The State of Engagement:
Tansy Baxter, tansyBee
What Tansy does with her consultancy TansyBee is simple, and incredibly effective. She helps leaders understand what’s really driving employee engagement, so they can keep their best people for longer. At CHEER, we know what we do makes a difference, but we’re not the only people doing it.
Tansy Baxter specialises in helping organisations understand what’s really driving employee engagement. Through her Engagement Clarity Audit, she helps leadership teams see what’s working, what isn’t, and what changes will make the biggest difference. Founder Joe spoke with Tansy to get her perspective.
What engages employees?
What gives your business the edge in attracting and retaining talent?
Tansy believes that perception and reputation are the two biggest factors. “You can have a great salary package and the ideal role for a person, with perfect progression opportunities, but unless your business is seen as an Employer of Choice or has an excellent reputation as being a great place to work, talented candidates will look elsewhere.”
This is so true – I’ve found it with my recruitment background that you can build what you believe are a great benefits/rewards package, but if the employees don’t value that package, or they haven’t been communicated that package, it’s potentially throwing money down a drain. Equally, the voice of the employee counts for so much when a candidate is deciding if that package has value for them.
Tansy agreed, saying “People are looking for the whole package that suits what’s right for them at that particular time in their lives and careers. It’s rarely just one thing that they’ll base their decision on when looking for a new job. That’s one of the reasons why having a clear EVP is so important.”
Which part of EVP matters most to you personally?
EVP, or Employee Value Proposition, is the balance of what people give and what they get back. I like to break it down into seven pillars:
Brand & Purpose, Culture, Environment, Monetary, Prospects, Relationships, and Wellbeing.
What do you see are the biggest people challenges businesses are facing right now?
It’s clear that retention of talent is a common challenge Tansy sees through her audit and consulting. “Many businesses are struggling to hold onto their existing talent, which can be expensive and detrimental to the rest of the team/department/company.” Tansy also recognises that employers aren’t getting the real reasons for why people are leaving, and this is crucial to mitigating future leavers.
I’ve seen it through CHEER also – businesses rely on employee engagement surveys that lack context (and due to being anonymous hard to follow up on), or exit interviews – which are too late.
Tansy acknowledges it’s hard to get this information, as employees might not be willing or feel safe enough to share. Another case for employee engagement initiatives – creating that space where people can feel safe, and progress can be made!
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