ENGAGEMENT QUOTIENT

Engagement is fundamentally an individualised equation. What might keep one employee engaged might turn-off the person sitting in the
next cubicle. There are many variables that can impact one person's engagement, and the mix is individually unique. To be truly engaged,
individuals need to be satisfied with their immediate work role and career opportunities. Employees feel satisfied when they accomplish
results and know that their contribution is recognised and is adding value to the organisation. This leads to maximum
satisfaction and contribution. "Every employee's relationship with his/her job is different, and what engages one is also different than the rest.
For example, for some individuals, technically challenging work keeps them ticking, while for others, visibility (both internal and customerfacing) makes a difference. This is because every individual comes into an organisation with a different lens' his/her family background and
upbringing, education, peers, socio-economic class, aspirations, etc and a combination of each of these defines what truly engages a
person," illustrates Rakhi Panigrahy, regional head (west) - employee engagement, Geometric.
"At Standard Chartered, we have built the aspect of individualisation' in all our employee engagement initiatives and interventions. Different
Strokes for Different Folks', wellness initiatives or Indoor Sports Challenge' are a few amongst the wide array of engagement initiatives that
we have undertaken," points out Madhavi Lall, regional head - HR, Standard Chartered Bank, India And South Asia.
Raghavendra K, VP and head HR, Infosys BPO thinks slightly differently, "If an individual has the I can do it' attitude and is willing to take
things as they come, I don't see the reason why he/she should not feel engaged. An individual who sees the glass either half full or half
empty will never be able to feel truly engaged at work."
So what are the variables that can impact an individual's engagement at the workplace? According to Manoj Biswas, HR lead, Accenture,
"While there is no one panacea for leveraging employee engagement, there are some broad variables that influence employee engagement
to a great extent: 1) work/job role - employees must see a link between their role and the larger organisation goal. Understanding this linkage
provides intrinsic motivation and increased engagement; 2) rewards and recognition - the bottomline is that people work to earn, which helps
fulfill ambitions and 3) skill and knowledge enhancement is not only important for the employees, but also provides a learning culture."
So, the next time you feel disengaged about something at work and your colleague doesn't, don't fret; it's only natural.