But it is still the case that too many employers make too little effort to ensure that their workforce feels valued and involved, both key drivers of engagement. Perhaps for some engagement seems too complex, or creating the conditions for engagement too difficult.
Engagement can also have other important results, as well as improved morale and productivity. The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) recently undertook research on the construction of the Olympic Park which uncovered a focus on employee wellbeing and engagement that helped result in an impressive safety record not typical of the industry as a whole.
The findings suggest that employers do not need complex or difficult interventions to engage employees; quite simple things are just as effective. These include good communication up and down the managerial chain, recognising and rewarding positive behaviours, and creating a culture where employees feel the organisation cares for their wellbeing.
The IES report describes detailed examples of how to ensure that workers are well informed about what is happening, provided with opportunities for their voice to be heard and responded to, and recognised for positive safety behaviour. All of which helped to create a secure and safe working environment on the Olympic Park site by engaging employees.
From the outset, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) established requirements and set standards for contractors on the Park. These included the need for each contractor to have effective communication arrangements for informing site personnel of key issues including progress of the work. Daily activity briefings were delivered by supervisors to their teams prior to the start of work each day and opened a two-way dialogue with workers about the work to be conducted and any associated health and safety risks. The weak communication skills of some supervisors resulted in all supervisors being given training on leadership and communication skills to support the engagement of workers. In addition to the daily briefings, there were regular updates from senior management about the progress of work, milestones that had been met, and upcoming work.
Communication wasn't just top down either. Multiple channels existed on the Park through which workers could feed issues up the managerial chain. These included the facility to report issues anonymously via cards which could be deposited at multiple locations across the Park, through employee representatives (some, but not all of whom, were also union representatives), via their supervisor or through worker safety meetings. In addition, senior managers maintained a high level of visibility on site through regular 'walk-arounds', during which they would ask for feedback from workers. The ODA conducted regular safety climate surveys on the Park with the aim of understanding workers' views on conditions including the support provided by line managers, the extent to which people felt they were treated with respect and the availability of training. Managers recognised the importance of giving feedback in response to issues or concerns raised, and 'you said, we did' displays of issues raised and action taken were put up in site canteens.
Recognition of positive behaviour in terms of safety was achieved through low-cost incentives such as breakfast vouchers, which could be given to workers 'on the spot` where they were seen to be working well. Senior managers also gave out awards which were publicised in the site newsletter.
The ODA also looked beyond a safe working environment to focus on the broader welfare of employees through the provision and maintenance of good welfare facilities. For example, occupational health services were available on site. This was perceived as having the benefit of keeping workers healthy whilst also saving time that would have been lost through workers having to attend appointments off-site.
The result of all this is a positive view of working conditions on the site, and a safety record that surpasses the industry average (as of June 2011, the Accident Frequency Rate on the Park was 0.17 compared to an industry average of 0.4) and a major project that is on time and budget.
The outcomes are impressive, but much of what the ODA has done in engaging workers has been to focus on doing simple things well and consistently rather than anything strikingly innovative or complex. There is much here that other organisations could adopt and some principles and practices that, if used more widely, could make significant differences to employees and organisations.
Daniel Lucy, Research Fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies
