As a business leader, do you dream big for your organization, your people, and yourself? And does that success—however you define it—feel forever out of reach due to inconsistent productivity and profitability?

If so, take a close look at your organization and assess its culture of engagement. Healthy cultures of engagement tend to be productive and profitable. And yet when these two indicators of success slump, many leaders look to external factors for clues around what’s happening and how to course correct.

Truth is, to boost and sustain productivity and profitability, it’s vital to look inward at your company’s culture of engagement and explore what change (if any) is needed. Begin by answering these questions:

Do your employees believe in their work? Disengaged employees often don’t know or understand the value behind it. They’re fuzzy on the organization’s vision and goals. And some may not even like what they do, in part, because they don’t understand why it matters. If that’s the case, it can be tough for them to believe in what they’re doing. So as a leader, it’s important to not just create value around the work they do, but communicate the organization’s vision and goals, how employee efforts directly impact those objectives, and the expectations tied to each job. If you do this effectively and people still don’t believe in their work, they may not be the best fit.

Do employees feel empowered to perform their work? Disempowered employees don’t feel in control. They lack autonomy. They can’t make their own decisions or problem-solve independently. They also can’t simply be curious, ideate and innovate, much less take healthy risks without fear of failure and retribution. Consequently, these employees feel stuck. And “stuckness” leads to anxiety and low morale, which undermine productivity and results. The good news? In delegating more and putting in place an accountability system like the MAP Management System™, your people can immediately get unstuck and feel both inspired and empowered to succeed.

Do employees feel respected and celebrated for their success? When employees aren’t appreciated for their contributions at work, whether big or small, they disengage from the culture over time. Worse, some staff may actively disengage, stir the pot, and turn a troubled workplace culture into a toxic one. So make sure you’re recognizing good performance. While people are genuinely motivated by accountability, celebrating their successes will further fuel motivation and reinforce the habits you want to keep and the kind of culture you want to sustain. Also, be specific about great performance, focusing not just on a “job well done” but on what actually worked, made a difference, or stood out as a measure or example of success.

Are you ready to build a more engaged, empowered workplace culture? Turn to MAP. We can help in truly assessing employee engagement levels, developing and sustaining engagement with our proven accountability system, and growing that success with effective strategies around staff recognition and rewards. Contact Us today!