5 Ways to Improve Employee Commitment at Any Organization

Much ink has been spilled discussing the value of employee engagement as it relates to an organization’s success. High employee engagement is known to be strongly linked to the work employees do, but, does it impact the connection to their actual employer? An often-overlooked cornerstone of high engagement is the sense of commitment that employees feel, not only to their work, but to the organization they are a part of. Committed employees feel a connection to their organization, its goals, and its culture. These employees and the attitude they demonstrate to those around them add significant value to an organization’s workforce.

Understanding the Value of Committed Employees

Highly committed employees add value to their teams and their organization by exhibiting increased determination and proactivity at work. They pay closer attention to issues related to quality and customer satisfaction and often promote their organization when the opportunity arises. Moreover, highly committed employees are more likely to align themselves professionally with the organization’s visions and goals.

Not only do they spread this attitude across their team and other co-workers, but highly committed employees are much less likely to leave their position. Over time, this generates substantial value as they develop in their roles and spur increased commitment and engagement from others.

How to Commit to Employee Commitment

Commit to Employee Growth

One powerful way for an organization to demonstrate its commitment to employees is by taking an active interest in their development. Stagnant positions with little feedback or opportunity for growth can make employees feel under-valued. Hardworking employees want to know there is a future for them in the organization and want to chart a course towards future growth, both personally and professionally. Receiving feedback and direction, along with time and resources for training, assures them that their organization is willing to invest and commit to their growth.

Respect Employee Needs

Employees need to feel that their organization has their best interests at heart. A recent Limeade report found that 1 in 3 employees left their jobs because they felt their employer did not care about them as a person. That’s a shocking amount of lost talent as well as incuring increased on-boarding and training costs.

Inevitably, an employees’ personal circumstances will cross paths with their professional life. They may need some flexibility in their schedule, a short notice leave of absence or some other arrangement. Accommodating these needs, when possible, allows organizations and employees to create arrangements that are ‘win -win’ – benefiting both sides. More importantly, it also shows that the organization sees their employees as valuable members and that they are making an effort to integrate their employees’ needs into the larger plan. These accommodations have a strong impact. Employees remember these instances and respond with greater commitment and engagement.

Communicate the Company Vision and Objectives

When employees understand their organization’s larger goals and objectives, they feel more confident to adapt their contributions to them, accordingly. Another residual benefit is that teams find it easier to align and cooperate with each other. To help frame and communicate organizational goals, focus on the positive impacts and benefits created when the organization is successful. Here’s an example:

A technology company highlights how it helps families stay in touch or businesses be more productive.

• Work backwards to connect team and individual objectives to this larger vision.
• Communicate regularly on progress.
• Recognize the impact employees’ efforts are making.

This process will result in employees feeling a greater sense of belonging in the organization and camaraderie with their colleagues as they pursue their day-to-day objectives.

Building a Shared Culture

Beyond enjoying their job and having pride in their organization, employees’ sense of commitment often rests on the right sense of “fitting in” at work. When employees feel at home in their organization, they put in a stronger effort and are more resistant to leaving for another opportunity.

To help create this shared bond among employees, it is essential to invest in building shared experiences. Obvious ideas include company-wide events and recurring activities, as well as smaller team-based exercises. Additionally, involving employees in decisions, even simple ones like the theme of an event or location of a team lunch, reinforces a sense of belonging and improves team communication.

Implement an Employee Engagement Survey

To better understand what areas of the employee experience are driving commitment, implement a routine employee engagement survey. Beyond measuring engagement, an employee engagement survey dives into a range of factors that shape employee attitudes, including their sense of commitment.

This allows an organization to identify the aspects of the employee experience that correlate with a strong sense of commitment. Where they are strong, the organization can take steps to expand this success and promote best practices. It also enables organizations to identify factors that negatively impact employee commitment to enable them to effectively address them before they hurt employee engagement and talent retention.

Enjoying the Benefits of a Highly Committed Workforce

Highly committed employees are typically not hard for a manager to recognize. Their attitudes and work ethic make it quickly apparent that they are committed to the success of the organization. Nonetheless, these employees’ attitudes do not develop in a vacuum. They are hired because of their fit for the role and have their talent fostered over time. These employees are committed because they are reciprocating the sense of commitment they feel from their organization.

Building a highly committed workforce is ultimately a two-way street. Organizations that demonstrate a commitment to their employees and prioritize growth and recognition pave the way for employees to go the extra mile.

To learn more about the services Flex Surveys offers and how they can help your team, contact us at 877.327.5085 or visit Contact Page to set up a demo.