Allen Woo explains how to generate commitment in the employees of an organization

To achieve their goals, organizations are especially dependent on their workforce. That’s why they must take the time to learn how to engage employees and understand what influences their performance. Allen Woo, an expert in people development and business, explains how these communities can gain the commitment needed to run an ideal organization.

Employee commitment is defined as the level of enthusiasm workers have for their assigned tasks and accountability to the goals, vision, and mission of the organization with which it is associated. High levels of satisfaction in an organization are related to employee engagement. This translates into superior business performance, which means increased profitability, productivity, retention, and an overall improvement in the work environment.

“That’s the level of work commitment that any organization would expect from its workforce,” says Woo. “Most great things in this world are achieved through perseverance, hard work, and dedication. All of these qualities will not magically appear. A person develops these qualities over years, and the same is seen in companies. If you expect your employees to perform exceptionally well, then they will need to provide an environment that helps increase engagement.”

Generating employee commitment brings too many benefits for organizations. A clear example of this is increased productivity, achieving objectives more efficiently. It can bring “fun” to work and has significant added value. Engagement at work brings value through active participation in company-related discussions. Engaged employees have great ideas and are always happy to help others visualize them. An organization needs the commitment and dedication of its employees to achieve its goals.

Increasing employee commitment is not going to happen in a single day. It takes time to achieve employee satisfaction and that is why Woo shares some tips on how to generate employee engagement.

The first is to build a strong team. Organizations must build a culture where teamwork should be important. Achieving goals together makes difficult tasks seem easy to accomplish. Teamwork depends on employees’ ability to interact with each other and how well they perform as a group. An organization can tell if teamwork is the answer to problems. Online surveys are a great tool to record all responses that can then be evaluated and analyzed.

It is also of utmost importance to communicate to employees what is expected of them. Hardworking employees are an asset to an organization. Most want to be part of a success story. The fact that they know what the organization expects of them generates commitment to the job and the pursuit of excellence.

“Promoting transparency is another tip for learning how to engage the employees who are most important to the organization,” Woo says. “Let employees participate freely in discussions, workforce decisions, and anything else they can contribute to. If you keep them informed, they feel valued and trustworthy. This increases their sense of belonging and also their commitment to the job.”

The next tip to generate employee commitment is open and free communication, as this facilitates a trusting environment. Open door policy is one of the ways to promote free communication.

Alternatively, an organization can use employee engagement surveys, polls, etc., where they can provide feedback to the organization. In receiving this feedback, organizations need to keep an open mind to understand where they are not achieving employee expectations and how they can improve the work culture. Once they know that their suggestions or feedback are valued, there will be an increase in commitment.

Work ethic not only includes how an employee feels about their job or career, but it also demonstrates who and how they are, as well as how seriously they take their job responsibilities. It involves attitude, behavior, respect for co-workers, effective communication, and interaction in the workplace.

“Employee retention is a real issue; however, if organizations can make employees feel valued, it will lead to greater engagement at work. But without motivated and engaged people, you can be in a position of risk,” notes Woo.

Generating employee engagement leads to higher productivity. Having employees who are not engaged in what they do in an organization is catastrophic. These employees tend to use their time at work to surf the Internet for personal pleasure or even to look for other job opportunities. This is a waste of time and resources.

A team of employees who are committed to the job is the best thing for the long-term future of any business. That is why leaders within the organization are responsible for building that culture.