Ever found yourself at a gathering where everyone is engrossed in their gadgets instead of each other? Or experience a sense of disconnect within your team, as if they'd rather brave a grueling NYC marathon on a freezing November Sunday than buy into the company vision you're trying to sell? That's what happens when there's a lack of alignment between you and your employees, be it related to a product or the overall company culture.

Now imagine every interaction with your team, from championing the company mission to sharing a laugh about a catchless fishing trip leaves them hanging on every word as if you're the most authentic leader in the room. That’s what happens when you’re an effective communicator, focusing your energies on the team, not yourself.

Employees are your eyes, ears, arms and legs when you can’t be there. They’re an extension of you and a reflection of your company. And if they’re not happy, be sure they’re spreading that sentiment to everyone that will listen. Your first reaction might be, I’ve hired someone to handle that. But have you empowered them to do whatever it takes to create roles and an environment that people love being a part of? It has to come from the top, and it has to be one of your key pillars of strategy. To get employees to truly embrace your mission, you need to lead by example and invest in their success and happiness - because ultimately, their happiness will translate into yours.

Whether you're leading a Fortune 500 giant or an up-and-coming startup, your role requires you to articulate your vision and inspire others to adopt it passionately. It's not just about ensuring that your employees grasp your vision; it's about their wholehearted embrace of it, every day. While the company may be your unwavering passion, it's crucial to recognize that employees, including your esteemed C-suite partners, may not share that same level of devotion. With countless tasks demanding your attention, it's all too easy to dismiss the importance of honing necessary skills like effective communication and employee engagement strategies. 

But you must. Because even if you don't, your competitors will.

For the survival of any relatively new, or established company, nurturing employee engagement should be top of mind. Not just because it's increasingly vital to the success of any organization, but also because it can have a huge impact on your quality of life. When employees are engaged and motivated in their work, everyone reaps the rewards: they become more productive and efficient while you get to take comfort in knowing that your team is thriving. 

When worries about your company keep you up at night like the incessant drip of a leaky faucet, it’s hard to imagine the fix to be a simple one. But what if the key to long-term success was something as straightforward and actionable as easy to implement programs to communicate with influence or lead elevated conversations? What if you could leverage the resources you currently have, and make 2024 a remarkable year? You'd jump at the opportunity, wouldn't you?

FINANCIAL HEALTH

Ever had a near-death experience, akin to narrowly avoiding a truck hurtling towards you at 65 MPH? Blood rushes to the brain as your heart pummels in a valiant effort to explode from your chest. That's pretty much the feeling you get when your company’s running out of cash.

You know, you can positively impact your company's financial health through something as simple as employee engagement? Picture this: Engaged employees who are more productive, take fewer sick days, stick around longer, and are committed to smashing those company goals. 

Sounds good, right? 

Now, think about communication. As a leader, you know how important it is to effectively communicate your company's financial goals, strategies, and expectations to everyone in the organization. When your team understands the financial targets and how their roles contribute to achieving them, they’ll work more efficiently and help drive the company towards those goals.

But why not take it one step further? Empower your employees. Involve them in decision-making processes. Provide opportunities for their professional growth. These actions can boost operational efficiency, ramp up customer satisfaction, and ultimately enhance your company's financial performance. So, next time you feel that heart-pounding sense of panic, remember: engaged employees could be the key to turning things around.

COMPETITIVE MARKET POSITION 

If you're familiar with the term 'share of wallet,' you'll agree that it just plain stinks to be the company relegated to the yellowing plastic insert where old photos are kept. When your team is engaged, they're not just punching the clock. They're bringing fresh ideas to the table, helping your company stand out from the crowd. They get your objectives and work hard to meet them. Plus, they're more likely to provide top-notch customer service which boosts your reputation and customer loyalty.

As a leader, it's on you to make sure everyone knows where the company's headed. When your team understands the goals and strategies, they can help set your business apart. Open lines of communication encourage idea sharing and stimulate a creative, competitive culture.

A leader who champions employee engagement ideas can boost their strategic positioning by tapping into their team's collective smarts, creativity, and commitment to success.

FUTURE GROWTH PROSPECTS

Imagine this, Fast Company hits the stands and your name doesn’t make the top twenty five CEOs to watch. But, wait, you think … our product is so cutting edge it can do everything except launch a rocket into space. What happened? This is what happened. Your customer experience lost its luster and accounts are bailing faster than a sinking ship. 

Engaging employees plays a pivotal role in bolstering a company's long-term growth prospects. Engaged employees imbue the organization with a resilient, positive, and high-performance culture, vital for sustainable growth. They tend to stay longer with the company, reducing turnover rates and recruitment costs, and preserving institutional knowledge. 

Employee engagement also helps innovation, as engaged employees contribute creative ideas and solutions that drive product or service enhancements, and open up new business opportunities. Importantly, the improved customer service delivered by engaged employees can lead to greater customer loyalty and repeat business, contributing to steady revenue growth over the long term. 

Leadership development and strategic communication are vital in this process. They play a crucial role in talent retention. Leaders who effectively communicate the company's long-term growth vision ensure employees understand their opportunities for professional development. Transparent communication about the company's commitment to employee growth and job security can further reduce turnover rates, preserving institutional knowledge.

CUSTOMERS ARE PARAMOUNT

Employee engagement plays a pivotal role in managing and nurturing customer relationships. Engaged employees are often more enthusiastic, showing genuine passion for their work, translating into superior customer service. 

Engaged employees seem to go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction, turning ordinary service experiences into exceptional ones. This can lead to increased customer loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals, which are invaluable for a company's reputation and growth. Boosting internal morale is a strategic tool for CEOs to enhance the quality of customer interactions and encourage long-lasting relationships. Our program The Coaching Catalyst delivers just the skills front line employees and managers need to ensure long-term customer loyalty.

As for customer relations, effective communication is at the core of exceptional customer service. CEOs and leaders must set the stage for a customer-centric mindset. Once employees grasp how their interactions with customers directly influence the company's reputation and customer loyalty, they'll strive to deliver exceptional service.

RISK - DIRTY FOUR LETTER WORD

The specter of risk exposure is enough to give any CEO a case of the midnight jitters. Engaged employees play a significant role in risk mitigation and are the guardians of your company’s integrity. Armed with a deep understanding of policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, these loyal employees significantly dial down the threat of non-compliance and legal hiccups. They are often more diligent, committed to their responsibilities, and less apt to indulge in behaviors that could put the company at risk. 

Engaged employees are often more diligent and committed to their roles, avoiding behaviors that could jeopardize the company. Their loyalty also encourages a stronger commitment to protecting the company's interests, and identifying and reporting potential hazards, risks, or unethical practices. In essence, a highly engaged workforce forms a strong frontline defense against various business risks, contributing substantially to maintaining a secure, compliant, and reputable corporate environment.

So how does effective communication fit in? It’s the drumbeat that keeps everyone marching in step. Clear and consistent communication of company policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements is your strategy for risk mitigation. Leaders who ensure that employees are well-informed and respect compliance standards significantly reduce the likelihood of legal infractions. 

And with that, let us leave you with the following 10 Tips for CEOs and Leaders to Improve Employee Engagement Through Communication Skills:

1. Lead by Example: Demonstrate effective communication and engagement in your interactions with employees.

2. Listen Actively: Pay attention to employee feedback and concerns, and take action accordingly. One on one chats, focus on the other person not your watch!

3. Transparent Communication: Be open and honest about company goals, challenges, and successes.

4. Empower and Involve Employees: Encourage employees to participate in decision-making processes and provide opportunities for growth.

5. Recognize and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees for their contributions and achievements. Even a company-wide email shout out works wonders!

6. Cultivate Team Building: Organize team-building activities to create a sense of community and belonging.

7. Provide Clear Direction: Ensure that employees understand their roles and how they contribute to the company's success. Do this with a strategic onboarding program and check-in frequently.

8. Training and Development: Invest in training programs to enhance employee skills and knowledge.

9. Communicate Vision: Clearly articulate the company's vision and mission to inspire and align employees using sure-fire leadership communication strategies techniques people-plug-in-platform.

10. Regular Updates: Provide regular updates on company performance and milestones to keep employees informed and engaged.

Don’t know where to start? Download this free employee engagement checklist. It’s helped many of our client leaders and it can help you too!

Want to learn more about retaining employees? Read this:

Don’t Hire Another Employee Until You Read This: Employee Onboarding

Learn key insights into employee engagement and the importance of skilled leadership communication by visiting my video resources here.

Here’s a list of some of our most popular resources:
Leading Elevated Conversations
Accelerating Into Leadership
Onboarding Accelerator
Communicating With Influence