Your Most Engaged Employee May Be the One Who Doesn't Speak in Meetings

There seems to be a very odd assumption we tend to make at work. The employee who does most of the talking in a discussion should also be the one who is most interested.

The employee who makes an opinion on every matter should be the one most engaged.
Then there is the silent worker.

He is perceived to be the one who is the most uninterested. Well, I think it is more complicated than that among some of the most valued workers I know, there are not always the most talkative employees in a room. They listen, they make notes, they think, and then they say something that alters the whole discussion. Disengagement is not silence.

It is more important now than ever as companies reconsider their engagement programmes, cultures, employee experience, and performance management approaches.

The future work environment will be very skill-based and require individuals that think, analyse, collaborate, and resolve issues.

In addition, India’s hiring environment has become capability-based, and companies are placing more importance on candidates that are ready to execute and have specific skills.

Perhaps then we need to move beyond the measurement of engagement based on those who talk the most.

What do they do outside the conference room?
Are they asking insightful questions?
Are they fulfilling their promises?
Are they helping out someone to solve an issue?
Are they coming up with new ideas when the situation presents itself?
Are they taking responsibility without always seeking recognition for themselves?
Are they challenging a process when they feel it is the right thing to do?

These are some of the things we can learn from however, there is another aspect of this too.
Just because individuals are talking in meetings, and others are not talking, it doesn’t mean that the others are disengaged.

They should ask a different question:
“Have we created an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing?”

This is part of a leader’s responsibility.
Organizational Health Research in India has pointed out the significance of leadership, work environment, coordination, accountability, and employee perception in creating healthier organizations.

An employee may be silent because he has nothing to say.
An employee may be silent because someone beats him to it.
An employee may not be speaking since he has not had enough time to process the conversation.

Yes, silence can mean disengagement, It is part of a responsible leader to determine which of these scenarios fits.

This implies having conversations outside official meeting times.
Find out what the employees think?
Find out what frustrates them?
What do employees they wish to change?
What do they wish to learn?

But most importantly, listen without formulating an immediate response. At Morpheus Consulting, we always speak about getting the right talent, but this is just the start.
Creating the kind of environment where they can flourish and remain involved is the next step.

Morpheus Human Consulting firmly believes that HR Consulting, Talent Management, Employee Engagement, Leadership Development and Work Place Culture are inter-related.
Because sometimes the employee who says the least in a meeting is the person who has been paying the most attention.

The real question isn't:

“Who spoke the most?”
It is:
“Whose contribution are we making space for?”