Now more than ever, C-suite execs are homing in on employee motivation. In a more holistic sense, doing so is simply the ethical way to do business, but it has a huge impact on an organization’s profitability as well. After all, happy and engaged employees are more productive and are more prone to be active innovators who drive their organizations forward.
There’s just one problem. Despite this renewed energy and interest in motivation, only about one-third of Americans are engaged at work, per a Gallup study. Unfortunately, this means that the efforts companies are making are for naught. People are still sleepwalking through their days at work and, in some cases, are actively undermining the companies they’re supposed to be serving. What gives?
If You’re Not Focused on D&I, You’re Missing Out
Companies tend to place their trust in surveys and reward programs to motivate employees. These are great tools when they’re applied wisely, but it doesn’t address the biggest motivators: working for an organization in which you feel like you belong, where your contributions are valued, and where you’re provided development opportunities. All these things fall under a surprisingly overlooked bracket: diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs. D&I is not just training, but more of a cultural shift in the workplace which leads to improved outcomes.
D&I is the Key to Productivity and Profitability
There is no shortage of studies linking D&I to employee motivation
- Inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80%. (Deloitte)
- Companies which are gender diverse are 15% more likely to outperform their peers. (McKinsey)
- Companies which are ethnically diverse are 35% more likely to outperform their peers. (McKinsey)
- The top 10% of companies focus on inclusive talent acquisition and retention strategies than their peers. The top 29% have two-times greater cash flow per employee and do better with coaching talent as well as handling personnel performance problems. (Deloitte)
Apply the Four Pillars of Cultural Diversity Change to Improve D&I
1. Start with inspiring engagement at an organizational level. Even through the actual changes will occur at a local level, initiatives must be established globally.
2. Set realistic goals that everyone can understand. Consider the actionable steps you can take to increase engagement. For example, if your company has a sales or production goal, one method to increase engagement is to hold very brief meetings on a set day/ time in which each group goes over their standings and successes. For large groups, pick a few top performers to highlight and give accolades.
3. Choose the right managers and provide them with training. Effective managers know how to tap into the individual strengths of employees, give them opportunities to demonstrate their abilities, and encourage individual contributions. They also hold their employees accountable and are held accountable by their leaders as well.
4. Ask employees the right questions and follow up. When employees complete surveys expect change to follow, but all too often the ball is totally dropped or the questions asked aren’t relevant or cannot be acted upon.
Improve Engagement with Help from The HR Source
Identifying D&I benchmarks and establishing goals can be incredibly challenging, but it’s one of our specialties here at The HR Source. We take the guesswork out of the equation with environmental scan surveys and cultural audits, plus we make D&I training a breeze with Building an Inclusive Culture Engagement Map Workshops. Learn more about our D&I services or take the first step toward cultivating a highly-motivated and energetic team and show your employees you care with a free consultation.
