Employee engagement is a vital consideration for all managers. Fortunately, a strengths-based 360 degree feedback survey can help, by increasing manager positivity.
Engagement is not just a “buzz” word
It is true that engagement is one the business world’s biggest buzzwords, and for good reason too. As Gallup’s State of the Workplace surveys have shown, only about 15 per cent of the world’s employees are actively engaged at work.
This is a significant revelation for employers across many industries and in organisations of all shapes and sizes. Disengaged or apathetic employees can cost organisations a significant amount in lost productivity, as these individuals waste time and resources. This is why it is vital for leaders and managers to encourage engagement in as many ways as possible.
Strengths-based 360 degree feedback is a cost effective solution
Fortunately, there is a simple and cost-effective solution – a strengths-based 360 degree feedback survey. According to Edward M. Mone and Manuel London in their book, ‘Employee Engagement Through Effective Performance Management’, accessing low-threat feedback from every level of an organisation is a key consideration when boosting engagement.
Allowing employees to provide effective feedback regarding their manager’s performance is an important step in increasing engagement. It ensures that team members feel their voices are being heard. However, when 360 degree surveys are used in an organisational development process, the respondents do need to see that their feedback has been taken seriously and has being actioned. Otherwise, they might feel that their opinions are not important and that their contributions have been wasted.
Developing leaders is essential for engaging staff
Another important benefit of 360 degree feedback is the ability of managers to understand their own strengths and areas for development. This helps workplace leaders improve their own techniques in regard to engaging staff and increasing productivity.
With a motivated manager, team members are more likely to also feel inspired, according to a report from the University of Rhode Island. Manager attitudes often cascade down an organisation, affecting their employees and causing an knock-on effect regarding engagement and sentiment.
It is therefore important to consider a low-threat 360 degree feedback system that encourages engagement and collaboration through immediately usable feedback. These surveys increase engagement by giving managers the opportunity to make changes and improvements that based on their team’s suggestions.
