“For Decades, employers have been measuring employee engagement the wrong way – or neglecting to measure it all. But Gallup has the solution: Time after time, these 12 items have proven to be the most effective survey questions to measure employee engagement.” TCR believes these same items can, and should, be applied to community engagement.
Gallup has identified 12 rules that will enhance employee engagement. As with Gates Rule, TCR has applied them to Community. The structure of this article is:
- Item refers to Gallup’s rule
- The Resident Perspective reflects a paraphrase of that concept, and
- Implementation Strategies reflect TCR’s view of what is necessary to fulfill the rule.
Item 1
I know what is expected of me at work. Expectations are the milestones against which we test our progress. Within the workplace, knowing what is expected can be viewed as the pathway that guides us toward achievement. If expectations are not clear, we are hesitant, indecisive and unsure of ourselves.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
As a resident, I know what the community expects of me, and what I expect from the community. There is a comprehensive process/document that establishes specific expectations for various organizations, skill sets etc., relative to the community vision – and it is maintained!
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Identify and group all the organizations/ groups in the Community and make two lists for each: what unique resources can be shared with the community and what unique resources does it require from the community.
Item 2
I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. The challenge we face in providing the necessary tools in the workplace is how to appropriately match individuals with a wide range of skills and knowledge with the right tools to maximize their potential. If this matching is not thoroughly examined, there can be a great cost for the individual, the organization or both.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
I am provided the information, tools and processes necessary for me to fully participate effectively and efficiently. When a specific task is identified, the skills and tools are also identified and gathered to support the workers
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Develop a network of web sites that will provide relevant information and collect comments with distribution to the affected organizations and centralized tracking to ensure prompt response and ultimate resolution.
Develop a “needs/available” database for sharing services and recycling products.
Item 3
At work I have the opportunity to do what I do best everyday. The task of the best managers is to clearly define the talents needed for each role, and then choose the right person for that role. A manager’s job is not to make people grow talents they do not have but to identify and utilize existing talents to their fullest potential.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
My community contribution reflects my interests and skills. It is the responsibility of the community to match these capabilities to the most appropriate tasks while allowing the workers to execute that work creatively and professionally.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- A “time and talent” database to identify the needs and identify the talent.
- A commitment of time and resource to train participants in the concept of the Community Index
- An inclusive visioning process to provide a common focus for participation
Item 4
In the last 7 days I have received recognition or praise for doing good work. Positive recognition is often thought of as coming strictly from supervisors or managers, but Gallup has found that employees cherish praise and recognition from peers. Coworkers know intimately the particulars of a job wan when they notice excellence, it is a special event. So praise and recognition don’t just come “from the top down” anymore
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
My fellow residents know of my involvement and acknowledge the importance of that role in the community. The community has a mechanism to identify who is working, on what and with what results so that the opportunity for commentary is routine.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Enlist the media in highlighting activities and participants.
- Provide sashes (uniforms) at events so that everyone can recognize the roles being performed.
Item 5
My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person. Great supervisors genuinely care about the people they work with, and thus treat people according to their individuality rather than treating everyone the same. Supervisors are the filters from which broader organizational changes and initiatives make sense to individual employees and thus gain true acceptance and understanding.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
My employer supports my involvement in the community and understands that this support will provide a return on that investment.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
As above
Item 6
There is someone at work who encourages my development.
Development involves holding up a mirror to employees and encouraging them to know themselves. As employees come to understand who they are, these managers strive to provide responsibilities that will be a good fit for employees’ talents. Then, as employees move forward in their self-knowledge, great managers persist in looking for opportunities to make the best use of employees’ talents.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
The area in which I make my contribution monitors the activity and recommends opportunity for me to enhance my skills and effectiveness. Education and training programs that address community development issues are relevant, interesting and available; I am informed about special opportunities to participate in those of personal interest.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Training coordinator
- Course content database
- Distribution Network
Item 7
At work my opinions seem to count. Great ideas are the building blocks for increased efficiency and new product development. Great places to work, in which employees’ opinions count, encourage ideas to flow, and to be heard, processed, and refined. Not all ideas will be successfully implemented but the process of refining ideas is still wonderfully productive. It builds employees’ confidence in the company and reinforces to employees that their efforts can make the company better.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
Community dialogue is open-minded and inclusive, tools are used to ensure that it is the power of the idea not the power of the individual that is discussed. The media objectively describes the issues, references interested parties and available information so that both awareness and involvement is peaked. When possible or desired, multiple tracks are pursued to determine which most effectively addresses the issue at hand.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Adopt a dialogue program
- Provide “e-Consensus” type tools
Item 8
The mission/purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important. Excellence only happens when people have a deeply felt sense of purpose in their lives. Human beings want to belong to something that has significance and meaning. They want to know they are making a difference, and are contributing to an important endeavor. The best work places give their employees a sense of purpose, help them feel they belong, and enable them to make a difference.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
Committees and organizations with which I am involved are structured to reflect the broader community vision and the role that each plays in achieving it. There is a trail that can be followed that links activities to vision.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Provide a community vision with strong focus on roles to be played by organizations and individuals.
Item 9
My associates (fellow workers) are committed to doing quality work. Often the definition of quality sets the tone of a workplace culture. If quality is defined as the absence of defects or mistakes, we send a strong message to employees that encourages them to cover up mistakes or problems quickly, with little attention to or exposure. In the best workplaces, quality is defined as the process employees use to recognize a problem and work toward its solution.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
Residents are inspired to put forth a quality effort because the community consistently acknowledges the contribution and relies upon that involvement in pursuing the Vision
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
- Establish an environment of expectation and performance.
Item 10
I have a best friend at work. Human beings are social animals, and work in a social institution. Often, it is a place where long-term relationships are formed from networking relationships, to friendships, to marriages. The evolution of quality relationships between people is a very normal process, and is an important part of a healthy workplace. In the best workplaces, employers recognize that employees want to forge quality relationships with their coworkers, and that company loyalty can be built from such relationships.
A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE
The community provides a friendly welcoming environment and reflects many of my values and interests.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
As above.