The nature of public employment is changing rapidly. With threats to public sector pensions and reduced benefit packages, recruiting and retaining top talent is more difficult than ever. Long-term employees are expected to do more with less, in an increasingly uncertain environment. The question we all seem to be grappling with is, “How do we engage public employees in uncertain times?”
The answer to this question is complex; yet, the premise behind engaging employees is simple. Engaged employees are:
Intellectually respected – When an employee’s ideas are cultivated, listened to, and acted upon, they feel valued and appreciated. Nothing engages an employee more than offering them a challenging, important task and allowing them to own the solution.
Emotionally connected – Public agencies deliver services that have emotional appeal. Capitalize on the contribution each employee makes to the community, and you can strengthen your “tribe.” Seth Godin in his book Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, says we all want to be part of a tribe. He defined the concept of a tribe as “any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader or an idea.” Your tribe is the group to which you proudly belong. Engaged employees identify with their tribe (organization or their work group) and are proud to tell others about it.
Actively involved – Sitting back and collecting a paycheck gets pretty boring, even for the most “seasoned” public employee. To engage employees you must invite them to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Create a reason for them to show up each day. Actively involve employees by asking them to help you set goals for the future. Give them the opportunity to contribute to the achievement of those goals and they’ll be on board.
Meaningfully empowered – Daniel Pink, in his book A Whole New Mind, says that meaning is the new money. In the public sector, we’ve never counted on money as a primary motivator. Today, with trimmed budgets and streamlined operations, money is even less of a factor in the engagement of employees. But, the work you do is meaningful. You build communities, maintain a safe environment, keep citizens healthy, and foster unity. To engage public employees we must first reexamine the value of public service. There is meaning in this work if you look for it and help your employees see it too.
It’s never been easy to engage employees. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. In fact local governments, special districts, and other public entities are engaging employees by respecting their intellect, connecting emotionally, actively involving, and meaningfully empowering. What are you doing to engage employees who serve your constituents?
