With global economic growth creating a new level of competition for talent, 2014 will require organizations to shift focus from merely filling jobs to engaging and retaining employees.

A 2013 Gallup study found that only 13 percent of employees worldwide were engaged, whereas the vast majority of employees were either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” in the workplace. This means that nearly nine out of 10 workers are either just going through the motions of their daily jobs or they are actively looking for a new job while at their current job. The research further states that engaged employees tend to be significantly more productive, less likely to leave, and deliver better quality work, all of which can all be directly tied to a company’s bottom line.

Obstacles to motivating employees

There are two obstacles to motivating employees properly. First, many employers offer jobs to individuals based on qualifications that do not include how well the candidate fits the behavioral requirements of a role. Therefore, the new position may not match well with the employee’s natural strengths and motivating needs. This gap can become more noticeable over time as the employee uses more effort to adapt to the role instead of applying that same effort to be more productive.  

Second, managers tend to believe that what motivates them personally also motivates others. Yet, there is a wide range of motivating needs. As a result, without behavioral data, a manager may be unwittingly alienating a team member while trying to improve engagement.

Case in point

Let me share an example of how these obstacles can grow into systemic misalignment of job roles and natural strengths. A corporate executive in charge of turning around a troubled U.S. business did not understand what the root causes of the failures were and, more importantly, whether training of any type was the solution. The leadership team had failed to perform its function and the corporate office had taken over daily direction of the team.

A review using science-based behavioral assessment data showed the company had promoted tacticians to strategic roles, which represented a fundamental difference in risk requirements. When challenged to make significant strategic decisions on their own, the tacticians hesitated. Important decisions were debated and delayed, and opportunities passed. This can occur when an individual’s underlying drives and needs lean towards risk aversion, but when the role’s responsibilities call for a high degree of risk taking. 

Enter predictive analytics

Any company can benefit enormously by taking steps to better understand how their valued employees function best through workforce analytics. This can save not only costly salary and training expenses, but can ensure better business results. Poor fit is not just potentially a turnover issue; it can be a competitive advantage issue. Behavioral assessment tools such as the Predictive Index® can enable evidence-based decisions to engage and motivate employees, teams, and leaders at all levels.  

Take for example Lewis & Clark Bank based in Portland, Oregon. The bank was growing at a higher than projected rate, and effectively developing, motivating, and retaining each employee became a key initiative for continued growth. They created a “Motivate and Praise Report.” The report used behavioral data to identify the method of communication and recognition best tailored to each individual. It ranged from public acknowledgement, money and plaques to private dinners and family trips.

Previously, recognition and incentive plans were usually one-size-fits-all, often resulting in partially wasted resources and efforts because employees’ specific motivational needs were not being met. Armed with this new information, Lewis & Clark pinpointed the most effective ways to recognize and reward each employee.

Know what works for each employee

Talent-focused companies that leverage predictive analytics, like behavioral assessment data, gain objective, scientifically validated insight into the motivational drives and innate needs of current and prospective employees. These insights enable managers and leaders to excel at communicating effectively with individuals and teams and increase the likelihood of long-term business success.

Here are some best practices for organizations to maximize employee engagement and retain top talent: 

• Build awareness first. Knowing how your employees function best helps you connect and communicate, which is essential to keeping them committed for the long haul and invested in their own personal growth.

• Provide opportunity. People flourish in environments that support continuous learning and skill growth as part of the overall package. When creating job descriptions and development plans, articulate a clear path to promotion, outline opportunities to work on teams, explain how the role will receive feedback from others, and how to grow outside of the organization.

• Maximize “employee embeddedness.” Evaluate the level of connection each employee has with the organization and job, which includes fit into the workplace (both behavioral and skill), richness of personal connections, understanding the person’s communication style, and knowing what that person would have to give up if they left. The more embedded the employee feels, the more likely they will stay.