This series will give background information and examples for the questions you will see on the upcoming Gallup Employee Engagement Survey.
Q8: The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
Employees want to believe in what their employers do. People want to know that what they do matters. That commitment to purpose is measured by Q8. Excellent performance occurs when people are deeply attached to a sense of purpose in their lives.
Because of the obvious benefits to the company, every leader should focus on helping their team understand the mission of Ingalls and how their job supports that mission. Sometimes we get so focused on the tasks we have to complete that we forget the bigger picture. We can easily lose sight of how important these assets we supply to the US Navy, Marines and Coast Guard are to protecting our nation’s interests at home and abroad.
Here are some suggestions for helping your employees connect with the mission and purpose of Ingalls Shipbuilding:
Give the “what” and the “why” when giving assignments: don’t just give orders. Take the extra time to explain why the task must be done. Especially if it is a change to the plan, ensure your team understands what drove the change.
Talk about our Product: during your Take-5s or crew talks discuss what our ships are doing out in service today. Share articles about our ships and follow us on social media. Talk about the mission that the ships under construction may be called to do one day.
Make it personal: ask your team if they or family members serve or have served in the military. Thank them for their service and ask them to discuss the importance of the products they used.
Creating a stronger connection to the mission and purpose of Ingalls Shipbuilding will help our company be successful. People want to know that their contributions matter and the mission of our company in keeping America strong is critically important. As leaders, we need to ensure that our employees know how their job supports that mission.