WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT?

An employee engagement consultant is a human resources expert who helps organizations improve productivity, retention and satisfaction by increasing employee engagement. Also known as engagement specialists, these consultants are brought in by companies to diagnose issues hampering engagement and provide solutions to create a highly invested, motivated workforce.

The primary focus of an employee engagement consultant is to establish the metrics and drivers of engagement across an organization. They conduct surveys and confidential interviews to objectively measure the current levels of emotional, cognitive and behavioral engagement among employees at all levels. Common indicators range from satisfaction and commitment to advocacy and discretionary effort exhibited.

Armed with insights into experienced engagement and what workers find meaningful, consultants identify priority areas needing improvement. They ascertain engagement barriers related to communication problems, lack of recognition, insufficient development opportunities, distrust in leadership or perceived imbalance between contributions and rewards. Consultants also highlight strengths and best practices worth reinforcing throughout the company culture.

Next, engagement consultants work collaboratively with management and HR to develop integrated action plans addressing engagement gaps. They recommend interventions like revamping company vision and values, optimizing supervisor-staff relationships, empowering employee voice channels, refreshing peer-to-peer recognition programs, increasing learning access and updating performance management processes. Periodic pulse surveys track the impact of initiatives.

Employee engagement consultants also train leaders and managers on understanding engagement drivers, building trust with employees, having two-way dialogue, exhibiting empathy and providing transparency into decisions affecting people. They coach executives on avoiding mixed messages that torpedo engagement and may advise restructuring roles for better employee experiences.

The purpose is creating an encouraging work culture where employees feel valued, heard and cared for across the entire employment lifecycle – from attraction and onboarding to development and retention. By taking a metrics-driven and holistic approach, consultants build accountability and momentum for positive change.