Additionally, when associates are engaged in their roles, discretionary effort goes up. Motivated team members want to go above and beyond the basic requirements of their job. When managers channel that energy and effort in the right direction, engagement has measurable, positive impacts.
Communication is Key
Team members want to work for leaders and teams that put people first, value their contributions and are listened to when they have challenges. Raymond Hernandez Jr., General Manager at LAX believes that good communication is one of the most important factors for engaging both site staff and managers. “Our team feels more connected when they know what is going on,” Raymond explains. One of the many strategies the senior leadership team and HR team at LAX do to tackle engagement is a start and stop survey. These surveys are a powerful tool that allow leadership to take the pulse of their team. Measuring how engaged associates are in their work and gathering qualitative feedback about their experiences, assists the leadership team at LAX to turn those insights into improvements.
There is an old saying that “those who feel appreciated will do more than is expected of them.” Raymond knows all too well that appreciation should be communicated. To show their gratitude, the LAX management team hosted the “Areas Cares Carnival” in terminal 8 at Stella Bar. Associates enjoyed food, games and prizes before and after their shifts. That’s not all though. Management also brought a taste of the islands to LAX with an airport-wide LUAU in July.
Having an open-door policy lets associates know that a supervisor or manager is open to questions, complaints, suggestions, and challenges. General Manager Jameel Shakir, promotes open communication at Atlanta International Airport (ATL) as a form of associate engagement. In addition to serving as a sounding board for team member feedback and suggestions, having an open-door policy provides a path for continuous performance feedback as well. Jameel has also implemented an associate referral program at ATL which has proven to be a handy recruitment tool to attract new talent. “I am seeing that often it’s my good workers referring other good workers,” he notes.
Recognition Inspires
Team members want recognition for their contributions. It’s no secret that they will work harder to go the extra mile when they are recognized. In fact, according to some GMs, recognition is consistently a top driver of associate engagement. At MSP, Areas has collaborated with the Customer Service Action Council (CSAC) and the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to develop a recognition program at MSP Airport. Here’s how it works: When a guest posts a positive review about an associate on social media or sends one directly to Areas, that person becomes eligible for an “MSP Nice Award.”
The associate receives a framed certificate that includes the quoted guest review, along with a pin and $25 Target gift card. Every person who receives this award is then invited to an annual celebration complete with music, food, entertainment, raffles, and most importantly, a recognition ceremony. “It’s a really neat event that we have been fortunate to be a part of,” says Kim Condon, Areas USA’s Guest Experience Manager.
Developing good relationships with coworkers is crucial to developing a sense of engagement in the workplace. According to “The Importance of Positive Relationships in the Workplace” by Elaine Houston, studies have shown two out of five employees feel that relationships with their co-workers are very important to their happiness in the workplace. General Manager Guillermo De Calvo has made cultivating team relationships and celebrating performance a customary practice at Miami International Airport with monthly birthday and holiday celebrations, an associate of the month recognition program, an annual Associate Appreciation Day and Associate Longevity award pins, to name just a few.
Guillermo’s management team at MIA has made it a priority to engage associates at all sites daily by asking questions to get their feedback on things that affect their day-to-day environment such as equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced, the need for better lighting, etc. Guillermo explains how direct daily communication has positively affected MIA associates: “When we communicate daily with our team members at the site level, take their feedback and put an action plan in place to address it, the team members feel they are making a difference and appreciate their working environment more.”
The bottom line is: engagement is a strategy, not an activity. It needs to be addressed regularly, not every once in a while, or people won’t feel heard or supported, and managers may not take it seriously. If you listen to your team members and prioritize engagement throughout the year, you’ll see a greater return on investment of your time, energy, and dollars.
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