Nowadays, we can use analytics tools to measure a lot of things. In the professional, social or personal field, qualitative and quantitative indicators make it possible to assess just about everything: performance, productivity, and even human commitment. However, one can question the nature of human commitment and its true measurability. Here we will ask ourselves about the limits of measuring engagement, the impact that this can have on individuals and organizations, and the alternatives available to you.
Human commitment: the limits of measurement tools
When we want to measure the engagement rate of our employees, various tools are available to us. ESI, eNPS, turnover rate, custom surveys : there is no shortage of methods and are very useful for observing the evolution of certain metrics before and after implementing actions in favor of employees.
However, human engagement is a concept that is both complex and multifactorial. It encompasses emotions, motivations, values, aspirations, etc. So it is difficult, if not impossible, to reduce all this data to numbers. It could only capture a tiny part of reality. The tools cannot reflect the depth of emotions and their dynamics.
In many cases, commitment is subjective and subject to intangible factors, such as a sense of work or a sense of belonging. So it is difficult to encompass all of this in quantitative measurements.
Focus of measurement: individual and organizational consequences
Over-worrying about measuring commitment can lead to negative consequences, both at the individual level and at the organizational level.
First, by focusing too much on data, employees could feel reduced to numbers and dehumanized. This can have the opposite effect than expected: disengagement due to frustration or anxiety. Depending on the individual, the pressure of having to comply with numerical standards can be a bad experience. This can lead to a loss of motivation.
At the level organizational, a focus on measurement can lead to the creation of a culture that focuses on numbers and quantitative goals. This can lead to a loss of creativity, a decrease in innovation, and a reduction in flexibility. Employees may be afraid to take risks so as not to compromise their measurable performance. As a result, they may tend to stop taking initiatives, for fear of seeing the numbers fall, even temporarily.
Opt for a human-centered approach
Instead of focusing our efforts on measuring human engagement, perhaps we should focus more on developing practices and values that promote authentic and sustainable engagement.
To do this, it is interesting to encourage practices such as open and caring communication, recognition, autonomy or even personal development. This can strengthen employee engagement in a holistic way.
By adopting a human-centered approach, you recognize the uniqueness of each individual and you accept it in all its complexity. You therefore take into account emotions, social interactions, values and all other contextual factors that could promote the establishment of an environment conducive to the development of everyone. Instead of considering employees as a single number that increases or decreases, you think that everyone is an entity in their own right.
Humanizing relationships with employees can have a major impact on their involvement within the company.
Alternatives to measuring engagement
In order to no longer rely solely on quantitative indicators to try to measure employee engagement within your company, you can try to gather more qualitative information.
To do this, you can organize individual interviews, feedback sessions or even have open discussions with your teams. This makes it possible to gather more nuanced feelings about everyone's feelings, aspirations, and challenges. It also makes it possible to better adapt internal policies to the needs and ambitions of employees. Better alignment makes it possible to increase Motivation.
It is also important for leaders and managers to practice active listening and empathy on a daily basis. This contributes to a better understanding of the motivations and needs of employees. Above all, this allows you to adapt your approach to each person, rather than considering all employees as simple elements of a large dashboard.
Measuring human engagement is a complex, if not impossible, task. Each individual is in fact unique, with emotions and motivations that are unique to them. Focusing only on quantitative measurement can have negative effects on staff and organizations, reducing the human to numbers and thus limiting creativity and innovation. A more human-centered approach, with listening, understanding, and valuing diversity, can promote individual and collective commitment and development. Sometimes it is necessary to accept the fact that human commitment is not always measurable and that human beings are complex. Cultivate an environment where everyone can feel accepted and listened to so that everyone can be the best they can be.
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