In my last column I wrote about ten of the many keys for success. Many of the responses I received were from managers asking me to expand upon the ninth key, which is to involve everyone, everything. The level of involvement and the degree in which employees at all levels are brought into and remain in the loop is a defining principle of any organization.  The more involved the employee, the greater the sense of personal ownership. This will directly affect the level of service rendered and ultimately company profits.

There was a very interesting study conducted by the Watson Wyatt organization, which involved workers at all levels. The leadership team of every company should consider the findings of this study as a wake-up call frightening, but not surprising. Some of the results are as follows:

(1) Only 32 percent of workers feel management makes good and timely decisions

(2) Only 35 percent of workers characterize the level of trust between senior management and employees as favorable

(3) Only 36 percent said their companies actively sought workers' opinions

(4) Just 38 percent said the information needed to accomplish their work is widely shared

One of the towering challenges facing senior management today is the way in which they communicate with and involve their employees in the processes, development and culture of the company.

Effective employee involvement requires planned communication on a daily basis, which allows for give-and-take rather than relying on the yearly review (which usually is nothing more than subjective manipulation). Communicating and involving employees in the successes as well as the failures of the company are important as well. Communication should be an integral aspect of every employee involvement strategy, at all levels, company-wide.

For example, how can a company expect an employee to enforce the company's policies if the employee doesn't know how or why they are formulated and for what end purpose they are intended? In my training programs and focus groups with front-line managers and employees, one of the most frequent issues raised is how and why management made certain decisions. Employees should, to the extent possible, be involved in those decisions that affect their daily work activities.

The Watson Wyatt study suggests that only about one-third of employees characterize the level of trust between senior management and employees as favorable. I believe trust in part is defined by one person's willingness to take risks in another's abilities. Companies cannot expect their employees to be innovative in risk taking and sometimes failure, if they don't trust the people they are taking the risks for. Trust must be earned through the consistent actions and behavior of management as perceived by the employee.

Many companies have, "Employee involvement programs, " however, studies I have read suggest that on the average, these involvement programs impact approximately only fifteen percent of the employees in the organization. Involvement can be achieved in part through on-going training and cross-training programs, which enable the employee to experience other areas of the company. Not that employees need to know exactly how to do another job, but rather they should be sensitive as to how different areas affect each other.

George Bailey, a director at Watson Wyatt said, "Workers want to succeed, but sometimes don't know how and many companies aren't helping them to figure it out." Employees must have a clear understanding of their purpose and that of the company, the company's goals and the culture of the organization. This is essential if the employee is expected to, "buy into and develop a sense of personal ownership in the company." Employees really want to do a good job and are more perceptive than they are usually given credit for. When they are allowed to be involved, they become a wealth of knowledge. Tap into it! I believe in the adage, " Tell me and I will forget, show me and I might remember, involve me and I will understand".

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