Do the people who work and volunteer at your shelter care about your organization? Do they feel connected to their jobs?

Research has shown that a strong sense of caring and connection on the job – usually called “employee engagement” in business circles – is connected to better customer service, better productivity and an increased resistance to leaving the organization.  And a lack of employee engagement is responsible for the estimated loss of more than $300 billion/year in the United States alone.

So, is “employee engagement” just another bit of business lingo that has nothing to do with animal sheltering?

“Employee engagement” in sheltering translates into how well your organization’s staff members care for the animals in the shelter, how compassionately and professionally they communicate with the public and each other, and ultimately, how many animals’ lives are saved.

So take the time to formulate a concerted effort to understand your organization’s employee engagement levels and create strategic action plans to address the root causes. The payoff will be a more connected, productive staff, and more happy endings for pets. And isn’t that what we’re here for?

Additional resources:

Gallup, Inc. (2008) “Employee Engagement: What’s Your Engagement Ratio?”

Scarlett Surveys International. (2011) “What is Employee Engagement?”