Engagement in Orlando

The center of employee engagement next week is in Orlando. The EIA Conference will focus on different components of involvement, engagement and channeling the tremendous resource each company has in the ideas of its employees to improve processes and enhance productivity.

Interested? Click here for the conference brochure. You can still register... or just show up at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, September 16 - 19, 2008.

Can't come? As part of EIA's commitment to green, we're posting the handouts here for participants to download in advance.

Some interesting presentations scheduled include:

• Using Statistics to Benchmark your Program - EIA publishes the most comprehensive collection of employee engagement statistics. This session focuses on how you can use this document, available to all EIA members at no extra charge, to improve your program
• Baldrige Award Winners in Health Care - Thursday sessions feature two award winning health care providers: Mercy Health System in Wisconsin and Premier, Inc.
• Employee Engagement - New Wine in Old Bottles and Turning Data into Meaningful Actions - these two concurrent sessions by Sharon Parker, Senior Consultant and Director of Research and Consulting Services, Foresight Group, a division of Lightspeed Research address employee engagement from a different perspective.

Questions? Call EIA at 937.586.3724.

Engaging Employees

At the recent board of directors meeting of the Employee Involvement Association, there was discussion about the evolution of programs. Initially, companies had suggestion programs, where the emphasis was on the "suggestion box".

As these programs have grown to be more sophisticated, collecting data electronically and working towards including a large number of employees, there was a change in thinking. This change was mirrored when the National Association of Suggestion Systems (NASS) changed its name to the Employee Involvement Association (EIA).

The next stage of evolution is towards employee engagement. There is growing understanding that an employee that is actively engaged in a business is more likely to be successful, actively contribute - not just suggestions in a formal sense, but also to the daily efforts to improve the wellbeing of the organization.

This change is reflected on the front page of the EIA Website:

EIA members are leaders who are dedicated to building organizations that engage their employees, encouraging them to contribute to their organizations at many levels and many ways.

Employee Involvement is the keystone of organization development, nurturing the engagement and empowerment of people.

EIA is committed to increasing organization effectiveness through the imagination of employees.

Does your company reflect the evolution of employee involvement, striving for ways to engage and empower their employees? If so, let us know by your comments and by completing the survey to the right.

We're Looking for some Great Ideas!

Employee Involvement is the keystone of organizational development, nurturing the engagement and empowerment of people.

EIA is committed to increasing organizational effectiveness through the imagination of employees. There are a broad range of companies who understand that their employees have the skills and ideas to help make their companies more productive and profitable.

EIA's annual Awards Program specifically recognizes the creativity of employees and offers awards that honor outstanding Ideas of the Year as well as recognizing the role leadership plays in promoting employeeinvolvement.

The Employee Involvement Association is opening up its prestigious idea of the year program to non-member companies. By participating in this program, an organization can:
· Garner international recognition for employees who are engaged in developing award-winning ideas that help their organizations increase productivity, and improve productivity
· Provide a showcase for employee innovation
· Benchmark your organization's efforts in a way to provide important information to further improve your employee involvement program

This program is a useful way to reward your company's suggesters on a national scale. Gold finalists are invited to attend the EIA Conference in Orlando, 17 - 19 September, 2008. While there, they have the opportunity to showcase their award-winning suggestion to the conference participants with a table-top display and to make a brief presentation to the judges. The top Ideas of the Year will be recognized at the Awards Event on Thursday evening, 18 September.

Entry deadline is 30 April 2008. Click here to access the Awards packet, including entry descriptions and requirements, forms and instructions. Click here for the entry form (included in the Awards packet.)

EIA Statistical Report… and how it can help you!

For the first time, the EIA Statistical Report is being opened to non-members. This report is the only compilation of employee involvement program outcomes available -- and includes international as well as US based companies.

What’s in it for you?

• The EIA Statistical Report asks for information that you need to know about your program to effectively manage it – and, provides meaningful information about your program to your management team.
• This information can then help you measure – benchmark – how well your organization is doing compared to others in your industry sector, or in similar sectors.
• When you receive the Statistical Report in summer 2008, take some time to compare your results to others – and then, think about areas in which you could improve for 2008. You’ll be able to see how other organizations are doing – and can use the list of contacts to talk to other EIA members directly.
• National recognition for your program. EIA presents Performance Achievement Awards to companies that have a high rate of participation (over 80%) or suggestions submitted per 100 employees is over 100.
• EIA also presents SEER AWARDS for Savings per Eligible Employee Ratio. This is calculated by taking Annual Net Savings Dollars divided by number of eligible employees.

Take a look at some of the outstanding results from 2006:

Company / Savings per 100 Eligible Employees
Lockheed Martin-Systems Integration-Owego /$5,577,582
General Motors – Shreveport Assembly / $396,134
Grote Industries, LLC / $358,511

The EIA Statistical Survey is available for you to review and prepare your information for inputting. Once you have collected your data, use the link in the Survey document to go to the website to enter your data.

If you have questions about the Statistical Report process, please feel free to contact us at eia@meinet.com and we’ll try to answer your questions promptly.