On the heels of yet another study indicating most U.S. workers are disengaged from their jobs, I recently had occasion to witness an interesting comparison and contrast in levels of employee engagement at two different organizations in the medical industry.
It’s at one of these organizations where I was reminded of the true measure of employee engagement.
Engagement on Display:
Regular readers know of my deep regard for The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. This is an institution where values are viewed in real-time at nearly every encounter and people are treated carefully and delicately in healthcare situations when we are at our most vulnerable and insecure as humans.
Recent visits added to our growing sample set of encounters in which patients and families are respected and truly cared for by individuals who do their work with interest and seeming enjoyment. From the cafeteria workers to the appointment schedulers to the nursing teams and all of the remarkable doctors and specialists, you can’t help perceiving that these people ply their trades with passion in Rochester, MN, because they love what they do.
#Engagement Failure:
In contrast, my own recent encounter with the local suburban “Doc in a Box” (practice recently acquired by healthcare giant, Centegra) for an annual physical, included a helping of disinterest blended with an over-abundance of seeming disengagement. I was rushed through an appointment. There was little opportunity for questions. Answers were terse. The Doctor focused on entering data into a computer rather than talking with me. It was an exercise in renewing a prescription, completing a form and locking in a bill and next visit.
I’m sorry, you’re not allowed an off day when your job is to help people. Doctor, you’re fired for a failure to engage.
The Best Measure of Employee Engagement:
A few years ago, during a particularly long stretch with a family member at Mayo, my inner management and leadership anthropologist kicked-in and I focused on observing every possible encounter with the medical and administrative teams to see if the values were truly constantly in action. (Perhaps I was secretly looking to see if there was someone behind the curtain and whether or not this was all a well-orchestrated medical OZ. It’s not.)
I had the opportunity to talk with a young Mayo nursing student as she went about her less than glamorous tasks and I asked her why she was interested in working here. She turned to me instantly and with conviction in her voice and in her eyes, offered: “Because it’s a privilege.”
The Bottom-Line for Now:
Engagement achieved. Leadership success. Personal success. Customer satisfaction. Loyalty earned.
How would your employees respond to my one question employee engagement survey?
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