3 ideas to increase employee engagement in Singapore

Despite high GDP, living standards, and quality of jobs, we are still one of the unhappiest workers in Asia and globally, according to a newspaper report in January 2014.

A recent survey by Randstad revealed that ½ of Singapore employees do not think they have a perfect job fit. An overwhelming ¾ see work as a means to make a living.

In a speech, I asked a group of small business owners when was the last time they said, “I love my work”, and there were some murmurs and one of it was, “bo-pian” (a Hokkien phrase which means ‘no choice’). So we work because we have no choice.

Of course, most of us need to work to pay for the pricey car and house in Singapore. But beyond the pragmatics, this “bo-pian” stance comes from our Singapore narrative that to survive as a little red dot, ‘we must’, ‘we should’, ‘we need to’, and ‘we have no choice’ but get a job and do well in it.

This is operating from the level of survival, self-protection, and possibly fear.

I acknowledge that operating from a level of survival is necessary and useful in some context, especially in the earlier years of Singapore’s development. However, we seem to be stuck in this pragmatic stance, that shifting to ‘I want’, ‘I enjoy’, ‘I like’, or even ‘I love’ my job seems unnatural. I suspect this contributes to the low engagement in our work.

To be engaged is to love one’s work, choose to put in discretionary effort, try new things out of the job requirements, and go the extra mile in serving others. It is to care about the mission or people that our work serves and ultimately making life better.

This psychological commitment to the job, organisation, and end customer goes beyond just “a job to survive”. It has to come from curiosity and contribution.

How can we shift operating from survival and self-protection to curiosity and contribution? First, we need to take accountability - “I am responsible for whatever happens.” This is not self-blame but self-empowerment, because the single factor we have greatest influence over is ourselves.

So rather than blame the manager, company, colleagues, or customers for our unhappiness at work, look at ourselves first. What are we doing or not doing that leads to our disengagement at work?

Second, be clear about what is important to us in work. Here’s a tip, don’t focus on higher pay and promotions, because these are outcomes of good work and opportunities (that are out of our control). Instead, focus on what will help us do good work and prepare for higher value adding roles, and our rewards will come.

Take into consideration our personal needs and aspirations. For example, our research of 18,000 people worldwide shows people value interesting and challenging work, learning and growth in their jobs, and an environment that supports their personal commitments (Career Systems International, 2014). What makes our work exciting? What’s important to us?

Third, as Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of “Love It, Don’t Leave It” suggest, have an engagement conversation with your boss. Tell him what you value at work, make suggestion(s) of any changes that will help you do your job better, list any potential barriers to your ideas and the solutions too, and lastly scope out a trial or pilot so everyone gets comfortable before full implementation.

Try this out with your boss and shift from a “bo-pian” situation to one where you are excited, empowered, and engaged in your work!