Employee engagement company, Reward Gateway has developed a 10-element employee engagement model, The Engagement Bridge. The model aims to document the key parts of an organisation and the relationship senior managers need with employees in order to build a more engaged culture.
The foundation of the engagement bridge is open and honest communications. The basis for such transparent communications should be that employees understand the ‘why’ behind business decisions, including the creation of a two-way feedback route and an environment where staff trust the leadership style.
Leadership and management is also an important part of the bridge, with Reward Gateway arguing there is an intrinsic link between leadership and management – leadership is what the employer says it will do and management is what it actually does. Staff demand that leaders are held accountable, that they add value and act as champions of the company’s value, helping to develop a high-trust culture. Management is separate, but is linked to leadership in the bridge model to emphasise the point that if both are not kept in step, the organisation’s culture will be ‘inauthentic’, Reward Gateway suggests.
Glenn Elliott, Founder, Reward Gateway, said:
‘Through our work with more than 1,700 clients in 23 countries, we’ve built a deep understanding of company culture, employee engagement and the tools, techniques and best practice that companies use to build connections with their greatest asset: Their people. We’ve codified this understanding into a 10-element employee engagement model, The Engagement Bridge™ which documents the key parts of your organisation and your relationship with your people that you need to consider in order to build a more engaged culture.’