Whose responsibility should engagement be: management or the employee?

I received a query from a magazine editor - whose responsibility should engagement be: management or the employee?

This is not a fence-sitting response - effective employee engagement relies on both employees and management.  Employee engagement is not a "broad program" you can enforce upon all. What engages each employee is as unique as that person. It is up to that individual to communicate what it is that he or she needs to feel like they fit, they're clear, what support they need, and what makes them feel valued/inspiredand rewarded.  If, as an employee I can't or don't communicate my goals and objectives, seek challenges and build a good rapport with my peers and managers, I will have a difficult time becoming engaged no matter what I do. The manager/leader's role is to ensure there is the type of environment that fosters these kinds of conversations so employees can flourish. There also needs to be "corporate will" from the top that management/leaders are committed to creating this kind of environment and putting into place, the kinds of reward and compensation structures that reward company values, positive behavior, a supportive, challenging environment, new ideas AND results.

About the Author

Crista Renner

Crista has been part of Juice Inc. since its inception. She is an engaging presenter who brings a vast storehouse of business and personal stories, making her an entertaining and pragmatic speaker. Because of her inviting and open style, she excels at asking the difficult questions that people think about, but never ask. Her marketing prowess and creativity have helped numerous organizations clarify their point of difference to increase sales and improve client retention.