This week, I’ve been at the ASTD 2014 International Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C. I’ll post soon about what went on there and some of the new and interesting developments in the training field.

In this post, however, I’d like to discuss engagement. No, not the kind that includes diamond rings. I mean employee engagement. How do you define it? There’s a good discussion here  and here, plus a few definitions from others.

The Emotional Connection An Employee Feels

Personally, I like the definition from BusinessDictionary.com. They define employee engagement as “Emotional connection an employee feels toward his or her employment organization, which tends to influence his or her behaviors and level of effort in work-related activities. The more engagement an employee has with his or her company, the more effort they put forth.”

How do you make that type of emotional connection with employees? The site gives a few hints. They mention how engagement is linked to the work environment and the nature of the job itself. Engagement occurs when employees feel mentally stimulated; when there is a high level of trust and communication between employees and management; when an employee knows how his or her efforts contribute to company performance; and when an employee feels proud to work for and be associated with their company.

Is Training the Key to Engagement?

Given that list, it’s obvious that a strong training program can positively influence employee engagement. A rigorous training program mentally stimulates employees, by teaching them new skills or improving current skills. A business committed to spending time, money, and effort on training says that a business trusts the employees not to squander that investment. It says the managers trust the employees to make good use of the training efforts.

Is Measurement Another Key?

Knowing how the employee contributes to company performance can be a trickier measure. However, the ROI by Design program used by eParamus can show employee value to an organization, measured in metrics that measure specific company goals. A good training program measures those key metrics. And a smart company shares that information with employees. Employees like seeing tangible evidence that what they do matters.

Lastly, making your employees proud to work for your organization is in your hands as a company owner or manager. But a company that knows the importance of supporting employees with robust training likely has that part covered.

How do you define employee engagement? Has it become a buzzword that is losing meaning? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. We’d love to hear them. If you need want training that engages your employees, please contact us. We’d would be happy to help. Email or call us to discuss your needs. Call 919.882.2108. E-mail: info@eParamus.com Twitter:  https://twitter.com/eParamusLLC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparamus Web: http://www.eparamus.com/

Subscribe to our newsletter to learn what eParamus™ can do for you. We can help you design training solutions that have a measurable impact—in dollars and cents—on your organization.