Wow! Only a month to go until the 2009 SAHRP Conference. My bags aren’t packed quite yet, but my attention has turned to the conference and other events scheduled in my fall calendar.
I don’t quite know why, but autumn always seems like a “new beginning”. Perhaps it travels hand-in-hand with the whole “Back to School” excitement - new classes, new pencils, a brand new start. I have two children in grade school and boy, I do wish I could bottle the energy that they exude the first week of school. Imagine, there they were each morning - fresh faces, broad smiles, eager learners ready to take on the day! They were definitely fully-engaged. But would it last?
Admittedly, now nearing the end of week 3, the energy is starting to fade. This does lead me to think about the energy of our newly hired employees. They come into our organizations full of that same “new beginnings” energy - ready to soak up all of the information and experiences our organizations have to offer. But how long does it last? and can we extend it?
Well, I think we can. There are differences that make a difference in engaging and retaining our talent. And if we focus on what is most critical to our talent, and strive to engage and retain one person at a time - we can not only harness the level of energy & engagement of that new hire, but also impact the engagement levels of others.
Over the next few weeks leading up to the conference, I will share with you some of my thoughts on employee engagement and I hope you will share with me some of yours!