Riding the Emotional Waves of Employee Engagement

Employee engagement has become a buzzword like few others. So much so, that respected business resources like Gallup.com keeps a permanent metric on their front page, monitoring national trends. Why is this so important? Because coaches, trainers and HR professionals know that an organization’s employee engagement is inextricably linked to its efficiencies, its talent retention and its bottom line. Robert Jerus, an expert on the popular subject of emotional intelligence, offers up his recommendations for navigating what he calls the emotional waves of employee engagement.

Riding the Emotional Waves of Employee Engagement

by Robert Jerus

Human capital is one of the highest costs for any organization. In many cases, investments in people are minimized and highly limited. The logic is simple: if the organization spends for their improvement, what happens if they leave? Conversely, what happens if they stay… Happy, motivated, engaged team members make for a great culture, climate and team-work results but the key lies in achieving and maintaining this trifecta.

Most employees are neither happy, nor engaged at work. For most, there are good and bad days; as well as an ebb and flow of emotional engagement. Organizations that seek to optimize return on employee investment, need to “manufacture” positive employee connection (happiness, engagement and motivation). They need to create an ecosystem that allows for more engaged days, than unengaged ones.

Positive emotions energize individual achievement. Waves of these feelings, directed the right way, create systemic positive momentum. Validated self assessment instruments begin any process by introducing a heightened level of self-awareness, which sets the agenda for both attention, personal management and growth. The four keys are in self-worth, self-assurance, passion and meaningful goals.
Action creates the impetus for achievement. Skills, performance and reinforcement lead to successes at fundamental levels. These stepping stones create the foundation for higher level achievement. Cognition generates optimism, positive expectations and happiness. These ABC’s (affective-feelings; behaviors-performance; and cognitive-thoughts) create a self-fulfilling, sustainable positive agenda.

Teamwork, culture and climate are the systems that maintain positive momentum. Synergistic understanding at the macro level (i.e. organizationally wide) is a force multiplier.
Negative emotions and barriers sap momentum and diffuse energy. They run counter to engagement. These include boredom, apathy, doubt, and an array of feelings that derail happiness, engagement and motivation.

Leadership and coaching are the catalysts that generate positive energy. However they must begin by introducing an objective, validated instrument that first opens the door to heightened self awareness of our emotional intelligence quotient.

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Interested in learning more about how validated emotional intelligence tools can be used to optimize self-awareness and improve employee engagement? Learn more about Assessments 24×7’s popular emotional intelligence assessment (EIQ-2) here: http://assessments24x7.com/emotional-intelligence-profile.asp

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Robert Jerus is a certified human resource professional (SPHR) with over 30 years of experience in staffing,development, engagement and organizational development. He founded Success Dynamics International, wrote five books including MIND MATTERS, and developed emotional intelligence assessments. As a university professor and administrator, Robert has developed, taught, administered, delivered and assessed both curriculum and courses at graduate and undergraduate levels for traditional, adult education and on-line programs.

Robert Jerus founded the Society of Emotional Intelligence in Orlando. He’s a speaker/blogger on applied EI and positive psychology. Robert is an active member of 6 Seconds, SHRM (SPHR certified) and ATD.