What does employee engagement mean?

To me, it’s the employee’s attachment to their employer and the work they are doing as well as their desire to perform for the company. There are many elements that build this such as culture, management, and communications.

Well, it’s about attracting the people that are going to be engaged with your company rather than engaging people that you want to work for you.  Someone who likes your business from the outside. Someone who aspires to work for you. Taking this approach means you are more likely to get a better ROI from an employee who wants to work for you, and also means that there is more likelihood of a long-term relationship forming with them.

So, to really engage with candidates it is essential to produce an honest and real employer brand.  Allowing your brand to show off your true culture means that candidates applying for any role in any team will get the essence of what it is like to work at your company. Not only does it help attract the right candidates it can help with candidates self-selecting – which will save time for you.

This should start from the very opening communication, whether that’s a job posting or a recruiter speaking to candidates.  Using the right messages, vocabulary, style, and tone across all these channels is essential. It is vital to get that communication style right!

Having this approach means that candidates from the offset know what to expect from you and the company. This allows you as a manager to know the type of person you need and to recruit people that fit your culture.  So, normally people fit in from the offset, building strong team dynamics and get their buy into what you are looking to achieve.

Yes, there will be differences from team to team but there are strategies to help with these nuances.  Telling stories from your best employees within a team can really help by getting them involved in the interview process or in marketing strategies.  Having these stories can help get the tone right for what is to come for the employee – in a strong and real way.

Using a real and honest, you will obviously need to show your positive approach. You need to take this positive story and highlight the themes that apply to your target audience. What is the unique selling point and how are you different from competitors?  What are the intricacies of your business?