Find Out What Happened to the Mayan People

The fall of the Maya is one of history’s great mysteries. One of the mightiest civilizations in the ancient Americas simply fell into ruin in a very short time, leaving many wondering what happened to the ancient Maya. Mighty cities like Tikal were abandoned and Maya stonemasons stopped making temples and stelae. The dates are not in doubt: deciphered glyphs at several sites indicate a thriving culture in the ninth century A.D., but the record goes eerily silent after the last recorded date on a Maya stela, 904 A.D. Many theories exist as to what happened to the Maya, but experts display little consensus. The Disaster Theory Early Maya researchers believed that some catastrophic event may have doomed the Maya. An earthquake, volcanic eruption, or sudden epidemic disease could have destroyed cities and killed or displaced tens of thousands of people, bringing the Maya civilization crashing down. These theories have been discarded today, however, largely because of the fact that the decline of the Maya took about 200 years; some cities fell while others thrived, at least for a while longer. An earthquake, disease, or another widespread calamity would have snuffed out the great Maya cities more or less simultaneously. The Warfare Theory The Maya were once thought to have been a peaceful, Pacific culture. This image has been shattered by the historical record; new discoveries and newly deciphered stone carvings clearly indicate that the Maya battled frequently and viciously among themselves. City-states such as Dos Pilas, Tikal, Copà ¡n, and Quirigua went to war with one another often, and Dos Pilas was invaded and destroyed in 760 A.D. Some experts wonder if they went to war with one another enough to cause the collapse of their civilization, which is quite possible. War often brings with it an economic disaster and collateral damage that could have caused a domino effect in the Maya cities. Civil Strife Theory Staying with a theory of unrest, some researchers believe civil war may have been a cause. As the populations in the large cities boomed, a great strain was placed on the working class to produce food, build temples, clear rainforests, mine obsidian and jade, and do other labor-intensive tasks. At the same time, food was becoming more and more scarce. The idea that a hungry, overworked working class might overthrow the ruling elite is not too far-fetched, especially if warfare between city-states was as endemic as researchers believe. The Famine Theory Preclassic Maya (1000 B.C.–300 A.D.) practiced basic subsistence agriculture: slash-and-burn cultivation on small family plots. They planted mostly corn, beans, and squash. On the coast and lakes, there was some basic fishing as well. As the Maya civilization advanced, the cities grew, their population growing much larger than could be fed by local production. Improved agricultural techniques such as draining wetlands for planting or terracing hills picked up some of the slack, and increased trade also helped, but the large population in the cities must have put great strain on the food production. A famine or other agricultural calamity affecting these basic and vital crops could certainly have caused the downfall of the ancient Maya. Environmental Change Theory Climate change may also have done in the ancient Maya. As the Maya were dependent on the most basic agriculture and a handful of crops, supplemented by hunting and fishing, they were extremely vulnerable to droughts, floods, or any change in the conditions that affected their food and water supply. Some researchers have identified some climatic change that occurred around that time: for example, the coastal water levels rose toward the end of the Classic period. As coastal villages flooded, people would have moved to the large inland cities, placing added strain upon their resources while losing food from farms and fishing. So...What Happened to the Ancient Maya? Experts in the field simply do not have enough solid information to state with clear-cut certainty how the Maya civilization ended. The downfall of the ancient Maya was likely caused by some combination of the factors above. The question seems to be which factors were most important and if they were linked somehow. For example, did a famine lead to starvation, which in turn led to civil strife and warring upon neighbors? Investigations havent ceased. Archaeological digs are ongoing at many sites, and new technology is being used to re-examine previously excavated sites. For example, recent research, using chemical analysis of soil samples, indicates that a certain area at the Chunchucmil archaeological site in Yucatan was used for a food market, as had been long suspected. Mayan glyphs, long a mystery to researchers, have now mostly been deciphered. Sources: McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004. National Geographic Online: The Maya: Glory and Ruin. 2007. NY Times Online: Ancient Yucatà ¡n Soils Point to Maya Market, and Market Economy. 2008.

Essay On Blended Teaching - 772 Words

Lecturers were allowed to choose a variety of commonly used blended teaching tools such as blogs or forum, online laboratory experiments, discussion groups, videos, and recorded videocast. They also had the liberty to pick the right mix of online and offline time, which may vary from 20% to 80% online. These flexibilities were given to the lecturers because they were teaching different disciplines as one blended teaching technique may be suitable for one discipline may not be so for another. However, lecturers had to report to the researchers which teaching technique(s) they used and the percent of the online and offline mix. This information is useful in the analysis. The teaching methods used and the percent of the offline and online†¦show more content†¦At least two months before the research commenced, the chief researcher conducted a one-day workshop for all the participating lecturers. They learned the importance of the Social Presence to build trust among the group members which will eventually lead to open communication. Various activities and suggestions were given to the lecturers to assist them to develop the Social Presence at the beginning of a semester. Also, lecturers learned how to organise a 12-week syllabus into major themes so as not to overburden the students with content and assignments. With each major theme, lecturers selected subject matters (topics), resources, learning activities and assessments needed. After that, these broad themes were organised into a teaching plan with online and offline activities. All lecturers were required to submit their teaching plans to the chief researcher for checking before it was i mplemented. In the workshop, lecturers also learned how to facilitate and carry out direct instruction in the classroom; two essential components of the Teaching Presence. From Week 1 to Week 12, lecturers executed their teaching plans with all the learning activities. They were allowed to choose a variety of commonly used blended teaching tools such as blogs or forum, online laboratory experiments, discussion groups, videos, and recorded videocast. They also had the liberty to pick the right mix of online and offline time, which may vary from 20% toShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of Integrating The Social Network Site Facebook And Peer Reviews From Class Instruction On English Writing1023 Words   |  5 Pagessocial interaction. This way of communication can facilitate discussions and provide students an opportunity to apply their knowledge learned in class in a supportive environment. This research is conducted to explore the effect of a blended approach to teaching by using Facebook, peer assessment, and class instruction. (c) Methods/Materials: The study was conducted on 23 first-year English majors at a technological university in Taiwan. 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Employee engagement Free Essays

â€Å"The best companies now know, without a doubt, where productivity—real and limitless productivity—comes from. It comes from challenged, empowered, excited, rewarded teams of people. It comes from engaging every single mind in the organization, making everyone part of the action, and allowing everyone to have a voice—a role—in the success of the enterprise. We will write a custom essay sample on Employee engagement or any similar topic only for you Order Now Doing so raises productivity not incrementally, but by multiples. Jack Welch Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric Human Resources, 10 September 2003 Introduction: It is the need of the hour that, Organizations should increasingly convert from traditionalism to the contemporary learning and individualized corporations. With growing opportunity and greater flow of information, employees today want to be in the best workplaces handling the best suited responsibilities and enjoy greater autonomy. Therefore, engaging the employees to the work as per their competency level must occupy the centre stage not only for the HR department but also for the immediate bosses.The extent that an employee believes in the mission, purpose and values of an organization and demonstrates that commitment through their actions and their attitude towards the employer (both internal external) will determine the employee satisfaction towards his/her work. Employee engagement is high when the statements and conversations held reflect a natural enthusiasm for the company, its employees and the products or services provided. Employee engagement is the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their organization and its values.An engaged employee is aware of business context, and works with colleagues to improve performance within the job for the benefit of the organization. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: In other words, employee engagement can be described as: â€Å"The degree to which an em ployee is emotionally bonded to his/her organisation and is passionate about the work that really matters†. The organization must work to develop and nurture engagement, which requires a two-way relationship between employer and employee. Thus Employee engagement is a barometer that determines the association of a person within the organization.Engagement can also be defined as â€Å"the extent to which people enjoy and believe in what they do and feel valued for doing it. † Enjoyment Engagement Belief Value Employee commitment and engagement is measured by three primary behaviours – Say, Stay and Strive. ‘Say’ is evidently achieved if the employee consistently speaks positively about the organisation to co-workers and refers potential employees and customers. ‘Stay’ refers to the employee’s intensive desire to be a member of the organisation, despite opportunities to work elsewhere. Strive’ indicates an extra effort and behaviours that contribute to business success. As organizations globalize and become more dependent on technology in a virtual working environment, there is a greater need to connect and engage with employees to provide them with an â€Å"organi zational identity†. Employee engagement plays a greater role in the current era where every contribution by each of the employee counts. Employee engagement programmes throw light into the success of the company in engaging its employees in the productive activities.Employee engagement is not just the process of engaging the employees productively. It also expects the organization to pave the way to ensure that the employees are motivated to put in their best efforts for the wealth maximization. This requires building loyalty which can inject commitment in doing quality work. The mission must be well defined and supported by well set organizational plans and policies for its attainment. The management is also to provide with the set of tools and material that are necessary for performing the task effectively. WHAT DOES AN ENGAGED EMPLOYEE THINK, FEEL DO? I understand how my role in the organization is related to the organization’s goals, objectives direction. I understand how my unit/ department contributes to the success of the organization COGNITIVE THINK I am willing to put in a great deal of effort beyond what is normally expected to help my organization to succeed I would recommend my organization to a friend as a good place to work BEHAVIOURIAL ACT AFFECTIVE FEEL I am personally motivated to help my organization to be successfulI am proud to tell others that I work for my organization Various researches have been conducted in the past and all of them have one thing in common that if an organization wants to sustain in the long run then it is really essential for it to have an engaged workforce. Employees feel engaged when they find personal meaning and motivation in their work, receive positive interpersonal support, and operate in an efficient work environment. All efforts are made on maximizing employee output and making the most of organizational resources.An engaged workforce takes an organization to great heights. LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT Engaged †¢ †¢ †¢ Work with passion Feel connected to work, employer Drive innovation Not engaged †¢ †¢ Checked out or retired on the job Putting in their time, not their energy Actively disengaged engaged †¢ – Interfere with others productivity ENGAGED BEHAVIOUR †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ High levels of effort Persistence at difficult tasks Providing assistance to others Going â€Å"above and beyond† Making recommendations Expanding personal Adapting to changeCATEGORIES OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT According to the Gallup, the Consulting organization there is there are different types of people:I. ENGAGED: â€Å"Engaged† employees are builders. They want to know the desired expectations for their role so that they can meet and exceed them. They are naturally curious about their company and their place in it. They perform at consistently high levels. They want to use their talents and strengths at work every day. They work with passion and they drive innovation and move their organization forward.II. NOT ENGAGED: â€Å"Not-engaged† employees tend to concentrate on tasks rather than the goals and outcomes they are expected to accomplish. They want to be told what to do just so they can do it and say they have finished. They focus on accomplishing tasks vs. achieving an outcome. Employees who are not-engaged tend to feel their contributions are being overlooked, and their potential is not being tapped. They often feel this way because they don’t have productive relationships with their managers or with their coworkers. III.ACTIVELY DISENGAGED: The â€Å"Actively Disengaged† employees are the â€Å"cave dwellers. † They are â€Å"Consistently against Virtually Everything. † They’re not just unhappy at work; they’re busy acting out their unhappiness. They sow seeds of negativity at every opportunity. Every day, actively disengaged workers undermine what their engaged coworkers accomplish. As workers increasingly rely on each other to generate products and services, the problems and tensions that are fostered by actively disengaged workers can cause great damage to an organization’s functioning.IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGEMENT: An organization’s capacity to manage employee engagement is closely related to its ability to achieve high performance levels and superior business results. Some of the advantages of Engaged employees are: †¢ Engaged employees will stay with the company, be an advocate of the company products and services, and contribute to the bottom line of the business success. †¢ †¢ †¢ They will normally perform better and are Self-Motivated. There is a significant link between employee engagement and profitability.They form an emotional connection with the company. This impacts their attitude towards the company’s clients, and thereby improves customer satisfaction and service levels. It builds passion, commitment and alignment with the organization’s strategies and goals Increases employees’ trust in the organization Creates a sense of loyalty in a competitive environment Provides a high-energy working environment Boosts business growth Makes the employees effective brand ambassadors for the company †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ A highly engaged employee will consistently deliver beyond expectations.Employee Engagement Begins From Day 1: Research has proved that employee engagement begins from day one repairing employees for their new roles and communicating how they can help the firm meets its goals can go a long way toward determining whether new employees ultimately succeed. The main requirement is to focus on improving communication, both to managers who do hiring and to employee’s themselves. Thus for this there should be structured inductions. Organizations seeking ways to build a motivated, satisfied and engaged workforce should start by putting in place structured and well-planned orientation programmes for their new employees.Difference between Satisfied Workforce and Engaged Workforce. A person who is engaged may not be satisfied while a person who is satisfied may not be engaged. There’s lot of difference between an employee being satisfied and employee being engaged. An employee may be satisfied with the facilities that he is getting and that would be sufficient enough to continue with the organization. On the other hand an employee may be 100% engaged to his work yet may not be satisfied one of the reasons could be that he does not have a supportive boss. Engagement Is Linked To Three Essential Forces In The Organization – Attrition, Productivity Profitability: Attrition is the number of people leaving the organization and it’s a well-known fact that is one of the major problem being faced by the organizations be it any sector. An engaged workforce definitely has less chances of leaving the organization, a person who is engaged in his work is likely to stick to the company as he offers his best and as result of which the organizations takes due care of him in the form of hike in salary by way of incentives and bonus.Attrition is likely to come down in the organization, which have engaged workforce and this will get in the likely benefits for the organization. Productivity is the output of the workers in the form of work done by them it’s not the quantity that matters it’s the quality that is of importance for the organization. An engaged workforce has an understanding of what is expected of them at work so thus they are able to carry on their task effectively and efficiently thus adding to the productivity of the organization and thus adding to the growth and success of the organization.Profitability is the ability of a company to earn a profit. It is a relative measure of success for a business. Research has proved that an engaged workforce is likely to result in an increase in the profitability of the concern as they have complete dedication and commitment to their work and thus this is likely to result in an increase in the profit of the concern and thus ensuring the success of the organization. The organizations now days take all reasonable steps to ensure that they have engaged workforce like organizing birthday bashes, talent shows, sports activities and many other things.They want their employees to be committed to their work fully besides all the above activities they also make sure that the employees have role clarity, get all the material and equipment they require to perform their work efficiently etc. DETERMINING ENGAGEMENT The employee must feel that there is somebody in the organizations who cares for him and wants his success and growth. In all this we referring to the 12 questions that Gallup uses for studying the engagement level of employees in the organiza tion. Gallup is an organization that studies the engagement level of the employees. 1. I know what is expected of me at work. 2.I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. 3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day. 4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work. 5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person. 6. There is someone at work who encourages my development. 7. At work, my opinions seem to count. 8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important. 9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work. 10. I have a best friend at work. 11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my rogress. 12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow. Thus if you want the success of your organization and see it reaching great heights all you need is an engaged workforce, i. e. all you need is justifiable answers to the above 12 questions. Most organizations have today realized that a satisfied employee is not necessarily the best employee in terms of loyalty and productivity. It is only an Engaged Employee who is intellectually and emotionally bound with the organization who feels passionate about its goals and is committed towards its values thus he goes the extra mile beyond the basic job. FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Workplace Culture Organizational Communication Managerial Styles Leadership Company Reputation Access to Training Career Opportunities Work/ life Balance Personal Empowerment DIMENSIONS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT 1. Physical dimension †¢ Levels of energy or effort †¢ Persistence 2. Emotional dimension †¢ †¢ †¢ Enthusiasm and inspiration Sense of significance, pride, and challenge Feelings about job, supervisor, management, organization 3.Intellectual dimension †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Mental focus Level of concentration Absorption in tasks Beliefs about organization, leaders, workplace culture LEVERAGING ENGAGEMENT I. Job and task design II. Recruitment and selection III. Training and development IV. Performance management V. Compensation I. Job and task design Motivational characteristics of work †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Skill variety Task significance Autonomy Performance feedback Social characteristics of work †¢ †¢ †¢ Interdependence of job roles Feedback from others Advice and support of coworkers II.Recruitment and selection Recruitment selection †¢ †¢ Target recruitment Choose best-suited candidates III. Training and development †¢ †¢ Employee orientation Knowledge and skills training IV. Performance management †¢ †¢ †¢ Set challenging goals Provide positive feedback and recognition for accomplishments Resolve performance problems V. Compensation †¢ †¢ Incentive pay Flexible benefits VI. Manager’s behaviors †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Commitment to diversity Responsible for success/failure Honesty and integrity Problem solving assistance Respect for employees Setting realistic expectations Passion for success Defending employeesBARRIERS TO ENGAGEMENT †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Outside of local control Damaging to employees and customers Emphasize control of employee behavior Barriers can be removed Root causes: Fear Flow of information Organizational alignment Reward system Short term focus INCREASING ENGAGEMENT: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Communicate organizational goals and objectives Promote employee engagement culture Align day to day work with organizational goals Maintain open dialogue Reward supportive behavior Listen to employees Provide challenges and opportunities Do a â€Å"pulse check† Hold managers accountable Let employees know ho w they can contribute Genuinely thank employees How to cite Employee engagement, Papers Employee Engagement Free Essays Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program Marilyn Field University of the Rockies October 3, 2010 Org/8530 Dr. Gary Shelton Abstract A company’s level of employee engagement is a reflection of its core values; while at the same time reflects a fulfilling and positive job-related state of mind that is characterized by the resilience and energy of its workers. The following report is an analysis of a case study conducted by Hallowell (1996) to determine whether Southwest Airline’s organizational capabilities and employee needs are linked to competitive advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on Employee Engagement or any similar topic only for you Order Now An examination of the data presented in the Southwest Airlines study reveals a significant level of employee commitment through the engagement and hiring of workers who fit the Southwest standards. Effectively Using an Integrated Employee Engagement Program For the last several years Southwest Airlines has been awarded as one of the best companies in which to work by Fortune Magazine. There is an extensive list of awards and achievements attributed to Southwest Airlines including Forbes 2008 most reliable airline, best in customer service, and the number one friendliest airline to fly in 2008 by Time Magazine (Triangle Business Journal, 2008; Time Magazine. com. , 2008). A review of the literature revealed that much of Southwest Airlines continued success is due to their effectiveness in engaging their employees. The Southwest Airline employees reflect the organization’s culture as one with committed workers who strive o maintain the company’s reputation as a leader in social responsibility. A case study was conducted by Hallowell (1996) to analyze the sources of Southwest Airline’s competitive advantage. Hallowell attributes the highly acclaimed airline’s success to the high value place on its employees. Hallowell’s 1996 case study of Southwest Airline was illustrated within a frame work of particular variables with the first be ing that the airline value is a product of meeting the employee’s needs on a satisfactory level. Employee needs satisfaction is a very important variable when one considers that Southwest Airline is comprised of approximately 35,000 employees working together with the aim of flying their valued Customers to their destinations across the United States (69 cities in 39 states) (Kelly, 2010). Hallowell used value analysis to study Southwest’s competitive strategy. Value analysis breaks down which variables play a role in where value is created. It is based on Porter’ (1985) Game Theory, which focuses on how individuals interact (Levine, 2004. ). The results of Hallowell’s study revealed that employees are motivation from the employer’s encouragement of behavioral norms and organizational values. The second comprehensive variable Hallowell (1996) studied was Southwest’s strategy for having one of the most successful airline stocks. This raises the question as to how employee engagement plays a part in stimulating shareholder’s commitment of investing in Southwest stock. The Southwest Airline’s organizational culture has encouraged its workers to have fun on the job. This is a wellness approach which has led to the company’s high degree of productivity and low turnover. By suggesting and encouraging a positive experience for the Southwest employees, the management displays significant value for employees, which is converted into customer value and shareholder value. This value earning process forms a circle of capturing value, creating value, and converting value beginning with the employees (Hallowell). With the present economic turmoil, Southwest Airline’s Chief Executive Officer Kelly has had to make recent cuts; affecting the company’s historic low-cost initiatives (i. e. making short trips between cities and ownership of jets) (Schlangenstein Hughes, 2010). Southwest answered though economics with the addition of 138 airplanes (AirTran); â€Å"The addition of AirTran will allow them to satisfy their briefly dormant, but always present, inclination for growth† (Schlangenstein Hughes, web article). Thus, Southwest increases employee motivation, which in-turn creates value, and converts that value by employing operating processes and encouraging behavioral norms which reduces costs and increases productivity essentially capturing the value leading to Southwest’s competitive advantage (Hallowell). According to Patterson, Brenny and Maxfield et al. (2008), preparing for setbacks builds resilience by the company internally; using setbacks as guides, instead of putting on the brakes help to refine their strategies. One of the most unique characteristics of Southwest Airlines is that it motivates the employees with stimulating and enjoyable recognition programs (Southwest. com, 2010). Rewards and recognition of the day-to-day work achievements play a vital role in retaining and attracting employees at Southwest Airlines. This strategy provides recognition for worker’s unique qualities and individualized appreciation. Southwest’s employee recognition programs contributes to the high moral maintained in the organization’s culture (World at Work, 2001). According to Hallowell (1996), an employee is recognized almost every hour for large and small achievements on a daily basis at Southwest Airlines. The Southwest case study demonstrates how a focused human resource department portrays organizational culture and values, and how their use of employee engagement tools is aligned with the company’s competitive position. Employees who are actively engaged offer commitment and loyalty to the organization within which they are employed, and is indicative of Southwest Airlines. With this commitment Hallowell (1996) makes the analogy of a person feeling better about purchasing a piece of pie for six dollars, when they feel the pie is worth eight dollars. The same concept applies to someone who can fly Southwest at the same price as its competitors but have better service. Once again evidence of converting employee value to customer value. Hallowell’s (1996) study makes another important point regarding employee engagement’s correlation with Southwest’s competitive advantage. Passengers moving between gates (destination and departure) are accompanied by Southwest employees, as such; these workers affect each customers experience with the airline (Hallowell). In the airline industry employee engagement has a ripple effect starting with top-level management and pilots to the baggage handlers, ramp agents, and flight attendants. Each customer’s experience with these employees will directly affect their willingness to pay (Hallowell). For instance, Kelly (2010) in an interview with Spirit Magazine, gave an account where a passenger forgot her glasses at her residence, the passenger could not retrieve the glasses without missing her flight; the flight attendant offered the passenger her own reading glasses, and in-turn the flight attendant was recognized by her peers, and management for friendly customer service. She was publicized as Southwest’s Star of the Month (Kelly). This strategy demonstrated the importance of employee engagement and Southwest’s ability to maintain its competitive advantage. In the case study of Southwest Airlines by Hallowell (1996); the author recognized the airline’s interviewing techniques as a strong point in the company’s overall success. Hallowell stated that the screening process by Southwest human resources eliminates uncaring potential employees by noting self-centered responses, and quickly separating the majority for those less likely to fit the standards of the organization. Miles and Mangold (2005) stated that Southwest Airlines uses employee branding as a method of engaging employees. Employee branding is the process by which workers internalize the Southwest Airline brand and project its healthy aspects to the public (Miles Mangold). The authors provide further support of Hallowell’s (1996) study in that they found employee branding helps Southwest achieve a competitive advantage over other organizations in the industry. Southwest. om (2010) gives the example that â€Å"LUV† and â€Å"FUN† ideology is embedded into their employees by permitting them to dress up on Halloween; have a casual dress code in the summer months, and by providing a teaching video on the Southwest Airline’s Shuffle Dance. According to Hallowell, CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as a bunny for Halloween and served Easter eggs to the employees. He went on to say that great comradery was stimulated just by stirring up â€Å"it is not Easter† controvers y (Hallowell). The third variable researched in the Southwest Airline case study, is the organization’s capabilities to create value. Hallowell’s (1996) study indicated Southwest has established processes and internal structures that influence the employees to accomplish specific organizational competencies allowing them to adapt to changing strategic needs and changing customer needs assessments. These competencies help Southwest Airline produce â€Å"superior quantity and quality of effort† from employees (Hallowell, p. 10). One of the competencies Southwest defines as important is the extension of LUV and FUN from the employees to the customers by providing hassle-free flying, which is a direct result of employees being actively engaged with the organization’s culture (Hallowell). An important aspect to consider is that there must be harmony at the level of operations. Southwest has achieved harmony thought its employee engagement (i. e. human resource procedures) leading to operating procedure success reflecting Southwest’s organizational culture of helping one another (Hallowell). The appreciation for human capital is evident in reviewing Hallowell’s Northwest Airline case study, along with a comprehensive literature review via the internet and scholarly journal articles. Southwest Airlines meets the cognitive and emotional needs of its employees, shareholders, and customers by making them feel connected to the company. Their LUV and FUN approach to employee engagement has enabled them to create employee value and covert that value into customer value resulting in the company capturing value. With the three variables studied in Hallowell’s research, Northwest Airline is understood as a leader in competitive advantage. References Flowers, V. , Hughes, C. (1973). Why employees stay. Harvard Business Review, 51(4), 49-60. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Hallowell, R. (1996). Southwest Airlines: A case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage. Human Resource Management, 35(4), 513-534. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Kelly, G. (2010). On cloud nine. Sprint Magazine. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www. spiritmag. com/gary_kelly/ Levine, D. (2004). Economic and game theory: What is game theory? UCLA Department of Economics. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://levine. sscnet. ucla. edu/general /whatis. htm Miles, S. Mangold, G. (2005). Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding. Business Horizons, 48, 535-545. Retrieved September 30, 2010 from http://www. auburn. edu/~johnsrd/4160/Readings/Southwest%20Employee%20Branding. pdf Patterson, K. , Brenny, J, Maxfield, D. , Mcmillan, R. , Switzler, A. , (2008). Influencer: The power to change anything. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Schlangenstein, M. Hughes, J. (2010). Southwest CEO risks How to cite Employee Engagement, Papers Employee Engagement Free Essays INTRODUCTION Employee engagement, also called worker engagement, is a business management concept. An â€Å"engaged employee† is one who is fully involved in, and enthusiastic about their work, and thus will act in a way that furthers their organization’s interests. According to Scarlett â€Å"Employee Engagement is a measurable degree of an employee’s positive or negative emotional attachment to their job, colleagues and organization that profoundly influences their willingness to learn and perform is at work†. We will write a custom essay sample on Employee Engagement or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thus engagement is distinctively different from employee satisfaction, motivation and organizational culture. Employee engagement was â€Å"an employee’s involvement with, commitment to, and satisfaction with work. Employee engagement is a part of employee retention. † This integrates the classic constructs of job satisfaction, and organizational commitment for understanding the impact of engagement. The opposite of employee engagement is a zombie employee. A zombie employee is a disengaged employee that will stumble around the office, lower morale and cost the company money. More recently employee engagement has become an area of focus within organizations for the purpose of retention as a means of avoiding expensive employee replacement costs resulting from staff who voluntarily quit their jobs. 10 Common Themes: How Companies Measure Engagement Employers typically assess their employees’ engagement levels with company-wide attitude or opinion surveys. A sampling of the criteria featured in such instruments reveals 10 common themes related to engagement: 1. Pride in employer 2. Satisfaction with employer 3. Job satisfaction 4. Opportunity to perform well at challenging work . Recognition and positive feedback for one’s contributions 6. Personal support from one’s supervisor 7. Effort above and beyond the minimum 8. Understanding the link between one’s job and the organization’s mission 9. Prospects for future growth with one’s employer 10. Intention to stay with one’s employer Trends in Employee Engagemen t Over the past decade, and particularly in the past three years, employers and employees have faced human capital challenges and an uncertain economy. The economic downturn had a significant impact on companies and the resulting decisions made by management. These decisions have impacted employee engagement levels and perceptions globally, leading to changes in leading drivers of employee engagement. In uncertain times, organizations need to focus on harnessing the discretionary effort that engaged employees deliver. This makes the difference in how companies are affected during the economic downturn, how quickly they emerge from it, and how strong they are in the future after the downturn passes. Top 5 Employee Engagement Trends 1)  The recession was  a perfect storm for Disengagement  as pay freezes, benefit cuts and layoffs permeated the workforce. The organizations will utilize their most Actively Engaged employees as  mentors  to help motivate and re-energize their disenchanted colleagues. 2)  Company morale and Engagement levels fluctuate dramatically during tough economic times. Now the economy is slowly rebounding, such ambivalence will lead more organizations to get a pulse on company morale through  Employee Engagement Surveys, department meetings and focus groups. 3)  As the economy continues to improve, more and more employees  will begin to look  for other job opportunities. According to  Harris Interactive, over half (54 percent) of employees plan on looking for a new job once the economy improves. The importance of retaining employees, especially high performers, cannot be underestimated. HR professionals will start to devote more time and money toward establishing a  strategic retention plan  and understanding their organization’s key retention factors. Beyond compensation and benefits, offering effective training and professional development, increasing career advancement opportunities and improving work/life balance will prevent companies from losing their top talent. )  More organizations and HR leaders will  embrace social media  as a means of not only engaging employees but also  recruiting new ones. For example, organizations can use internal social networks to recognize employees for a job well done or promote initiatives that the organization is doing in the community. Companies can also use social media to reach potential job candidates. 5)  Multi-national â€Å"super unions,† which represent employees in multiple countries, are predicted to skyrocket in the coming years. Over the past decade,  the healthcare industry  in particular has been very susceptible to union formation. Smart employers will begin to determine which of their departments are vulnerable to union formation and decide what steps need to be taken to preempt unionization before it occurs. Things important to Employee Engagement * Employee clarity of job Expectation * Career advancement/improvement opportunity * Regular feedback and dialogue with superiors * Quality of working relationship with peers, superiors and subordinate * Perception of the Ethos and values of the organization * Effective internal Employee communication * Reward to Engage 5 Keys For Developing An Employee Engagement Strategy Engagement is built one team at a time, one person at a time. And each person has different needs and expectations. They use impact planning to start a conversation with employees about engagement and work with employees to build their engagement over time. The most effective long-term engagement strategies build a foundation on which front-line managers feel empowered to create an environment that promotes employee enrichment. Whether you’re just beginning the journey, or you’re evaluating your current strategy, here are five key considerations for strengthening you engagement strategy. 1. Draft a provocative vision and values The operative word here being, â€Å"provocative. † A company’s vision and values should excite and inspire its employees and they should help you find and attract like-minded loyalists to your organization. Often the companies weaken their own identities with vision statements and values that suffer from overly safe or generic terminology. Rather than investing in the words that clearly articulate the foundational ideals and beliefs that make the company unique, they opt for popular, catch-all phrases to describe their core values – such as â€Å"Problem Solving,† â€Å"Innovation,† â€Å"Collaboration,† and â€Å"Client-Centric. Frankly, those should be the givens in every organization. Rather than inspiring everyone, they’re actually inspiring no one. To build trust and confidence in the direction and future of your company, take the lead on finding provocative messaging that will not only align your talent around a common purpose, but also engage their hearts and minds with the belief that how you work (values) is as important as what you accomplish (vision). And, if you’re not in a position to do this for the company as a whole, look for ways you can start to apply it in your division, department or functional area. . Create opportunities for personal and professional growth The employee’s responsibility, define their next career opportunity. In turn, it is the manager’s responsibility to help clear a path and coach their employees into a new position. Of course, it required disciplined communication. Managers and employees engaged in candid, direct and authentic coaching in real time. Whether your company has formalized career paths in place or not, it is your responsibility as a manager to engage your people in those type of conversations. Connect with them. Let them know you genuinely care about their future and then encourage their development. 3. Help team members find the purpose in their work People fail to realize is that it also discounts the work everyone is doing. It suggests the work being done doesn’t matter. And sadly, people start to believe it. Soon after, it starts to show in the quality and outcomes of their work. If a person does not have a purpose for why they do what they do, it is hard for them to produce meaningful work. As a manager, you can help team members define meaningful work by engaging them in strengths-based conversations. It can be as easy as having your team complete the to identify each team members’ five dominant strengths. Talking through the results as a group, you will undoubtedly uncover a few interesting surprises while team members find new ways to relate with one another. 4. Introduce meaningful, memorable (and measurable) recognition The most powerful, memorable stories are related to simple, personal – and often random – acts of appreciation. The stories that consistently stand out are not about extravagant gifts or bonuses, but rather small and sincere gestures made when the recipient least suspected it. As a result, it helps to have a formal, enterprise-wide recognition solution in place to provide managers with tools to inspire and connect with team members. Formal recognition solutions create visibility for the recognition that is occurring and help infuse those behaviors into the culture. Managers and employees begin to learn from each other, and as a whole, the organization can learn what behaviors are most valued. If your company does not have a formal recognition program in place, create one for your division, department or team. It doesn’t have to be extravagant as long as it enables genuine, timely and relevant recognition that is visible to the entire group and simple to evaluate. In time, you will realize the whole will become so much more than the sum of the individual events. 5. Effectively managing through the ebbs and flows of engagement Many people believe employee engagement is a â€Å"fixed† destination. One that, once achieved, is static over time. However, in reality, engagement levels are continually influenced by complex and diverse factors and will ebb and flow over time. Sustainable engagement can be achieved by a manager’s ability to execute a traditional engagement strategy while also focusing on enablement and energy opportunities. We can enable sustainable engagement by removing the obstacles to great work, providing access to the right tools and resources, and coaching team members through challenges. We can elevate energy levels by restructuring work flow to allow mental breaks during the day, encouraging a supportive and social environment, and amplifying the enthusiasm and excitement surrounding your team’s accomplishments. Conclusion Engaged employees can help your organization achieve its mission, execute its strategy and generate important business results. This report has highlighted ways in which different HR practices, including job design, recruitment, selection, training, compensation and performance management can enhance employee engagement. But these examples also show that employee ngagement is more complex than it may appear on the surface. Organizations define and measure engagement in a variety of different ways, suggesting there is no one â€Å"right† or â€Å"best† way to define or stimulate engagement in your workforce. The decision to invest in strengthening engagement or commitment (or both) depends on an organization’s strategy a nd the makeup of its workforce. For these reasons, it is vital to consider your own organization’s view of engagement, as well as its strategy and workforce composition when deciding which HR practices will receive scarce investment money. How to cite Employee Engagement, Essay examples Employee Engagement Free Essays Contents Page 1. 0 Introduction 1. 1 Define employee engagement 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Employee Engagement or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 Analyse the three principle dimensions of employee engagement (the emotional, the cognitive and the physical) 1. 3 Compare and contrast employee engagement with other related concepts; ‘flow’, organisational commitment, job involvement and job satisfaction 3. 1 Explain why employee engagement is an increasingly vital dimension of HR polices, strategies and practices 3. 2 Evaluate the business benefits likely to accrue from a culture of employee engagement – benefits for the organization, its executives/managers, its workforce and its customers 3. Explain the application of employee engagement through job design, discretionary behavior, role autonomy and organizational citizenship. 4. 1 Analyse the findings of recent research evidence concerning the incidence of employee engagement 4. 2 Assess differences in levels of employee engagement based on gender, demographic and other factors 1. 0Introduction: This assignment has been written to; 1. Define employee engag ement and explain how it differs, if at all, from related concepts like organisational commitment, employer involvement and job satisfaction. . Outline the findings of key recent studies on employee engagement in practice including the extent to which gender, demographic and other factors influence levels of engagement. Why is employment engagement a ‘hot topic’ for many organisations? 3. What are the benefits of having an engaged workforce and what steps can an organisation take to create a culture of employee engagement through such as job design, discretionary behaviour, role autonomy, etc.? 1. 1Define employee engagement Employee engagement is when an employee is committed to the organisation, their colleagues, the job they are doing and their willingness to go the extra mile by exerting discretionary behaviours that cannot be ‘stipulated’ in the employment contract. Where an employee or workforce does not have this rounded combination of commitments employee engagement is not maximised to its fullest potential. (CIPD 2010) Employee engagement is connection – when we become disconnected we disengage. Employee engagement is the art and science of engaging people in authentic and recognized connections to strategy, roles, performance, organization, community, relationship, customers, development, energy, and happiness to leverage, sustain, and transform work into results’. (Zinger, 2010 ) 1. 2 Analyse the three principle dimensions of employee engagement (the emotional, the cognitive and the physical). Kahn (1990) explains that employee engagement requires employees to invest emotional, cognitive and physical energy to fully deploy themselves into a work role or task. Shirom (2003) refers to these three components as ‘vigor’ and explains that investing in all three areas represents a positive affective response to an employee’s job and work environment. (Bligh, Riggio 2013) Emotional energy could involve the social element at work such as engaging with fellow colleagues, sharing ideas, best practice, and knowledge, working as a team and having good working relationships that foster engagement between the parties. Creating an environment that encourages this social energy is required to achieve this; if for instance an employer has a no talking policy or discourages general chatting in the office it is highly likely that these social benefits to the organisation will be severely affected or non-existent, affecting engagement levels at an organisational level. Cognitive energy amounts to the intellectual output an employee puts in to the role, project or task. Hence it is important that employers define jobs and tasks to adequately stretch an employee’s cognitive ability and needs. Autonomy and decision making parameters could be addressed and redefined to encourage greater cognitive input at work. The benefits of such are likely to include efficiencies to working processes and practices, increased job satisfaction and job/work flow. Physical energy relates to the amount of energy the employee places on doing the work. (EHWLC, 2013) The more energy exerted, the better the quality and quantity of work. Where an employee places a low level of physical energy to a task of job the longer it will take the employee to complete and is likely to result in poorer quality of work. Where an employee is emotionally and cognitively stimulated at work physical energy levels are likely to be higher . David Zinger refers to (Loehr, Schouartz 2003) findings where they say that Physical energy equates to the quantity of energy, emotional equates to quality of energy and mental (cognitive) is the focus of energy. They say that there is a need for lots of high quality energy to provide us with focus and force to achieve results. (Zinger, 2013) 1. 3 Compare and contrast employee engagement with other related concepts; ‘flow’, organisational commitment, job involvement and job satisfaction. Table 1. HR ConceptSimilarities to employee engagementDifferences to employee engagement FlowImmersed in the job or a particular element of the role, task or project. Loses track of time and demonstrates a high level of engagement to the given activity. Use of cognitive and physical energy. Not engaged in the whole picture, loves the job/part of, but doesn’t connect with the rest of the role/organisation. No indication of emotional engagement/communication. Organisational CommitmentAttracted to the company Brand and values. Very emotionally involved, enjoys the social aspects of work. An ambassador of the organisationNot necessarily engaged with the job, physical and cognitive energies surrounding the job may be low of absent. Job InvolvementA great commitment to the job or position, exercises discretionary effort (physical and cognitive energy to the role) losses oneself in the role (absorbsion) similar to ‘flow’. Not engaged with the organisation as a whole, could lack in emotional engagement, and may not be interested in the organisations values/brand. Job SatisfactionTotally satisfied in the role and environment. Job meets intellectual needs (cognitive) Is happy with work life balance, level of responsibility and reward. Doesn’t mean that the employee is exercising discretionary effort in the role. Personal happiness, however may not be meeting the needs or requirements of the role or the organisation. Potentially missing the emotional and physical elements required for employee engagement. As you will see from the above table it is important to address all areas if an organisation wants to achieve employee engagement. One successful concept alone may provide some basis for engagement, but unless combined organisations will not experience the benefit of an engaged workforce and fundamental issues will affect the performance of the organisation. Some example of the possible impacts follow; ‘Flow’ would be where sales man (A) enjoys meeting with new prospective clients and achieves lots of face to face meetings that are really effective at opening up opportunities for a sale, but is disengaged with the admin side of his role and fails to follow up with a quotation or other information. The sale would not progress into new business, thus failing to meet the purpose of his role. Similarly sales person (B) loves the company brand and values has great (organisational commitment) and is always very positive about the company when speaking with management and other colleagues but hates meeting new people and therefore puts all his energies into preparation and admin and fails to get the sales process off the ground. 3. 1 Explain why employee engagement is an increasingly vital dimension of HR polices, strategies and practices. Employee engagement is a hot topic at present largely due to the economic downturn. (Personnel today, 2009) Eric Michels thinks that company leaders are looking to ‘sweeten up their staff’ following the ‘ruthless cost-cutting, knee-jerk decisions and general short-term panic during a difficult economic downturn’ to prevent employees leaving the organisation when the recession ends. Redundancies are rife and businesses are struggling to make ends meet and these challenging times are taking their toll on employees. Organisations that fail to communicate openly and honestly with their employees are creating an environment of insecurity and disengagement. Pre 2008 before the onset of the recession, employees had more confidence in leaving an organisation to start a new job if and when they felt the time was right, however since the recession the number of people out of work and struggling to get back into employment has risen significantly which is broadcasted all over the media has left people reluctant to leave their employment even when they are totally disengaged. Zinger, 2010) comments that people may often leave organisations when they feel disengaged, however he says that it could be even worse if they didn’t. A disengaged employee is likely to make mistakes that can often be costly, dips in service level and productivity which can be detrimental to the bottom line not to mention damaging to the company’s reputation and brand. It is therefore becoming increasingly vital for H R to implement policies, strategies and practices that prompt employee engagement. David Zinger comments that ‘employee engagement is vital in recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. Employee engagement cannot be bought, but can be influenced by organizations. Although employees are responsible for their own engagement, we are all accountable for everyone’s engagement. (Zinger, 2010 ) 3. 2 Evaluate the business benefits likely to accrue from a culture of employee engagement – benefits for the organization, its executives/managers, its workforce and its customers. (People Management, 2011) report on the Nampak Plastics culture change programme which transformed staff engagement. The Key HR initiatives introduced at Nampak to improve employee engagement were initiated by Eric Collins, Managing Director. Collins had devised and circulated an employee attitude survey which had highlighted the extent of how dis-engaged the work force actually were. Collins then made himself available to the staff by holding ‘Challenge Collins’ sessions where he heard employees grievances face to face. Following this Nampak also ran focus groups to find out what employees felt would make Nampak a better place to work. After identifying the key areas of change which were; Communication about what was going on in the business/training and development opportunities and feedback on their performance, Nampak introduced a country wide performance management system that promoted personal development, training for the managers to conduct the appraisals and feedback to staff amongst other various training programmes. Nampak also instigated a Corporate Social Responsibility programme which engaged staff though making connections with local schools to introduce Nampak as a good place to work to the students. Some of the students were children of the employees at Nampak; this was seen as one of the key and most successful employee engagement initiatives implemented at Nampak. The benefits that Nampak took from the three year transformation were; an increase in the Gallup satisfaction rating from 2. 7 out of 5 to 3. 05 which resulted in an improvement to the overhead costs, these decreased by 6. 7 per cent per million bottles made without having to make any cuts or closures. There was also a significant reduction in customer complaints which benefitted both the business and the customer. The business benefitted through customer satisfaction and retention whilst the customers were in receipt of a better product and overall service. The executives who are often target driven saw a decrease in overhead costs which increaseshelped them achieve their targets and over and above that I am sure that future change initiatives will receive a lot more ‘buy in’ from the workforce making it easier to administer change. Further benefits that might be seen by Nampak managers are an increase in discretionary effort applied by the workforce. Not forgetting the huge benefits the workforce will have enjoyed such as personal development and greater overall job satisfaction. The CSR seemed to encourage pride in the employee’s workplace which will have encouraged organizational citizenship. All in all, a healthy combination of employee engagement initiatives that contributed to some fantastic results . 3. 3 Explain the application of employee engagement through job design, discretionary behavior, role autonomy and organizational citizenship. Employee engagement comes from many different contributing and complimentary factors. Some of these are through job design, discretionary behavior, role autonomy and organizational citizenship. Therefore it is important to look at each of these to see how/when employee engagement is applied in these ways. Job design – If the job is stretching, challenging, achievable and requires team working and autonomy employees are likely to engage better in their role as all of these encompass the three principle dimensions of employee engagement as defined in 1. above. If the role is not meeting these dimensions then the job design should be addressed to see if the level of responsibility/autonomy or skill required can be increased to make the role more challenging. Where the job is unachievable due to a lack of training or skill, mentoring or formal training could be given. The difficulties arise when people are resistant to change, budgets do not allow for training, or increases to rem uneration where added responsibility is taken on. Some organizations have a very hierarchical decision making process which could cause a barrier when addressing the level of autonomy or decision making in job design. Employee engagement is applied through organizational citizenship. This encompasses things such as well-being and work life balance policies and cultures. Work life balance is a relatively new concept following the implementation of the ‘Flexible working request’ on the 06th April 2003 allowing parents to request flexible working to help with childcare responsibilities. Since then flexible working and work life balance has been a hot topic and is constantly evolving as it is now recognized as being mutually beneficial to both employers and employees. The Work life balance culture and employee engagement survey conducted in 2007 reported that there was not a clear relationship between work-life balance and discretionary effort. (see below discretionary effort by work life balance), ‘while those who strongly agreed that they had good work-life balance were most likely to say they would go the extra mile if needed (73%), this was not markedly ahead of those who did not have good work-life balance (66%). And those with poor work-life balance were more likely to go the extra mile than those who just agreed, rather than strongly agreed, that their work-life balance was good (52%). ’ However eemployee engagement and was high across the board with a high combined agreement score and that this was associated with good work-life balance (see employee engagement by work life balance). (Equal Opportunities Trust, 2007 ). Recognised benefits for introducing work-life balance policies for employers include: †¢reduced staff turnover rates lower recruitment and training costs, associated with reduced turnover †¢becoming a good employer or an employer of choice †¢increased return on investment in training as employees stay longer †¢reduced absenteeism †¢reduced use of sick leave †¢reductions in workers stress levels †¢improved morale or satisfaction †¢greater staff loyalty and commitment †¢improved productivity (Queensland Government, 2012) 4. 1 Analyse the findings of recent research evidence concerning the incidence of employee engagement. According to the report (Macleod, Clarke 2009) put to the government; the incidence of employee engagement within businesses across the UK appears to be fairly sparse. This is largely due to the lack of awareness business leaders have regarding the benefits that an engaged workforce can bring to the organisation. The report finds that there is a clear correlation to high employee engagement and a positive increase to financial results and a clear link between disengaged workforces and a negative impact to the financial results of companies evaluated. The report is written to the government to encourage increased awareness of the positive impact employee engagement can have on individual businesses and the UK economy to aid in the recovery of the recession. Rt Hon Lord Mandelson says that ‘Britain’s economic recovery and its competitive strengths in a global economy will be built on strong, innovative companies and confident employees; there has never been a more important time to think about employee engagement. ’ The report indicates that there is a wide variation in engagement levels in the UK both within and between organisations. However AON Hewitt (2012) reports that 58% of employees worldwide are engaged against 42% who are somewhat or not engaged meaning four out of 10 employees worldwide are not engaged. The engagement top drivers are; career opportunities, recognition and organisational reputation. And focus on Business unit leadership and HR practices and brand alignment are not being given so much attention . 4. 2 Assess differences in levels of employee engagement based on gender, demographic and other factors. The workplace survey (WERS) conducted in 2004 demonstrated that job-related satisfaction varied across workplaces suggesting that it was partly determined by the workplace itself not just by demographics. There is also evidence that younger employees are looking for more out of work than there salary and will be demanding more flexible working to help with work-life balance. In KPMG’s case study the enormity of the requirement for flexible working was demonstrated when the company suggested implementing a flexible futures programme which consisted of working a four day week or reduced hours due to a business need, not an employee need. The expectation was 65% voluntary agreement; however 85% volunteered for the reduction in hours. It is also reported young graduates want a ‘choice and a voice’. Meaning that they want to be listened too, feel that there ideas are given consideration and are seen of value. Organisations that continue to use a ‘command and control’ management style are unlikely to engage these young people in their organisations and jobs. Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, the Royal Navy’s Commander-in- Chief Fleet commented that even the Navy expect young soldiers’, both men and women to ask the question ‘Why’ and get a satisfactory answer in response before they will be willing to obey orders unquestioningly when they are on the front line. AON Hewitt (2012) illustrates engagement distribution by generation as follows; Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are the most engaged globally as a whole and continents such as Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America, Generation X (born 1965-1978) came in approx. % under and the Millennial generation (born 1979-Present) as the least engaged group approx. a further 5% under generation X. AON Hewitt (2012) also looked at engagement levels by gender in 2011 and found that a higher percentage of males were engaged than females globally and in Asia, whereas females were more engaged than their male counterparts in Latin America and North America and throu ghout Europe males and females were equally engaged. Disengagement globally and through all regions mentions were equally distributed with as many male and females disengaged . Bibliography 1. CIPD revised July 2010, Employee Engagement 2. David Zinger 18th Jan 2010 – Employee engagement for all – http://www. davidzinger. com/engagement-principles/ accessed pm 31. 01. 2013 3. Bligh, Riggio (2013) Exploring distance in leader-follower relationships, Taylor Francis Group page 110 4. Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College Jan 2013, Employee Engagement (5EEG) 5. David Zinger 07th Feb 2012 – Five Ways to Enliven Energy for Employee Engagement – http://www. davidzinger. om/five-ways-to-enliven-energy-for-employee-engagement-13334/ accessed pm 31. 01. 2013 6. David Zinger 18th Jan 2010 – Employee engagement for all – http://www. davidzinger. com/engagement-principles/ accessed pm 31. 01. 2013 7. Personnel today, Eric Michels 08th Oct 2009 – http://www. personneltoday. com/articles/08/10/2009/52467/employee-engagement-the-latest-hr-buzzword. htm accessed pm 31. 01. 2013 8. David Zinger 18th Jan 2010 – Em ployee engagement for all – http://www. davidzinger. com/engagement-principles/ accessed pm 31. 01. 2013 9. How to cite Employee Engagement, Essay examples

Investment Policy

Questions: Investment policy:Firstly give a general outline of the investment style of your team, including your attitude to risk, the ways you will manage risk as well as any financial targets you have. Secondly explain the theories that you will use to select individual stocks to buy or sell. This is may include fundamental analysis, technical analysis as well as portfolio and risk management theory. It is expected that you will refer to books and a range of other sources for this information, please ensure you use Harvard referencing for this.Asset selection: This will include how you analysed and selected particular stocks or other assets to trade. Relevant financial and other details about these companies should be included to justify your trading, (randomly selecting shares will not gain marks). It is also important that you are consistent with the general principles set out in your investment policy, for example if you state that your investment policy is low risk but you select only high risk shares this would not make sense.This section should also refer to and link to the record you keep of your trading meetings that are included in the appendices.Performance review: Discus s whether the trading went according to what you expected or hoped for and any possible reasons why it did not happen as you expected. (Note that trading rarely goes to plan so do not be disappointed if this happens but try to identify why it went wrong). Answers: Executive summary: There are some of the investment policies that entail a shorter term of profits while then there are some that entail profits that extend to a longer term. The first step in investing is to assess the individual requirements for cash, competence to undertake the risks that are involved and assess the returns that an investor is expecting. The following are some of the investment options that an investor can undertake: (Maps of India, 2015) For the purposes of the short term investments, the following are the investment options that could be undertaken: Online savings accounts Certificate of deposits and money market accounts For the purposes of the long term investments, the following are few of the options: Managed mutual funds Index funds Exchange traded funds (US news, 2015) The following is the investment policy framework: (Invest climate, 2015) The team would like to undertake the investments with the return of up to 20% and risk of 10%. The investment policy: The team wants to invest $10, 00,000 and would invest in the following: Mutual funds Shares of Mc Donalds The funds have been selected due to the following reasons: One can earn money from the following: Payments from the dividends and interest on the securities in the portfolio Amount received from the selling of the shares and earning capital gains on the same. The prices of the securities can increase and when any fund sells its security in price, the fund earns a capital gain on it. In the end of the year, the capital gains arise to the investors. The net assets value is increased and the expenses and the liabilities are deducted from the same. The higher net asset value gives a higher value to the investment, when it comes to payment of dividend and the distributions of the capital gains, one could have the dividends and the distributions are re-invested in the fund in order to buy more number of shares. (SEC, 2015) The following are the reasons to invest in the shares: 1. The UK market is currently yielding the return of 4.5pc and the shares are considered to be the attractive source of an investment when compared with the other income producing assets. This is especially given the inherent potential for the capital appreciation. 2. There is a growing income especially in the sectors like the utilities that could offer the investors the robust and the reliable stream of income. There are many small and medium sized companies that have a fair and a healthy dividend to invest and there is a potentiality of growth. 3. Overseas potential: the dividends is a predominantly a phenomenon whereby the cash is returned to the shareholders. Cash is given to the investors in return to their investment. 4. Once the shares are purchased, it becomes easier to invest in the world. An investor has the potential to gain an exposure in the fast growing areas, sectors, companies irrespective of the locations. 5. The ownership from the shares allows one to take the stakes in the companies in the new and the exciting industries and the areas from those that experience the rapid amount of changes. The property and the investment in the bonds allows one to participate in the growth of the usage of the mobile phones and the development of the market economies or the magnetic growth of an investment. 6. Real growth: the shares never expire or never mature, they are very different from the fixed income investments. The shares offers an access to the real growth of an asset and allows to participate in the company as it develops and grows. 7. The portfolio has to be reviewed on the regular basis so as to know that whether the shares need the maintenance or not. This is in contrary to the investment in the property, wherein the ongoing effort is necessary in order to maintain the value of the existing capital and the future returns. 8. The slower economic growth entails slower growth in the dividends since the profits grow at a slower rate. The good new here is that the bad news is always reflected in the price with the banks cutting back on its dividends. (Telegraph, 2015) The performance: Investment in Mc Donalds: The following is the formula for the calculation of return and the price of the share. When we calculate the return of the investors, we get 3.67%. This shows that the company is giving a good return to the shareholders. The following table shows the risk and return on the shares along with the Sharpe ratio: Date Close Dividends Holding period return 02-01-2015 92.44 -1.73 -1.84% 02-01-2014 94.17 0.81 -0.31 -0.33% 02-01-2013 95.29 0.77 -2.99 -3.02% 03-01-2012 99.05 0.7 26.08 35.40% 03-01-2011 73.67 0.61 11.85 18.98% 04-01-2010 62.43 0.55 4.96 8.55% 02-01-2009 58.02 0.5 4.41 8.15% 04-02-2008 54.11 0.375 54.485 std deviation 17.463467 return 3.68% 3.68 Risk free return 2.50% 2.5 Sharp index Expected return-risk free rate of return/standard deviation 0.0675696 Date Dividends 26-11-2014 0.85 0.146123128 Point to point 28-08-2014 0.81 29-05-2014 0.81 1.000315506 27-02-2014 0.81 0% compound using regression 27-11-2013 0.81 29-08-2013 0.77 D1 = 3.4 30-05-2013 0.77 P0 = 92.44 27-02-2013 0.77 r = 3.6780614452617900% 29-11-2012 0.77 dividend yield = 0.036780614 30-08-2012 0.7 31-05-2012 0.7 28-02-2012 0.7 29-11-2011 0.7 30-08-2011 0.61 27-05-2011 0.61 25-02-2011 0.61 29-11-2010 0.61 30-08-2010 0.55 27-05-2010 0.55 25-02-2010 0.55 27-11-2009 0.55 28-08-2009 0.5 04-06-2009 0.5 26-02-2009 0.5 26-11-2008 0.5 28-08-2008 0.375 05-06-2008 0.375 28-02-2008 0.375 (Yahoo finance, 2015) Investment in T. Rowe Price Diversified Small Cap Growth Fund: Volatility Measurements The volatility measures the uncertainty or the risk of change in the value of the security. Standard Deviation 12.55 Mean 1.67 Sharpe Ratio 1.59 Bear Market Decile Rank 37 (Money, US news, 2015) The following shows the calculations in respect of the excess returns of the fund and the benchmarks in the returns. The same are based on the returns of the month. Standard Index SP 500 TR USD Best Fit Index Morningstar Small Growth TR USD R-Squared 72.43 94.91 Beta 1.17 0.93 Alpha -2.41 3.34 Hypothetical Growth of $10,000 The following are the trailing returns: Total Return% + / - SP 500 TR USD + / - Russell 2000 Growth TR USD %Rank Year-to-date 6.38 -7.31 0.77 17 1-Month 1.12 1.37 -1.85 77 3-Month 6.76 1.83 -3.30 72 6-Month 3.64 -2.48 0.33 23 1-Year 6.38 -7.31 0.77 17 3-Year (Annualized) 21.07 0.65 0.93 16 5-Year (Annualized) 19.19 3.74 2.39 5 10-Year (Annualized) 10.20 2.52 1.66 5 (US News, 2015) Reasons for not getting the expected results: The following are the reasons for not getting the expected returns: Volatility risk: The prices of the shares fluctuate over time. Any stock that is trading at $40 may drop at $2 after a few months. And could end up at $100 by the end of the year. But the investor panics the moment the share price drops. It is very difficult to predict the price movement of the share and to know with surety whether the price will increase or decrease over the time. The risk of volatility will reduce if the investor keeps on investing with the long term perspective. Then there are some factors that have the following types of issues: Competition Changes in the technologies Difficulty in obtaining loans Changes in the regulations Increase in the cost of the materials and the labour Fraud or illegal business procedures Negative changes in the economy Rumours about the company etc. These are some of the factors that affect the price of the stocks of the company. (Mass resources, 2015) Conclusion: In the nutshell, the following is the risk and the returns form the investment: Shares Mutual funds Monthly Return 3.68% 6.38 3.2084 0.267367 Risk 17.46347 12.55 15.00673 1.250561 It would be right to say that the return was very less when compared with the return but with the initial amount of an investment, this was safe to play. References Business.mapsofindia.com, (2015). Top 10 Investment Options in India. [online] Available at: https://business.mapsofindia.com/investment-industry/top-10-investment-options.html [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. In.finance.yahoo.com, (2015). MCD Historical Prices | McDonald's Corporation Common S Stock - Yahoo! India Finance. [online] Available at: https://in.finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=MCDa=01b=2c=2008d=01e=1f=2015g=v [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Massresources.org, (2015). Investing Money: Risks of Investing in Stocks. [online] Available at: https://www.massresources.org/investing-stocks-risks.html [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Money.usnews.com, (2015). T. Rowe Price Diversified Small Cap Growth Fund (PRDSX) Performance | US News Best Mutual Funds. [online] Available at: https://money.usnews.com/funds/mutual-funds/small-growth/t.-rowe-price-diversified-small-cap-growth-fund/prdsx/performance [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Money.usnews.com, (2015). T. Rowe Price Diversified Small Cap Growth Fund (PRDSX) Risk | US News Best Mutual Funds. [online] Available at: https://money.usnews.com/funds/mutual-funds/small-growth/t.-rowe-price-diversified-small-cap-growth-fund/prdsx/risk [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Steinberg, S. (2014). The Best Ways to Invest $5,000 - US News. [online] US News World Report. Available at: https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/investing/articles/2014/04/10/the-best-ways-to-invest-5-000?page=2 [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Telegraph.co.uk, (2009). 10 reasons to buy shares - Telegraph. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/5787455/10-reasons-to-buy-shares.html [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. Wbginvestmentclimate.org, (2015). Investment Policy. [online] Available at: https://www.wbginvestmentclimate.org/advisory-services/international-trade/investment-policy/ [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015]. www.sec.gov, (2015). Mutual Funds A Guide for Investors. [online] Available at: https://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/sec-guide-to-mutual-funds.pdf [Accessed 1 Feb. 2015].