Last update: 17 September, 2019
You will certainly be able to recognize colleagues who show greater motivation and dedication. It would be the best example to explain the main features of theengagement at work. In essence, it is a positive emotional state characterized by energy, participation and effectiveness in the professional context.
Engagement (from the English 'commitment') is a term widely used today by personnel management gurus in companies. But in addition to its usefulness as a strategy to increase the competitiveness of companies, engagement at work provides numerous benefits. Read on to find out.
How to recognize engagement at work
People who show engagement at work are involved and emotionally very involved. It doesn't mean that they don't have a social life outside of the office, but that the time they make the most of the hours they are in the workplace. In other words, they are interested in taking advantage of all the opportunities that allow them to create value for their business.
These workers do not complain about their company and do not speak ill of it to anyone. On the contrary: they are proud to have a professional connection with this reality and this is what they communicate to their closest circle. They express positive feelings towards their company. And not in a forced way, because they get along really well in the workplace and / or with colleagues.
They also show interest in learning about and taking part in the initiatives and new projects proposed by the company. They are so involved in their activities that they put their effort into it. It is not a problem for them to work unpaid overtime if it is used to solve problems related to their company.
It is not addiction to work
For all the characteristics explained above, it could be inferred (erroneously) that they are people addicted to work. But it's definitely not the same: who it depends on the job he feels awkward when he is outside the professional sphere, for example during his free time. Plus, you experience constant nervousness, anxiety, and agitation.
People with work engagement experience a completely different emotional state from that of work addicts. They show themselves positive, motivated, energetic, fulfilled and happy. And not only on a professional level, but also on a personal level.
In addition, in most cases, they enjoy good health, low stress levels and high self-esteem. They trust in their efforts, their resources and their spirit of sacrifice. They show themselves responsible and autonomous in terms of problem solving.
What they bring to the company
People with job engagement perform their tasks very effectively. They are very diligent and sometimes even do more than is asked of them. With this they help to optimize their professional performance and generate a healthy organizational state.
Sometimes they infect their way of feeling and living the professional experience even to the rest of the team. And, on many occasions, they manage to extend their individual engagement and make it collective.
How to generate engagement at work?
On many occasions it is the workers themselves who favor the spread of engagement within the company. Thus, they generate in others this desire to commit themselves to their tasks, to internalize the company's values ​​and to take advantage of the opportunities that arise to develop their professional vocation.
However, it is in the candidates selection stages that the foundations for this entrepreneurial philosophy must be laid. In the interview, future employees must show a predisposition to talk about their incipient commitment. In other words, they must feel somehow identified with what the company offers them and give the reasons for this identification.
Similarly, the recruiter must make known the values ​​of the company to facilitate a familiarization with them by potential workers. It is therefore a two-way work. The candidate must be motivated to become part of the business and the recruiter must lead the way.
Generally, there are three factors that facilitateengagement at work: personal fulfillment, a positive environment among colleagues and a good salary. The company that manages to keep the perception of these three aspects high will have a better chance of effectively improving the performance of its workers.
For this purpose, continuing education programs can be implemented. With these, the employees they perceive that they are continually learning and that the possibilities for advancement are real. It is equally advisable that they can discuss, openly and confidently, the problems or challenges that arise. In other words, an employer who cares about his employees will not only benefit his department, but the entire company.
