagement as strategic leaders instill confidence and offer opportunities for dialogue to solve complaints (Ruck, Welch, and Menara, 2017). Profitability is an outcome attained in organizations when leaders influence employees leading to commitment and motivation. Leaders who mobilize motivation and cognitive resources achieve the course of action needed to meet situational demands (Rupp et al., 2018).  Leadership positively influences performance outcomes when employees are satisfied with enforced rules in the organization. According to Gifford and Young (2021), an organization’s sales and financial performance increase when leaders construct a positive service environment. Indeed, there is an association between leadership and positive outcomes. The association is influenced by the styles used by leaders for corrective actions and overcoming obstacles. Leaders that use friendliness and behavioral results to drive organizational success respect employees’ needs, resulting in increased efficiency. Sahu, Pathardikar, and Kumar (2018) indicate that management support, leader behaviors, and recognition are the antecedents for enhancing employee engagement.

How to Implement the Employee Engagement Plan  

The employee engagement plan, which emphasizes Norway Academy’s mission statement and concentrating on engaging the management, can be implemented through communication. Employee engagement in organizational activities is due to perceptions of the work environment, mission, and values. “The organization facilitates employees’ job satisfaction through working conditions, HR practices, and the overall organizational climate” (Akingbola and van den Berg, 2019, p.53). Employees that value their professional positions in an organization will remain committed to steering production to realize organizational objectives. Altering Norway Academy’s mission statement will lead to committed employees that are energetic and effective in carrying out their duties. Centering the organization’s mission on employees’ needs, productivity, and customers’ specifications will influence the workforce’s behaviors to fulfill objectives.

The employee engagement plan can also be implemented in Norway Academy through accountability among the executives involved in creating goals and sharing them. Leaders that engage with employees proactively coach them to build an environment based on loyalty and trust (Gutermann et al., 2017). Engaged employees exert efforts and exhibit behaviors such as altruism and civic virtue needed for an organization’s efficient running and functioning. Self-efficacy and performance are related in the context of work-related performance (Akingbola and van den Berg, 2019). Leaders that demonstrate self-efficacy attain performance objectives through employee motivation. Indeed, leadership and marketing styles are connected through dynamic links. For instance, program supervisors’ behaviors are influenced by organizations’ leadership styles. Employees that are satisfied with their job relate with customers to ensure that they make informed choices to make purchases (Sahu, Pathardikar, and Kumar, 2018).

How to Evaluate and Review

Based on the employee engagement Wifi model, the evaluation will focus on workers’ satisfaction in Norway Academy. Implementation of the employee engagement plan to create an inclusive culture will sustain the organization’s performance. According to Duque et al. (2020), employees’ willingness and involvement in organizational activities are based on how their needs are met. Employees build trust in leaders who lay the foundations for adopting correct decision-making behaviors and enhancing accountability. Effective appraisal of employees leads to positive behaviors that impact an organization’s productivity and sales. A work environment that endorses cooperation and trustworthiness will lead to dedicated employees engaged in their work assignments. Inspired or motivated employees achieve superior results when leaders integrate elements such as empathy and compassion to enhance innovation (Bailey et al., 2017). Trust galvanizes employees’ motivation to perform their roles efficiently. Meaningful work engagement connects organizations with employees (Kuvaas et al., 2017).

The review will be done by focusing on whether Norway Academy’s leaders will foster an inclusive culture after implementing the employee engagement plan. Bailey et al. (2017, p.32) indicate that “Large numbers of consultancy firms now offer services such as employee engagement surveys, and there are widely cited case studies purporting to show how raised levels of engagement can lead to organizational profitability and competitiveness.” Leaders who focus on employees’ well-being take appropriate actions to realize an engagement level critical for organizational success. Physical and emotional engagement is attained when employees remain positive when associating with their roles in different organizational levels (Pieters, 2018). A supportive organizational culture brings about employees’ willingness and passion for executing tasks and connecting with the organization. However, unsupportive organizational cultures lead to disengaged employees and productivity loss. Nwokolo, Ifeanacho, and Anazodo (2017) uphold that employee engagement is one of the challenges organizations face. Thereby, management challenges lead to productivity crises that will hamper Norway Academy from attaining its goals.

References List

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