3 Quick Engagement Tips that Will Keep you Union Free

Today, keeping a company union-free means creating a culture where engagement is the top priority -something with which many (most!) companies still struggle. But there are ways to improve engagement and make unions unnecessary.

Employee Engagement: Where to Focus Your Energy

The challenge here is that it seems like every day brings new advice on fostering engagement. It can leave you feeling like you’re always behind, always needing to shift strategies and re-think your approach. But once you’ve got good foundational knowledge, making decisions about which tactics will work for your employees becomes much easier.

Here, in no particular order, are some outstanding tips that will help you union-proof your workforce while building the kind of environment in which people love to work:

1.Focus on your younger supervisors.

Don’t accuse us of age bias – their study is based on quite a bit of measured data – but, according to the Harvard Business Review, younger supervisors are not only more capable of engaging employees, but of simultaneously driving results. They identified 6 powerful skills these high-performing, high-engagement supervisors possess that make them capable of excelling in both areas. Providing your younger supervisors with excellent labor relations training means they understand the company’s philosophy and are prepared to meet employee needs.

2.Understand leadership styles – and strategize accordingly.

Do you think engagement is a leading indicator of your company’s performance… or a trailing one? If you’re not sure how your managers and supervisors would answer that question, you may be interested in these 3 simple strategies (and 1 really hard one) to improve employee engagement. If your leadership style tends more toward results-based outcomes, the 4th strategy (the really hard one) may be the best thing you read all day.

3.Don’t pay big bucks – pay attention instead.

The bottom line on engagement doesn’t have to take your breath away. In fact, there are 7 great ways to increase employee engagement without spending a dime (noting that a woeful 13% of employees worldwide say they are engaged at work).

Being aware of how your employees are feeling – how they’re reacting to company news or coping with change – is a vital part of creating a union-proof environment.

Making employee engagement an ongoing part of your labor relations strategy – and measuring it in the ways that are most authentic to your culture – is paramount to remaining union-free. If your goal is to maintain a direct connection to those that make the company what it is, you may also want to download your free copy of the Employee Engagement Journey, your roadmap to creating employee advocates