A potent secret for winning a crucial edge over your rivals?

Abstract

Purpose

To explain that a fully‐engaged employee is an extremely important commercial asset.

Design/methodology/approach

In the absence of detailed research, the author draws on his extensive experience of working with numerous large organizations on maximizing the extent to which their employees are engaged. His experience is practical and has involved working with employees who themselves toil at the “coal‐face” of organizational success. The research presents an informed anecdotal approach to the subject and is made systematic through a range of practical guidelines.

Findings

The nature of the research means that it discusses general strategic issues in business rather than specific statistical findings. But inherent in the paper is the fact that these general strategic issues are unchanging and are of permanent importance.

Practical implications

The practical implications of the paper are enormous. The author is saying nothing less momentous than that the difference between an engaged employee (i.e. one who is fully emotionally and intellectually motivated by his or her work) compared with an employee who is not engaged, is prodigious and can make a huge commercial difference to an organization's performance.

Originality/value

Perhaps the most important observation of all given by the author is that engaged employees provide a discretionary input, that is, they give a level of energy and commitment to the job which the job does not require from a contractual perspective.

Citation

Woodruffe, C. (2006), "A potent secret for winning a crucial edge over your rivals?", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 18-22. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610646007