For the last part of the Employee Engagement Series, I want to talk about the importance of sharing feedback and progress regularly to employees and managers. While it is not unusual to see negative or aggressive feedback in the workplace, I will encourage you to approach feedback in a more positive manner. I understand that sometimes team members screw up, but if you take the time to put your concerns in a different, more positive perspective, then more people will oblige to feedback.

Does money really buy happiness? Sure money can buy the latest in fashion, the fastest car, and the biggest house; but at the workplace, is it more important to have a higher salary or have lasting relationships based on encouragement?

As I am sitting in the office today wearing an Atlanta Braves shirt that reads “Can’t Hit on Me” with the iconic “A” underneath, I can’t help but think that a baseball team is a lot like your workplace team.

First of all, your team is made up of all sorts of talents. Fredi Gonzalez is the manager of the Atlanta Braves. Brian McCann is the catcher and he is there to watch over the team’s most valuable asset: home plate! B.J. and Justin Upton are in the outfield to retrieve any balls that are not within reach of those defending first, second, and third base. Craig Kimbrel’s job is to pitch in hopes of delivering three strikes to create an out! All of these roles are vital to the Braves obtaining a win. Every player has a vital role to the team’s success.

Today, I want to talk about receiving recognition. This is very important because it shows the employee that someone cares about their work and appreciates their efforts in the company. Don’t you agree that it feels great when your supervisor or a colleague compliments your work or says a simple “great job” to you once you’ve completed a task? It’s nice to know that your efforts are being recognized.

Continuing with the Employee Engagement series, last week I discussed the importance of understanding expectations. Today, I want to talk about employee engagement through taking on opportunities as they come.

You may ask why this is important for keeping employees engaged and it is the simple fact that employers want to ensure that their team members are utilizing their skills to produce the best work for the company. It also gives employees the opportunity to work on different projects, which increases engagement because their time spent in the office is always new and exciting. While it is the responsibility of the employee to act aggressively to obtain new opportunities to learn and grow within the company, the employer should also express these opportunities to their employees.

“If you can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal.”

Being able to communicate effectively in the workplace is vital to the success of any business. Forbes magazine produced an article “Top 10 Qualities of a Great Leader.” The list included qualities that you would expect from a leader such as honesty, confidence, commitment, and the ability to delegate. The third quality listed was communication. Lack of proper communication can cause confusion and conflict. Being unable to verbally communicate to your colleagues about a task you need help with could damage the company or your reputation. Whatever the case may be, it is important to hone your communication skills so you can be more productive and successful at your job. “If you can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal.” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2012/12/19/top-10-qualities-that-make-a-great-leader/)