Using a skill-building tool to enhance employee engagement

Purpose This paper aims to provide some bounds to the concept of employee engagement, explain how it links to job performance and offer a practical training tool, skill-charting (SC), that can assist a manager and her/his employees attain higher levels of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach The discussion of SC and employee engagement is based on a literature review of recent research. Findings In the realm of opportunities for managers to encourage and enhance employee engagement, the learning and problem-solving tool, SC, presents a practical means to achieve positive results in several domains. Originality/value There are few instances in the literature where highly specific advice is offered to practitioners regarding how managers can quickly and directly stimulate, encourage and assist employees to reach higher levels of engagement. The approach suggested in this paper can be of much value to both manager and employees.