A Simple Approach to Employee Engagement
Do you want your employees to be more engaged at work? To take more ownership and do their jobs to the best of their abilities? Of course you do!
Here is a simple way to help support your employees to be the best they can be. Just remember two words, Employee Touchpoints.
A touchpoint is a simply, an interaction. The word touchpoint is often used in the sales and marketing world to refer to any encounter where customers and businesses engage. Some well known businesses put a lot of emphasis on making sure that every interaction with a customer is as positive as possible.
At the Disney Institute (the professional development and external training arm of The Walt Disney Company), they teach the that service is manifested everywhere your organization touches the customer; therefore, you must intentionally manage the service experience beyond the obvious customer touchpoints.
I believe, there are also many Employee Touchpoints that are gold if Managers know what to look for.
If a company handles customer touchpoints well, they can create a loyal customer. It is also true that managers can foster loyal employees through understanding the importance of employee touchpoints.
I see two categories of Employee Touchpoints. There are formal and expected interactions. And informal and spontaneous. The first requires planning. The second requires mindfulness.
Let’s take a look at each.
What are some formal and expected employee interactions? I would say things like, the selection process, the an employee’s first day of work, an employee’s work anniversary, and even how holidays are recognized. These are predictable events and can be planned for. So, take your time and plan them well!
What are some informal and spontaneous interactions? Here are some interactions that come to mind for me; an employee calling in to take care of a sick child, an employee coming to you with an error in their paycheck, an employee sending you and email letting you know about a positive interaction they had with a client or customer, an employee speaking up in a meeting about a challenge they had with a client.
What formal and informal interactions (touchpoints) do you have with your employees, and how can you leverage them to foster greater connection and trust? Taking advantage of these opportunities is key, because it will make the challenging times easier to navigate. You will have some “money in the bank” and that can make all the difference.
