Engaging employees: three critical roles for managers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to detail the roles that managers can play in engaging their direct reports.

Design/methodology/approach

APQC conducted an online survey of 252 participants – representing different generations, job levels and organizations of varying sizes and industries – about people challenges at work (i.e. instances where the action or inaction of other employees makes it more challenging for an individual to achieve his/her work goals).

Findings

Nearly all workers experience people challenges, which increase stress, reduce productivity and diminish job satisfaction. The top people challenges at work are change resistance, skills gaps and inadequate direction and information. People managers are best positioned to alleviate these challenges so that workers may have a more engaging and productive experience.

Originality/value

Employee engagement is a multiple-stakeholder process involving HR, leaders, managers and employees. This paper sheds light on the role of the manager in engaging employees. Whereas it is commonplace to acknowledge that managers are important to employee engagement, this paper actually spells out the specific actions managers can take to remove barriers to employee engagement.

Citation

Tucker, E. (2017), "Engaging employees: three critical roles for managers", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 107-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-03-2017-0018