From Present & Dependable to Loyal: How to Improve Team Engagement

A recent mastermind with some of our clients made me really think about team engagement and the distinction between having people who are present, dependable, or loyal. While they may be similar, there is a significant difference between each of these stages.

Why does this matter? Business owners must comprehend where their team members stand. Only then can they improve employee engagement to move them from one to the other, enhancing their culture, work environment, business results, and overall operations.

• Not only that. Achieving the organization’s goals entirely depends on this particular distinction!

Keep reading to discover what each stage implies, how you can transform your people from simply being present to becoming dependable and loyal, and how employee engagement can impact your organization. 

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An Employee Who’s Only Present

We say that an employee is present when they apply for the job mainly to have some income and something to do, not because they genuinely need the job or rely on their paycheck to survive. Their financial situation isn’t very tight. They also don’t have a real passion for the brand’s product or service. Therefore, keeping their job isn’t really a big deal for them. 

They don’t mind being late or missing a shift or several days altogether. They are present on the schedule, but they are unreliable. And, if they do show up, they are just there doing the minimum, and just enough to avoid getting fired, but not with a high level of excellence, and they certainly won't put in extra effort.

Does that sound familiar? Do you have employees in your business who act like that? I hope you don’t, but if that’s the case, keep reading. You CAN turn things around!

Keep reading: 3 Reasons Why Employees Underperform

A Dependable Employee

The next level is of people who are dependable. While these team members are more likely to come to work, follow the standards, and do what’s expected of them, they may not go above and beyond, and you cannot expect excellence from them.

That additional effort won’t be there. But at least they're dependable, meaning they will be there, getting the day-to-day work done. 

Occasionally, they slack off, which in their mind is not a big deal. And if they do something extra, like cover a shift, it’s mostly because they could use the additional hours or need more money, not because they are truly committed to the company or their fellow team members.

Speaking of that, they tend to be lonely and don't have many friends on the team. They are friendly but not too friendly, and they don't form deep bonds with anyone because, in their minds, their job is just a way to earn money.

Yes, their commitment level is higher than that of those who are just present. But without a strong attachment to the team or company, the reality is that if they are offered even one more dollar elsewhere, they'll take it without hesitation and quit, leaving you and their fellow team members in a difficult position until you can hire, onboard, and train their replacement. 

Does that sound like somebody you know in your team? Can you list the number of people who act like that? Many business owners have that type of employee in their companies. However, there’s a way to move them to the next level of engagement.

Don’t miss: 5 Best Practices to Reduce Turnover

The Goal: Loyal Employees

This is the one you want to achieve, dream of, and hope your people are at! 

Loyal team members genuinely care about the company and the customers, and also about you as a business owner, and you can count on them to be there. With them, the business and the company are covered. 

They show up to their shifts every time, and if, for any reason, they're unable to, they feel terrible about not fulfilling the expectations of the schedule.

They enjoy working at your organization and tend to not only do the tasks they're responsible for but also spend the extra time to truly understand what their job is and how to do it with a high level of excellence.

They are constantly learning new things and see your company as a place where they can have a career and develop themselves. Some of them could even have the potential to become your future leaders. That means that, hopefully, they can grow within the company. They are basically in for the long run!

As far as being part of the team, they build close relationships with the rest of the people there. And, if needed, they jump at the opportunity to support fellow team members. Overall, they make the work environment more pleasant.

Can you name the people who will qualify as loyal employees? I'm sure you can! Every business has them; the goal is to increase the number of people in this group.

Keep learning: Train Believe. Support. The Formula for Building Great Teams

Step-by-Step to Have Loyal Employees

How can you move people from one level to the next, to eventually have more people on the loyal side? It all starts during the interviewing and hiring processes. 

Whoever does these must be properly trained on how to find out who the person truly is so that they can identify if a candidate could become a present, dependable, or loyal employee. And, if they end up as only present, choose whether to hire them or not.

Smart hiring will prevent you from having a bunch of team members who may just be present. Yes, they may help you cover a shift or two, but in the long run, they could hurt every part of your business, including the team members who are loyal and dependable. 

However, keep in mind that being able to identify applicants with this detail requires skills and specialized training.

From Present to Dependable

If, for any reason, you hired a present employee, you can still turn things around and make them dependable! There are simple steps and processes that you can put in place to make that happen.

• Step 1: Have clarity of job expectations. Every position should have a clear job description that details what they're supposed to do and what is expected of them day to day. That way, they will know what they agree to when they say yes to that job.
• Step 2: Train them well. You must ensure that they go through the process of learning what the job is and how to execute it. Also, take time to onboard them properly to have them excited about the company.
• Step 3: Make them accountable. You can hold them responsible if they know what is expected of them and they have the skills and knowledge to execute their tasks and responsibilities. And, if you see something unacceptable or someone who is not performing as they should, address it immediately! Don’t wait until it becomes a big issue and allow them to change their behavior.
• Step 4: Get everyone involved. Sometimes people are just present because they don't feel like they're part of the team, and think nobody cares. Conducting team engagement activities and involving them in conversations and business communications is a great way to inspire them and change their mindset. You must do your part as a leader and provide them with what they need to feel part of something special, become dependable, and ultimately loyal. At the end of the day, the company wins, the team wins, and they win because they end up belonging to an organization and a team that really appreciates them. 
• Step 5: Be reliable. People may also be just present because of a disillusionment with a past boss, a broken promise in a previous job, or when things were said but not followed. That’s where the leadership comes into place! If you promise something, you have to come through; that way, your team will know that you are trustworthy and they can count on you.
• Step 6: Expect excellence. When you hire someone, it's because you see something in them that makes you think they could be a great addition to your team. Keep reminding them of their potential and that you expect them to be excellent, especially if they're not behaving as such, and try to find out why that is the case. Remember: people will rise to the level of your expectations. 

From Dependable to Loyal

Being dependable is acceptable; however, you want to have loyal employees, those team members who truly go above and beyond in your organization. These are the steps to improve employee engagement and get them there. 

• Step 1: Have a charter. Your mission, vision, and values should not just be about the customer or the product or service you provide. Carefully design a mission and a vision that includes them, values that benefit them, and a purpose that inspires them.
• Step 2: Find out what motivates them. Some people may want to have a career, others prefer more flexibility, and there may even be someone who just wants to know that somebody cares. Take the time to understand what motivates your team so that you can become the type of leader that they're looking for. That way, you’ll be able to make a difference in people's lives, gain their trust and loyalty, and improve your team engagement.
• Step 3: Share opportunities with them. If your organization is growing, help your people understand exactly what they need to do to have open access to the opportunities that arise! Seeing that they can have a career, increase their pay and position, and have a great future within your company is a great way to build loyalty among the team members.
• Step 4: Offer continuing development and training. Knowing the opportunities is not enough because many may not be ready to take those opportunities. That’s where continuous development and training programs must happen so they can grow as a person, as a professional, and maybe even become a leader. If you offer them the opportunity and also train and develop them, why would they want to go anywhere else?
• Step 5: Be an authentic encourager. Every time you are with your team, encourage them to be great! Inspire them to be better, achieve more, hope more, dream bigger, and work for a better future, whether with your organization or somewhere else. They will feel special and appreciated. And, if you give them the opportunity to be more, show them the path, and provide the training to achieve that goal, they will be able to accomplish more eventually! 

This is how you can improve team engagement and move someone from being just present to a dependable employee, and finally, a loyal employee.

Considering what you learned, classify your team members to see where each falls. Then, start moving them from one level to the next. Remember: the goal is to have a lot of loyals and very few present. That’s how you can have an amazing, productive, positive, joyful, and loyal team that can achieve anything you want.

If you are looking for ways to train and develop your team members to the next level of leadership and to have the tools they need to be amazing and successful, I invite you to discover MANAGE, our Unit Management Training. 

This program is specifically designed for those dependable and loyal team members who, with specialized training, would shine in their roles and do an excellent job. 

Learn more about our MANAGE Program.

Reflections:

• Do you have a proper system for interviewing and hiring candidates?
• Are you sharing the growth opportunities and benefits your company offers with your people?
• What are your people motivated by? What excites and inspires them?
• How are you providing continuous training to your team members and leaders?

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