Leaders and Employee Engagement
Cisco Team Space participation vs. attention requested
Attention Requested
% of team members who submitted a check-in
Attention Given
% of team leaders that viewed or connected on team members check-in
What’s happening
For the last six years we've been studying positive outcome metrics such as engagement, performance, and retention. For each of these we have found the more often a team member asks for attention and receives it, the more likely those outcomes will increase. We’ve also learned that consistent and sustained attention leads to increased employee engagement which, in turn, leads to increased performance.
The impact
Team member perceptions of their leader knowing them really well results in higher engagement, retention, and leader confidence, as well as the ability to translate strategy, trust, and transparency. Weekly Team Space check-ins completed by employees and reviewed by their managers allow Cisco teams to open these dialogues.
What you can do
Leaders need to learn and practice a new craft of inclusion and engagement. Team leaders who connect regularly with their teams set the stage for engagement by providing what they need to be fully engaged with their work.
- Provide clarity in tasks by answering questions.
- Be proximate and listen to employee feedback on work to better assign work based on strengths.
- Recognize good work.
- Give attention to growth opportunities for each individual.
Leaders who stay close and are proximate to their team members will understand the individual circumstances and preferences of each person, allowing for curated hybrid configurations that will play to individual strengths while also being attentive to the employee's well-being.
