Employee Engagement Specialist Certificate Program

Day 4  Engaging the Generations  Creating a Motivational Environment  Determining Engagement Priorities

Traditionalist Baby Boomer Gen X Gen Y Born 1922 - 1945 Born 1946 – 1964 Born 1965 - 1980 Born after 1980 Age range: ______- ______Age range: ______- Age range: ______- ______Age range: ______- ______Values Hard work Workaholic Life balance Child focus Dedication/sacrifice Competitive Global thinking Team player Conformity Innovation Diversity Enthusiasm for change Respects authority Questions authority Unimpressed by authority Respect for authority Delayed reward Materialism Fun Tempered hopefulness Law and order Personal/social Self-reliance Sociability Optimism expression Cynicism/pessimism Optimism Skepticism Work is: An obligation An exciting adventure A difficult challenge A means to an end

Leadership Directive Consensual, collegial Challenges others To be determined style

Communication Formal, memos In person, meetings Direct, immediate E-mail, voice mail, IM

Feedback No news is good news Doesn’t appreciate it Asks, ‘How am I doing?’ At a push of a button

Rewards A job well done Money, title, Freedom Meaningful work recognition Motivation Respected Valued and needed Do it my way Work with bright staff Work/life balance Work/life balance

Strategies  Don’t rush  Establish non-  Allow time for questions  Provide interaction  Acknowledge experience authoritarian  Provide references with colleagues  Build rapport environment  Use time efficient  Bring up to speed  Don’t make assumptions  Offer fresh approaches quickly assignments  May resent young supervisors  Keep up a quick pace  Encourage mentoring  Provide  Be specific about growth  Use technology developmental  Allow time to earn their  Non-parental experiences respect approach  Tap into their expertise  Ease pressure of complex life

Similarity What are you doing? What could you do?

Achievement

Camaraderie

Equity and Ethics

Attracting the Generations What does and could your organization do right now to be more attractive to engaged Gen X and Gen Y employees?

What do we do now? What could we do? Boomers

Generation X

Generation Y

Traditionalist Boomer Generation X Gen Y

• Formal, memos • In person, • E-mail, voice • Instant meetings mail messaging, other • Words and tone social media respectful • Relationship • Direct, building, over coffee immediate • Most important • Good grammar or lunch message – face to face and diction • Time conscious or phone • Business and • No profanity or relation-ships • No corporate- • Be positive slang intertwined speak • Tie message to • Mutual interests • WIIFM goals

• Link to vision, • Specific scope • No cynicism or mission and deadlines sarcasm

• Don’t be condescending

 List as many techniques you can think of to communicate with your staff

 What ways work best for the different generations?

 How can you begin implementing these techniques now?

• Demonstrate your knowledge and experience • Create mentor relationships • Use coaching techniques • Establish non-authoritarian environment • Offer fresh assignments • Provide developmental experiences B • Recognize and tap into their expertise • Understand their work ethic – allow it but don’t abuse it

• Be patient about earning respect • Allow time for communication and questions (open door policy, pause during meetings) • Maintain a quick pace and manage time effectively • Be specific about growth opportunities; they are looking to transition X • Coach for promotion and succession

• Demonstrate competence • Provide interaction with colleagues • Set clear, realistic expectations • Take advantage of their speed • Connect with the heart – learn their passions • Let them solve problems Y • Use technology • Encourage mentoring and provide coaching

• What are the distinct differences how the generations want to be managed?

• What are the similarities in how they want to be managed

• How could a leader maximize both?

© The Employee Engagement Group 12 Day 4 All rights reserved Rate Yourself on Key Generational Leadership Skills By rating yourself on these key skills, you will be able to determine areas that you might want to make improvements. Remember to weight these ratings by which generation each is important to

Key Skill Important Low skill High Skill to: B X Y 1 2 3 4 5 Prove or demonstrate competence (knowledge, experience, etc) X X X

Acknowledge and value their experience X

Develop and use strong coaching techniques X X X

Demonstrate confidence X

Using technology X X

Setting clear expectations X X

Identify and communicate growth opportunities X X

Ask opinions and listen to suggestions X X X

Maintain a quick pace X X

Building rapport X

Adapting to different work habits X X X

How do the reward and recognition programs your organization offers meet these needs?

Boomer Generation X Generation Y Leader Motivation • Leaders who get • Allow them to get • Connect their them involved and show the job done on their actions to personal and them how they make a own schedule (even if career goals difference unorthodox) Rewards and • Seek personal • Free time, upgraded • Awards, certificates, Recognition appreciation and resources, bottom line tangible evidence of recognition results, development credibility opportunities Retention ideas • Offer flexible work • Allow them to work • Provide flexibility to arrangement (such as autonomously allow them to pursue telecommuting, • Show them options outside interests adjustable scheduling, for schedules • Get them involved personal time for family) • Flexible work in meaningful volunteer • Offer phased schedules – assign a efforts retirement and task and they will get it • Pair with older health/wellness done mentors (preferably programs • Frequent, accurate, Boomers) specific, and timely • Leverage their feedback to build skills capability to access and and improve their share information quickly resume

Creating Boomerang Employees

 Support their decision to leave

 Provide exceptional references

 Conduct a personal exit interview

 Ask for new contact info

 Connect where possible o Social media

 Ask for referrals when jobs open up

 Send appropriate jobs – ask ex-employee to apply

Performance Expectations Development Expectations

© The Employee Engagement Group 25 Day 4 All rights reserved Motivation Technique Assessment Read the statements below and pick the option (1, 2, 3, or 4) closest to your experience. If your experience is that you seldom do what the statement indicates, circle a 1; if you always meet the criteria of the statement, mark a 4; use 2 & 3 for all others depending on which way your answer leans.

Statement Seldom Always I try to persuade and influence people rather than force them or guilt-trip them 1 2 3 4 to do what I want.

I try to make work as enjoyable as possible for my co-workers and employees 1 2 3 4

I talk to people who don’t cooperate to find out their reasons. 1 2 3 4

I use my knowledge of nonverbal communication to influence discussions. 1 2 3 4

I give the people I work with full and frank information whenever possible 1 2 3 4

If I ask people’s opinions, I make a point of implementing their ideas when I 1 2 3 4 can.

I avoid office politics and gossip. 1 2 3 4

I discourage other people from being involved in office politics and gossip. 1 2 3 4

I involve people in issues at the earliest possible opportunity. 1 2 3 4

I give reasons for my actions and for any disagreements with people. 1 2 3 4

I seek consensus and encourage others to do the same 1 2 3 4

I react to failure by analysis and correction, not blaming. 1 2 3 4

I seek a balance between firm control and giving people independence. 1 2 3 4

I make conscious efforts to improve my motivational skills. 1 2 3 4

I change benchmarks to keep targets at stimulating heights. 1 2 3 4

I revise the system in order to remove obstacles to performance. 1 2 3 4

I encourage people to be open about what they consider positive motivators. 1 2 3 4

In talking with people about their performance in joint efforts, I invite appraisal 1 2 3 4 of my own effort.

I organize work so each person can actually complete the assigned task. 1 2 3 4

I get full, clear feedback from people whose behavior I have to evaluate. 1 2 3 4

I encourage people to act on their own initiatives. 1 2 3 4

I delegate work that does not have to be done by me. 1 2 3 4

If difficult ‘people decisions’ are needed, I make them willingly. 1 2 3 4

I act to avert or settle disputes and personality clashes. 1 2 3 4

I make changes only after consultation with those affected. 1 2 3 4

I thank people for good work face to face or by handwritten note. 1 2 3 4

I break the rules when there is sound reason to not work by the book. 1 2 3 4

I look for and seek to help people who are not using their potential. 1 2 3 4

I seek opportunities for radical change and take them where possible. 1 2 3 4

I give praise and/or other rewards on merit alone. 1 2 3 4

Total of each column:

Total of All 4 Columns:

To Score:  Add the numerical value (each ‘1’ you circled is worth one point, each ‘2’ you circled is worth two points, and so on) of each column and place the totals in the boxes at the end of the column.  Add the 4 numbers together.  Find your score below and read the analysis.

Points Analysis 30 – 65 You may not be creating a motivational environment. Identify the areas of shortfall and choose skills and practices for performance improvement. 66 – 109 You know and practice much that is motivationally sound. However, you can improve your success at motivation by choosing some shortfall areas, developing action items and concentrating on continuing effort on them. 110 – 124 You are a master at creating a motivational environment!

Might be heard Actions to meet needs Description saying

Achievement Employees with this need want the “I’d like to take on  Assign challenging satisfaction of accomplishing projects more responsibility.” task that stretch their skills successfully. They want to exercise  The ‘right’ assignment their talents to attain success. They are is essential self-motivated if the job is challenging enough.

Authority “Bob, you take this These employees get satisfaction from  Provide the chance to task. Jim, you influencing and sometimes even lead and make decisions complete task #2. controlling others. They like to lead and  Assign a mentor Send me an e0mail at persuade, and are motivated by the end of each day positions of power and leadership. with your progress.”

Affiliation This need is satisfied through affiliation “Let’s get the team  Opportunities to work with others. These employees enjoy together to talk about in teams, organize people and find the social aspect of the next steps.” meetings, and conduct workplace rewarding. brainstorm sessions

Autonomy These employees want freedom and “I’ll take this task and  Allow to set own independence. They like to work and report progress in two schedule and work take responsibility for their own weeks.” independently tasks/projects

Esteem These employees need sincere “Would you take a  Recognize and praise recognition and praise. They dislike look at this and tell me often, both privately and in generalities – praise specific how it looks?” public (if appropriate) accomplishments. This does not necessarily mean public praise.

Safety/ Employees with this motivation crave job “How does that  Clear cut work Security security, a steady income, health impact my job?” assignments insurance, other fringe benefits, and a  Discussion of hazard-free work environment. assignments after current one is complete Equity These employees what to be treated “Betty always seems  Address equity issues fairly. They probably compare work to get the good immediately hours, job duties, salary, and privileges assignments and I get  Answer the questions to those of other employees. They will the ones with all the that are asked honestly become discouraged if they perceive problems.”  Demonstrate fair inequities. treatment

© The Employee Engagement Group 28 Day 4 All rights reserved Motivation Self-Assessment In the boxes beside each motivation, place the numbers 1 – 7 using each number only once.  #1 = your primary motivational driver  #7 = what motivates you the least Be sure to use all seven numbers. After you’ve ranked yourself, write some ideas that would motivate each of the seven motivators. Motivation Need Ideas for Success Employees with this need want the satisfaction of accomplishing projects successfully. They want Achievemen to exercise their talents to attain success. They are self-motivated if the job is challenging enough, t so provide them with the right work assignments and they will consistently produce

These employees get satisfaction from influencing and sometimes even controlling others. They like to lead and persuade, and are motivated by Authority positions of power and leadership. Give them the opportunity to make decisions and direct projects

This need is satisfied through affiliation with others. These employees enjoy people and find the social aspect of the workplace rewarding. Affiliation Motivate them by giving them opportunities to interact with others: teamwork projects, group meetings, and so on.

These employees want freedom and independence. Allow them to make their own Autonomy choices, set their own schedules, and work independently of others.

These employees need recognition and praise. This does not necessarily mean public praise. Esteem Give them ample feedback and recognition whenever possible.

Employees with this motivation crave job security, a steady income, health insurance, and a hazard- free work environment. These folks need Security predictable work with little risk or uncertainty. Salary and fringe benefits are also important to them.

These employees what to be treated fairly. They probably compare work hours, job duties, salary, and privileges to those of other employees. They Equity will become discouraged if they perceive inequities.

© The Employee Engagement Group 29 Day 4 All rights reserved Motivation Team Assessment List the members of your staff/team (including yourself) and identify what you think are the primary and secondary motivators for each person. Make a list of ideas to better engage each team member base on his/her primary and secondary motivational drivers.

As a follow-up, you might ask your team to complete the Motivation Self-Assessment and compare your answers to theirs. Motivation Description Achievemen Employees with this need want the satisfaction of accomplishing projects successfully. They want to exercise their talents to attain success. They are self-motivated if the job is challenging t enough. These employees get satisfaction from influencing and sometimes even controlling others. They Authority like to lead and persuade, and are motivated by positions of power and leadership. This need is satisfied through affiliation with others. These employees enjoy people and find the Affiliation social aspect of the workplace rewarding. These employees want freedom and independence. They like to work and take responsibility for Autonomy their own tasks/projects These employees need sincere recognition and praise. They dislike generalities – praise specific Esteem accomplishments. This does not necessarily mean public praise. Safety and Employees with this motivation crave job security, a steady income, health insurance, other fringe Security benefits, and a hazard-free work environment. These employees what to be treated fairly. They probably compare work hours, job duties, salary, Equity and privileges to those of other employees. They will become discouraged if they perceive inequities. Adapted from The Manager’s Desk Reference by Cynthia Berryman-Fink and Charles B. Fink Primary and one Name secondary motivator Ideas to better engage this employee

Your Name

© The Employee Engagement Group 31 Day 4 All rights reserved Keys to Self-Motivation There are volumes of books, articles, and blogs available that address motivating yourself. Below you will find some highlights and commonalities of self-motivation based on several of these studies. Rate yourself on each of the tips for keeping yourself motivated and bring your results to the workshop.

Tip for Self-Motivation Description Rate Yourself I need to improve I do this very well! Reduce your ‘de- Identify and avoid the people and activities that motivators’ take energy from you 1 2 3 4 5

Find a support system Ask others to be there when you need a boost; this should be uplifting 1 2 3 4 5

Take time out for breaks Schedule time on your calendar to break from and physical activities your daily routine and move around 1 2 3 4 5

Use humor Find jokes and comics that make you smile – learn to laugh at yourself 1 2 3 4 5

Reward yourself Don’t wait for other to provide rewards and recognition – find ways to recognize yourself for 1 2 3 4 5 successes

Exercise, relax, and eat Maintain a healthy lifestyle – exercise regularly, right put your feet up occasionally, and eat right most 1 2 3 4 5 of the time

Organize your Find time to put material where you can easily workspace find it – this includes your electronic devices (e- 1 2 3 4 5 mail and file systems will save time and energy)

Keep learning Give yourself the opportunity to learn something new at work and/or at home – keep your brain 1 2 3 4 5 active and engaged!

Track progress Identify milestones in your projects and evaluate how you are doing against those mini- goals – make adjustments to schedules and 1 2 3 4 5 processes accordingly

Help others One great way to keep yourself motivated is to help others stay motivated themselves – provide support and guidance when 1 2 3 4 5 appropriate.

Challenge yourself Take on projects that are outside your comfort zone – just because you’ve never done it before 1 2 3 4 5 doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be good!

Make mistakes Be willing to make mistakes and learn from the results. 1 2 3 4 5

Practice positive Focus on what went right and how to improve thinking what didn’t. 1 2 3 4 5

© The Employee Engagement Group 32 Day 4 All rights reserved © The Employee Engagement Group 33 Day 4 All rights reserved © The Employee Engagement Group 34 Day 4 All rights reserved Determining Engagement Priorities

© The Employee Engagement Group 35 Day 4 All rights reserved © The Employee Engagement Group 36 Day 4 All rights reserved © The Employee Engagement Group 37 Day 4 All rights reserved Tools to Determine Current State

SWOT analysis is a powerful model for many different situations. The SWOT tool is not just for business and marketing. Here are some examples of what a SWOT analysis can be used to assess:

 A company (its position in the market, commercial viability, etc)  A method of sales distribution  A product or brand  A business idea  A strategic option, such as entering a new market or launching a new product  A opportunity to make an acquisition  A potential partnership  Changing a supplier  Outsourcing a service, activity or resource  Project planning and project management  An investment opportunity  Personal financial planning  Personal career development - direction, choice, change, etc.  Education and qualifications planning and decision-making  Life-change - downshifting, relocation,

Whatever the application, be sure to describe the subject (or purpose or question) for the SWOT analysis clearly so you remain focused on the central issue. This is especially crucial when others are involved in the process. People contributing to the analysis and seeing the finished SWOT analysis must be able to understand properly the purpose of the SWOT assessment and the implications arising.

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

SWOT Analysis Guide

© The Employee Engagement Group 38 Day 4 All rights reserved Strengths Weaknesses  Advantages of proposition?  Disadvantages of proposition?  Capabilities?  Gaps in capabilities?  Competitive advantages?  Lack of competitive strength?  USP's (unique selling points)?  Reputation, presence and reach?  Resources, Assets, People?  Financials?  Experience, knowledge, data?  Own known vulnerabilities?  Financial reserves, likely returns?  Timescales, deadlines and pressures?  Marketing - reach, distribution, awareness?  Cash flow, start-up cash-drain?  Innovative aspects?  Continuity, supply chain robustness?  Location and geographical?  Effects on core activities, distraction?  Price, value, quality?  Reliability of data, plan predictability?  Accreditations, qualifications, certifications?  Morale, commitment, leadership?  Processes, systems, IT, communications?  Accreditations, etc?  Cultural, attitudinal, behavioral?  Processes and systems, etc?  Management cover, succession?  Management cover, succession?

Opportunities Threats 1. Market developments?  Political effects? 2. Competitors' vulnerabilities?  Legislative effects? 3. Industry or lifestyle trends?  Environmental effects? 4. Technology development and innovation?  IT developments? 5. Global influences?  Competitor intentions - various? 6. New markets, vertical, horizontal?  Market demand? 7. Niche target markets?  New technologies, services, ideas? 8. Geographical, export, import?  Vital contracts and partners? 9. Market need for new USP's?  Obstacles faced? 10. Market response to tactics, e.g.,  Insurmountable weaknesses? surprise?  Employment market? 11. Major contracts, tenders?  Financial and credit pressures? 12. Business and product development?  Economy - home, abroad? 13. Information and research?  Seasonality, weather effects? 14. Partnerships, agencies,  Political effects? distribution? 15. Market volume demand trends? 16. Seasonal, weather, fashion

Tuckman’s Team Development Model

© The Employee Engagement Group 40 Day 4 All rights reserved Team Development Forming Storming Norming Performing Member Characterized by... Characterized by... Characterized by... Characterized by... behavior  Anxiety  Increased  Effort to get along  Cohesiveness  Search for structure testing of norms  Constructive conflict  Conflict management  Silence  Fight or flight  Realistic norms and guidelines  Active listening  Reactive to leader behavior  Functional relationships  Shared leadership  Superficial  Attacks on the  Acceptance of each other and  Creative problem leader  Overly polite leader solving  Polarization of  Caring, trusting, and enjoyment  Here and now focus the team  Power struggles  Hostility/silenc e  Fails to commit to action plans Reaction to  Accepted / tested by members  Power  General support  Leadership distributed Leadership  Tentative struggles  Differences acknowledged among members by  Jockeying for expertise position/control Decision  Dominated by active members  Fragmented  Based on individual expertise  By consensus making  Deadlocks  Often by leader in consultation  Whatever it takes  To team with team member collectively or individually leader by default, or  Most powerful or loudest Climate  Cautious  Subgrouping  Dealing with differences  Shared responsibility  Feeling suppressed  Overt/covert  Opening up true feelings  Open expression  Low conflict criticism  Straight confrontation  Disagreements  Few outbursts  Disagreement resolved promptly s between subgroups Task Get the team started, establish identity... Question identity, Establish realistic guidelines and Progress toward goal, true functions &  Develop common purpose manage increased standards... collaboration major issues  Orientation conflict...  Team responsibility  Monitor

© The Employee Engagement Group 41 Day 4 All rights reserved  Provide structure  Openly  Cooperation and participation accomplishments  Build trust confront issues  Decision making  Critique process,  Manage transitions  Increased  Confronting problems assess interactions participation  Shared leadership  Avoid ‘groupthink’  Testing of  Quality and excellence  Satisfy members’ group norms personal needs  Team assessments  Increasing independence from leader Leadership Reduce the uncertainty... Legitimize conflict... Encourage norm development... Maintain team skills... roles  Set goals, clarify purpose  Examine own  Develop goals  Maintain technical and  Draw out questions response to conflict  Use consensus interpersonal skills  Let members get to know each other  Reinforce  Redirect questions  Provide feedback on  Model expected behavior positive conflict  Develop positive listening skills group’s effectiveness resolution efforts  Assist in gaining more  Acknowledge meaning from meetings conflict as essential for change  Do not become more authoritarian Based on the group development model developed by Bruce Tuckman

Once you’ve decided to use the Leadership Team Evaluation with your team, these guidelines will help you to address it successfully with your group:

1. Review the Leadership Team Evaluation document.  Change the values on question 3 to your values  Determine that the statements and descriptions meet your company and team needs o These questions have been created with engagement in mind; use caution if changing questions  The rating scale should remain 1 – 10  Comment boxes are not included purposely – the results of this survey are meant as a conversation starter. Comments will come during the subsequent discussion.

2. During a team meeting, preface the exercise by stating: I’d like to do an evaluation of where we think our leadership team stands as a whole by doing a quick survey. Please complete this survey as honestly as possible – all answers will remain anonymous and we will only see the cumulative results. Once you are done, please put the survey in this envelope.

3. Hand out the blank evaluations to everyone (including yourself) and provide whatever

4. Give the surveys to someone to tally on the Excel spreadsheet and continue with the meeting  Data should be tallied and double checked for accuracy  Print the report on the ‘Report’ tab (enough for one per team member)

5. Discuss results, identifying lows and highs, and encouraging comments. An action plan could result from this discussion

Instructions for Using the Excel File

1. Enter the Leadership Team name and current date

2. Take the first survey and enter the scores of each question vertically in the cells on the spreadsheet under ‘Survey #1’. See example on Excel spreadsheet.

3. Repeat for each survey

4. Double check entries

5. Click the ‘Report’ tab and print the report (best in color), one for each participant

6. Put reports in an envelope and return to the team leader

7. Destroy original surveys

© The Employee Engagement Group 43 Day 4 All rights reserved Leadership Team Evaluation Read the 10 statements and corresponding notes. Rate our Leadership Team on each statement using a scale of 1 – 10 (see Rating Key below).

Results will be tabulated and displayed as a benchmark.

1 Our Leadership Team makes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 decisions unselfishly, for the greater good of the company

 We don’t make decisions in our own self interest

2 Our Leadership Team is seen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 by its employees as aligned on mission, strategy, goals, and priorities

 We focus and align in one consistent direction  We behave in a way that supports this focus

3 Our Leadership Team ‘walks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 the talk’; we live the values the organization stands for

Our mutual commitments and values:  Integrity  Respect  Balance  Open Communications  Flexibility  Safety  Innovation

Note: These are sample values – insert the values for your company 4 Our Leadership Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 automatically and consistently ‘assumes the best intentions’ in one another

 We do not assume ‘motives’, especially when we disagree  All team members assume that teammates want what is best for the

Leadership Team Evaluation (continued)

5 Our Leadership Team openly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 discusses issues in meetings

 We have open, respectful, but yet challenging conversations in meetings  We do not have contrary discussions in the hallway after the meetings  We avoid ‘I won’t comment on your sandbox if you don’t comment on mine’  Team members say what they want in the room, not after the meeting

6 When a decision is made in a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 meeting, we own the decision as ours and fully support it outside the meeting

 Our employees hear a single voice  When decisions are made we support the decision with our employees

7 We are acutely aware of the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 impact of the shadow we cast on our organization

 We recognize that everything from our words to your moods are noticed by your employees  We act with the knowledge that others look up to us, and emulate our behavior  We are seen by our employees as being aligned

8 We fully participate in initiatives 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 rather than just ‘blessing’ them

 Because of the ‘shadow’ phenomenon*, our company

* The ‘shadow’ phenomenon states that leaders have tremendous influence on company environment

9 All teams are managed and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 measured with the same level of accountability

 Team members openly admit their weakness and mistakes  Team members willingly make sacrifices (such as budget, turf, headcount) in their areas of responsibility for the good of the team

10 We as individual team members 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 are slow to seek credit for our own contributions but quick to point out those of others

 Individual members focus on the needs of the team and not their individual promotion or needs

© The Employee Engagement Group 47 Day 4 All rights reserved Employee Engagement Benchmark Data Employee ratings of an organization's strengths and weaknesses can identify areas upon which to focus in order to increase employee satisfaction. Indeed, if you had no other data, you would still be in a position to make decisions about what to do in response to employee survey results. You will be able to make much smarter decisions, however, with additional normative data. For example, it's not uncommon to discover half a dozen attributes which receive relatively poor ratings in comparison to others in the survey. What's to be done? One option, of course, is to attempt to address all of the low scores at the same time. In some cases, limited resources may preclude an across the board response. Even if such a full court press is possible, it is often an inefficient use of organizational resources. Alternatively, you might make a judgment call, focusing on those attributes which you think matter most to employees. And you may be right. Normative data, however, increase your odds, for they show where you stand in comparison with many other organizations on the same attributes. A case in point -- employee ratings of salaries and wages are substantially lower than their ratings of, say, corporate communications or quality of supervision. Looks like a money problem, but is it? It may be that, compared to other organizations, your wage and salary ratings are on the upper end of the scale. And your apparently satisfactory communications ratings are actually lower than those of other organizations. That kind of information is precisely what norms are designed to provide. Without that information, you can't really tell where you stand, and you may waste resources fixing "problems" that simply reflect prevailing views of employees in general, and missing an opportunity to address the real areas in which your organization lags behind others.

Participant Instructions On your own, use the next page to rate each idea (identified by number). Rate the idea by placing a small ‘x’ or ‘dot’ in one of the 4 boxes:

A = Low cost, high impact (do it!) B = High cost, high impact (no pain, no gain) C = Low cost, low impact (may or may not be worth it) X = High cost, low impact (probably not worth it)

The horizontal axis represents impact and increases from left to right. Vertical axis represents cost and increases from top to bottom; cost includes time, resources, and money. Remember that the vertical axis of the matrix is situated from top to bottom, high to low.

The mark should be placed relative to where it goes on the cost/impact scales (see samples below). The higher the impact, the further to the right the mark will be within the box; the lower the cost, the higher the mark will be within the box.

1 C A 13 C A 25 C A 37 C A X B X B X B X B

2 C A 14 C A 26 C A 38 C A

X B X B X B X B

3 C A 15 C A 27 C A 39 C A

X B X B X B X B

4 C A 16 C A 28 C A 40 C A

X B X B X B X B

5 C A 17 C A 29 C A 41 C A X B X B X B X B

6 C A 18 C A 30 C A 42 C A

X B X B X B X B

7 C A 19 C A 31 C A 43 C A

X B X B X B X B

8 C A 20 C A 32 C A 44 C A

X B X B X B X B

10 C A 22 C A 34 C A 46 C A

X B X B X B X B

11 C A 23 C A 35 C A 47 C A

X B X B X B X B

12 C A 24 C A 36 C A 48 C A

X B X B X B X B

Objective: The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate ideas in order to prioritize based on cost and impact.

Preparation:  Schedule a webinar with the participants  Send the 2 page Idea Evaluator Form to all participants and ask that they print it out for the session  When opening webinar, select ‘Share Desktop’. Open PowerPoint (Idea Evaluator Matrix) and Word (Idea Evaluator Form and blank page).

Directions (web meeting) 1. Brainstorm ideas in an open environment; list ideas  If done in small groups, collect and combine ideas onto one central list blank Word document (remember to save the document periodically) 2. Work with the group to combine similar ideas to minimize repetition; edit the document as you go, removing any ideas that should not be part of this exercise 3. Go over each idea to determine:  Clarity – be sure the participants truly understand the idea – rewrite if needed  Control – if this idea is to be considered, does this group have the ability to implement; if not, eliminate the idea 4. Assign a number to each idea sequentially (if you have more than 18 ideas, you will need a second sheet for each participant) 5. Switch to the PowerPoint slide showing the Idea Evaluator Matrix. Explain the Idea Evaluator Matrix emphasizing these points:  Horizontal axis represents impact and increases from left to right  Vertical axis represents cost and increases from top to bottom; cost includes time, resources, and money  The matrix is made up of 4 categories: A = Low cost, high impact (do it!) B = High cost, high impact (no pain, no gain) C = Low cost, low impact (may or may not be worth it) X = High cost, low impact (probably not worth it)

© The Employee Engagement Group 52 Day 4 All rights reserved 6. Ask participants to have their Idea Evaluator Form in front of them. Read these directions to participants to clearly describe the process. On your own, you are to rate each idea by placing a small ‘x’ or ‘dot’ in one of the 4 boxes. The mark should be placed relative to where it goes on the cost/impact scales. The higher the impact, the further to the right the mark will be within the box; the lower the cost, the higher the mark will be within the box. Remember that the vertical axis of the matrix is situated from top to bottom, high to low.

7. Once everyone has finished,  Option 1 – ask the participants to .PDF their documents and e-mail them to you. Compile the results on a single form and send back to the participants with your notes and objectives for the next session  Option 2 – open a pre-formatted polling question; ask participants to rate each of the; make sure everyone has a chance to rate all ideas 8. After step 7 is complete, the results should show an indication of how the ideas should be prioritized; lead the group in a discussion to determine best next steps based on ratings and resources. Note the following as you discuss:  Ideas with many marks in the ‘A’ rating may be quickly adopted as high priorities; be sure to listen to those who rated this idea as a ‘B’ or ‘C’ to be sure key concepts aren’t being overlooked  Ideas with may ‘B’ marks require an additional discussion of resources – once again, does this group have the ability to truly implement or are there too many dependencies  Don’t discount ideas too quickly, even if they fall into the ‘X’ or ‘C’ rating; low impact ideas may still have value

Objective: The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate ideas in order to prioritize based on cost and impact.

Preparation:  Make enough copies of the 2-page Idea Evaluator Form for each participant to have one (make a few extra copies as back-up)  Prepare a 10 – 12 flip chart pages with a 4 grid matrix labeled A, B, C, and X as shown below; number each page sequentially (1 – whatever number of pages). Be prepared to add additional pages to accommodate the number of questions.

Directions 1. Brainstorm ideas in smaller groups of an open environment; write ideas on flip chart paper.  If done in small groups, collect and combine ideas onto one central list on flip chart paper 2. Work with the group to combine similar ideas to minimize repetition 3. Go over each idea to determine:  Clarity – be sure the participants truly understand the idea – rewrite if needed  Control – if this idea is to be considered, does this group have the ability to implement; if not, eliminate the idea 4. Assign a number to each idea sequentially (if you have more than 18 ideas, you will need a second sheet for each participant) 5. Hand out the form and matrix to each participant and explain the Idea Evaluator Matrix emphasizing these points:  Horizontal axis represents impact and increases from left to right  Vertical axis represents cost and increases from top to bottom; cost includes time, resources, and money  The matrix is made up of 4 categories: A = Low cost, high impact (do it!) B = High cost, high impact (no pain, no gain) C = Low cost, low impact (may or may not be worth it) X = High cost, low impact (probably not worth it)

6. Read these directions to participants to clearly describe the process.

© The Employee Engagement Group 54 Day 4 All rights reserved On your own, you are to rate each idea by placing a small ‘x’ or ‘dot’ in one of the 4 boxes. The mark should be placed relative to where it goes on the cost/impact scales. The higher the impact, the further to the right the mark will be within the box; the lower the cost, the higher the mark will be within the box. Remember that the vertical axis of the matrix is situated from top to bottom, high to low.

7. Once everyone has finished, on the numbered flip chart pages ask participants to transfer their ratings from their paper to the quadrants on the page in approximately the same position. 8. After step 7 is complete, each flip chart should provide an indication of how the ideas should be prioritized; lead the group in a discussion to determine best next steps based on ratings and resources. Note the following as you discuss:  Ideas with many marks in the ‘A’ rating may be quickly adopted as high priorities; be sure to listen to those who rated this idea as a ‘B’ or ‘C’ to be sure key concepts aren’t being overlooked  Ideas with may ‘B’ marks require an additional discussion of resources – once again, does this group have the ability to truly implement or are there too many dependencies  Don’t discount ideas too quickly, even if they fall into the ‘X’ or ‘C’ rating; low impact ideas may still have value

Action Plan Date:

Metric Area Opportunity Identified Specific Results Expected Responsible Timetable Action Person

Note in this space any incentives associated with accomplishment of particular opportunities and related actions or any overall incentives:

1. Complete the Motivation Team Assessment on at least 5 people. For each person, note a primary and at least one secondary motivator. Then have each person take the motivation assessment and compare their answers to yours.  Did you identify their motivators correctly?  How could this help you to create a more motivational environment for these employees? Name of person Primary and secondary motivators (your Primary and secondary motivators from each assessment of each person) person’s self-assessment

 Use the HIT process to evaluate and determine needs – be sure to use the Idea Priority Matrix to evaluate the best ideas. Make notes of the successes and challenges to discuss at our next session. What went well? What were the challenges?

Pre-Work for Day 5

© The Employee Engagement Group 62 Day 4 All rights reserved 1. What are at least 5 key metrics you measure in your organization? Think about finance, process, people and other essential aspects of your organization. Then, make a list of at least 5 key metrics you think you should be measuring as you build a culture of engagement.

What we measure now What we should measure in the future

2. What % of your population is eligible for bonuses?______%

3. What % of bonuses paid are based on: How are each of these results measured? % based on qualitative results

______%

% based on quantitative results

______%

4. What types of ongoing reward / recognition programs to you have in your organization? Ongoing reward /recognition programs might include: a. Employee of the month b. Spot bonuses (cash for outstanding work) c. Gift cards d. Time off

5. Flow chart or outline your organization’s recruiting and hiring process below

6. Flow chart or outline your on-boarding process below

7. Identify how you determine in an interview if the person is a cultural fit for your organization

8. Bring a job description and resume submitted for a position in your organization