Maintaining employee engagement is important no matter what you are trying to achieve in a business, and it is especially important when you are a leader trying to increase your employee’s skill set.

When a team is engaged, results are achieved. If you are in a leadership position you need to constantly be building your team’s skills, and ensuring that your team remains engaged throughout the skill building process.

A proven way to facilitate this building of your team’s skill set is to follow the 5 step process as detailed below.

5 Steps to Employee Engagement

1. Explain

If employees do not understand, they often become disengaged. As a leader who wishes to develop their skills, it is important that you explain to your team what you expect from them. Identify the vision you wish for them, and detail the objectives and actions you will both complete to have them achieve that vision. This explanation will enable employees to understand your objectives for the future.

2. Show

As a leader, it is important that you don’t only tell your employees what you want from them, but you should show them too. By leading by example, it enables the team to gain a greater understanding of what is expected from them.

3. Observe

Once you have explained to your team what you want of them and have led by example, stand back and observe them whilst they try to implement your instructions. This will let you identify what they do well and what could use a little more explaining.

4. Reinforce

Positive reinforcement is the most powerful tool to increasing employee engagement. Reinforce employee’s positive actions with encouragement; this will increase their engagement in the task.

5. Refine

Finally, detail what aspects employees can improve to ensure they achieve the desired results. Explain what they are doing well, what can be improved and how they can improve it. This enables employees to identify areas which they could improve on, therefore promoting engagement.

By following these five steps, you will not only increase your leadership skills and the team’s skills set, but also improve your employee’s engagement in the work place.

Remember, as a vital first step that you need to be aware of the current skill sets of your team and the areas that you wish them to develop. A very good way of understanding this sometimes difficult task is to undertake a workforce analysis and combine this with a targeted 360 Degree Full Circle Feedback process.