Engaged employees deliver improved business performance

September 16, 2009

(PhysOrg.com) -- Research indicates that in the UK and US as many as 70% of employees may not be engaged at work. Therefore, it is not surprising that employee engagement has become something of a hot topic amongst business leaders.

As part of Cranfield’s response to meeting the needs of businesses in these challenging times, the School of Management is launching a new executive programme to help senior managers better engage with their workforce.

The programme ‘Leading Employee Engagement in Recession and Beyond’, which will run for the first time in December, is an intensive programme designed specifically for people who have a strategic responsibility for building organisations that motivate and engage employees.

The programme will explore new approaches to the strategic leadership of employee engagement. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of key activities for successful employee engagement and an appreciation of the interpersonal demands of implementing these ideas.

Programme Director, Dr Martin Clarke commented: “The need for a focus on leading employee engagement is critical at any time, but even more so in a recession, when staff can become de-motivated.

“Of course senior managers recognise the importance of employee commitment to organisational success, but often end up tackling the issue in a way that has the opposite effect. If managers can get it right there is a clear association between engagement, job satisfaction, advocacy and business performance; so there is every incentive for managers to seek to drive up levels of engagement among the workforce.

“As businesses climb out of the recession and organisations face up to the demands of retaining and leveraging talent in a more competitive labour market, a focus upon employee engagement will be crucial.”

The content of the programme is underpinned by a refined understanding of how organisations work based on the latest thinking and research from Cranfield and also includes real life case studies from business leaders who champion employee engagement in a way that delivers business results.

Provided by Cranfield University