Despite their role as leaders and motivators, up to one-third of managers are not held accountable for engagement levels in their organizations, according to research from Right Management.
In a poll of 357 senior HR professionals who were asked if leaders were accountable for employee engagement, 18% stated that they were consistently held accountable, 46% said they were sometimes held accountable and 33% said they were not held accountable.
“If leaders are not held accountable for employee motivation or commitment then employees are lacking in direction and may be left to flounder,” says Michael Haid, senior vice-president of global solutions at Right Management. “We know from our research that effective leadership affects the business metrics tied to organization performance.”
Haid explains that the behaviors that most influence engagement — such as showing that management values employees — need to be linked to performance expectations, which then becomes a mechanism for accountability.
“For 46% of organizations tracking the link between managers and engaged employees it is done just occasionally or informally,” says Haid. “But in my experience most companies don’t know how to identify the behaviors that most foster strong engagement, let alone be able to track their efficacy.”
Such tracking is a complex challenge, he says, noting that it differs based on industries and countries. What may work in one culture may be counterproductive in another.
To comment on this story, contact us.