Engaging the staff in a real relationship: Are employees genuinely motivated – or merely satisfied?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

For a very rough guide to employment engagement, bosses could do a lot worse than taking into account the prevalence of the “We” factor. It's probably true to say that the higher up employees go – and therefore the greater their financial rewards – the greater the probability that they will refer to the company by a personal pronoun. But, at all levels, contented employees are more likely to associate themselves closely with the company by speaking of it as “We”, rather than simply “the firm”; it indicates both a sense of pride in the organization and self‐esteem that employees are part of the set‐up.

Practical implications

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Citation

(2009), "Engaging the staff in a real relationship: Are employees genuinely motivated – or merely satisfied?", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 22-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777280910982951