There are over 50 definitions which explain what is meant by employee engagement.
The definition provided by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (UK), is as follows:
Employee Engagement goes beyond motivation and simple job satisfaction. It can be seen as a combination of commitment to the organisation and it,s values, and a willingness to help colleagues.
Employee engagement is typically classified into 3 levels, which are: Engaged, Not Engaged (or Disengaged), and Actively Disengaged.
Engaged: These employees are interested in what they do. They are passionate about their work and the organisation itself. They want the entire organisation to succeed. They are motivated, interested, and exert discretionary effort in their work. They are usually the first to arrive at work, and the last to leave.
Not Engaged: These employees turn up to work most days, but rarely do much more than what they absolutely have to do. They simply do the bare minimum. They have no malice towards the company – they simply don’t possess any drive or passion. They don’t have much concern about the success of the organisation. They’re simply performing tasks in order to earn a salary.
Actively Disengaged: These employees are dangerous to the organisation. They are totally disengaged and actively try to drag others down with them. They are at the centre of workplace gossip and politics, and they bring down the morale of everyone else. They not only have no concern for the success of the organisation, they also don’t care if they contribute to the failure of the organisation. They have little integrity.
Wherever you are employed, always do your best to be the most engaged employee around. It will serve your career and self-worth very well in the long term.
