Talk of company culture and employee engagement is everywhere, and a majority of CEOs rate company culture as a key factor in organizational success. But not long ago, the conversation revolved around employee satisfaction.
So, what’s the difference between a satisfied employee and an engaged employee? Is it good enough for employees to be satisfied?
Satisfied employees are content employees
Satisfied employees are content employees; they’re happy with the status quo. And it seems having a high level of employee satisfaction would be a good thing. After all, satisfied employees don’t quit and go to work for someone else. They don’t demand 10% pay raises or a better dental plan. And they get along well enough with their coworkers.
But when has satisfaction ever propelled you to do great things? When has contentment caused you to take action? For instance, do they:
- Go the extra mile for your organization?
- Perform at the highest levels?
- Wow your customers?
In other words, do satisfied employees behave and act like engaged employees? The answers are maybe and sometimes.
Engaged employees behave and act differently
Engaged employees’ actions can be described in three words: rave, remain, and reach.
- Rave refers to spreading good news about their employer.
- Remain refers to the willingness to stick with their employer even when times are tough.
- Reach refers to routinely going above and beyond – not only solving problems but routinely anticipating and preventing problems.
Why is this important? Because employee engagement is the simplest way to limit turnover, improve productivity, and boost employee referrals.
Look at Jake, a perfectly satisfied employee
Take a look at Jake, he’s perfectly satisfied employee. He’s a product engineer for a technology company. When Jake is asked to describe what it’s like to work at his company, he says:
“My boss is a nice guy and he pretty much leaves me alone. I live close to the office, so that’s a major perk. I don’t have to work long hours, and there’s an endless supply of free snacks, coffee, and juice in the employee break room. And this year, they even started matching our 401k. What’s not to like?”
How to spot the difference between employee satisfaction and engagement
Jake is satisfied. Jake is content. But is Jake engaged? Notice Jake doesn’t talk about his actual work. He doesn’t express excitement – or interest – in the projects he’s working on. Jake doesn’t say he’s proud to work for his company. The value he brings and his contribution to the company’s goals are not on Jake’s mind. Instead, Jake focuses on the tangibles that his employer gives him – a short commute, snacks, and a 401k match. He doesn’t focus on what he gives to the company.
Jake also doesn’t focus on intangibles like learning new things, being challenged, or solving complex problems – which is exactly what you might expect out of a product engineer.
- Jake didn’t Rave.
- He didn’t speak about Reaching and when times are tough.
- It’s very likely Jake will not Remain.
Jake is not an engaged employee
In conclusion, Jake is a perfect example of a satisfied employee. However, he’s not engaged. Engaged employees routinely make contributions that satisfied employees can’t.
