Just as a happy and healthy mother raises a happy and healthy child, only engaged managers can ensure that non-managers are engaged at work. According to a Gallup report, countries in the upper half of manager engagement are two times as likely to have engaged non-managers. The Gallup survey has found that
A whopping 70 per cent of the variance in team engagement is due to the manager. While it is true that economic wellbeing and labour protection play a significant role in employees’ happiness at work, engagement is more the outcome of interpersonal relationships with one’s manager.
Managers can be said to be effective when they are able to motivate an indifferent employee and inspire them to perform. Managers are the ones who drive engagement through goal setting and frequent meaningful feedback and accountability.
Only 30 per cent of managers and 23 per cent of employees overall are engaged globally. There are some organisations that achieve much higher levels of employee engagement and wellbeing.
Three quarters of the managers in best-practice organisations, across industries and geographical regions, are engaged, and so are seven in 10 of the non-managers. That means, there are 14 engaged employees for every actively- disengaged employee—a ratio 11 times the global average.
As per Gallup’s innumerable researches, an effective manager builds an ongoing relationship with an employee, which has its foundation in respect, positivity and a fair awareness of the employee’s unique strengths. Great managers help employees find meaning and reward in their work. This ensures that employees remain interested in what they do, leading to higher productivity and enjoyment. Therefore, it is important to first ensure that the managers are engaged so that they can ensure a more engaged workforce.
Only engaged managers can build trust among the employees, foster confidence in the organisation’s financial state, and inspire enthusiasm for the future.
Engaged managers alone can coach employees to succeed. With clear and effective communication, they are able to advocate for employees, and cultivate the a work environment that encourages innovation and collaboration.