Agile Engagement How to Drive Lasting Results by Cultivating a Flexible, Responsive, and Collaborative Culture

Many organizations fail to realize and harness the power of their most valuable asset—their employees. Though they can be developed into a true competitive advantage, engagement isn't attainable if the employee isn't invested in the company's overall success. Agile Engagement offers business leaders a concrete strategy for building, maintaining, and utilizing employee engagement to achieve the highest level of business success. The key? Employees must feel like they are a part of their company's culture instead of having it handed down to them. Stories of failed employee engagement initiatives abound, and they all have one thing in common: they begin from the premise of "initiative" rather than "employee." True engagement occurs when an employee's heart and mind are activated in a way that leads to their motivation and commitment to positively impact the company's goals and vision. This book shows you how to create an environment that stresses a culture of unity at all levels by showing you how to:

1. Create a clear, compelling vision and corresponding engagement strategy through the Engagement Canvas
2. Communicate your unique culture strategy throughout all levels of your company
3. Foster grassroots, employee-led engagement initiatives
4. Improve engagement continuously with the Emplify Score tool

Agile Engagement provides a deeper look into real engagement, helping you foster a work environment that's rewarded with unsurpassed productivity, innovation, and competitive advantage, as well as employees who feel valued, respected, and heard.

TODD RICHARDSON and SANTIAGO JARAMILLO have dedicated their professional careers to enriching employee engagement and giving employers the tools to ensure culture is a key tenet of overall business strategy. Richardson and Jaramillo are Co-Founders of Emplify, a SaaS company that helps culture-centric employers engage employees through employee engagement measurement and improvement app solutions.

Preface xi

Part I The Engagement Engine 1

Chapter 1 Engagement and Culture Redefined 3

(Or,Why Culture Belongs in the Boardroom)

Chapter 2 Happiness Versus Engagement 9

(Or,Why Free Snacks Fall Short)

Chapter 3 CommonMisconceptions 13

(Or,Why Culture Isn’t Just HR’s Problem)

Chapter 4 Cross-Industry Engagement 19

(Or,Why You Don’t Have to Sell Software to Be Cool)

Part II The Workplace of Now 23

Chapter 5 Workplaces without Borders 25

(Or,Why theWar for Talent Has Gone Global)

Chapter 6 Working Across Generations 31

(Or,Why Variety Is the Spice ofWork)

Chapter 7 Free Agents on the Rise 37

(Or,WhyWe’re Finally Free to Be You and Me)

Chapter 8 Partnering with Purpose 45

(Or,Why PartnersMust Mesh with Your Culture)

Chapter 9 Trending Telework 51

(Or,Why Coffee Shops Are the New Corner Offices)

Chapter 10 Culture-Friendly Policies 63

(Or,Why Overlegislation Rarely Pays Off)

Chapter 11 Recruiting Revolution 73

(Or,Why Hiring for Intangibles Makes a Tangible Difference)

Chapter 12 Technology Revolution 79

(Or,Why Technology Turned the Tables on HowWeWork)

Chapter 13 Mobile Revolution 87

(Or,Why It’s Okay to Leave Early for Your Kid’s Soccer Game)

Chapter 14 Resulting Challenges 95

(Or,Why Too Much of a Good Thing Is a Bad Thing)

Chapter 15 HR of the Past 105

(Or,WhyManufacturing and Unions Forged HR)

Chapter 16 HR of the Future 113

(Or,Why HR IsMore Than Forms, Filing, and Firing)

Part III The Engagement Canvas 117

Chapter 17 Engagement Canvas and Emplify Score Overview 119

Chapter 18 Why You Exist 127

Engagement Canvas Box 1

Chapter 19 Key Strategies 131

Engagement Canvas Box 2

Chapter 20 KeyMetrics 133

Engagement Canvas Box 3

Chapter 21 Engagement Exemplified 135

Engagement Canvas Box 4

Chapter 22 Unique Organizational Characteristics 139

Engagement Canvas Box 5

Chapter 23 Communication Channels 143

Engagement Canvas Box 6

Chapter 24 Culture Statements 145

Engagement Canvas Box 7

Chapter 25 Culture Aspirations 149

Engagement Canvas Box 7

Chapter 26 Resources Applied 155

Engagement Canvas Box 8

Chapter 27 Emplify Score 157

Engagement Canvas Box 9

Chapter 28 Three Key Employee Needs 163

Engagement Canvas Box 10

Chapter 29 Engagement Canvas FAQs 165

Part IV The Practice of Engagement 171

Chapter 30 Speak with One Voice 173

(Or,Why Conformity Is Good Sometimes)

Chapter 31 BrandWhat’s Important 177

(Or,WhyMarketing Should Live in HR)

Chapter 32 Treat Employees Like Customers 179

(Or,WhyWe’re All Created Equal)

Chapter 33 Leverage Data 187

(Or,Why There’s No Shame in Nerdiness)

Chapter 34 Set a Communication Cadence 193

(Or,Why Routine Is Anything but Routine)

Chapter 35 Allow for Autonomy 195

(Or,WhyWe All Need Some Space)

Chapter 36 Make It Personal 201

(Or,Why Nobody Leaves Their Personal Life at Home)

Chapter 37 Earn Trust 207

(Or,Why Trust Is the Foundation of Everything Else)

Chapter 38 Expel Poor Culture Fits 211

(Or,Why One Bad Apple Spoils the Bunch)

Chapter 39 Communicate with Employees 215

(Or,WhyMobile Apps Simplify Everything)

Conclusion 219

Acknowledgments 221

Author Biographies 223

References 225

Index 245

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