Finding and keeping good people is essential to business success. Engaged employees are emotionally and intellectually committed to the success of organisation; they go the extra distance; are more productive; have lower stress levels; greater work satisfaction and stay longer with the organisation. One of the primary drivers of employee engagement is corporate vision.

Talk to executives and managers about the difference between vision and mission and you'll get many different responses. Many think they are one and the same thing but People Management Consultant John Townsend, of Townsend International Pty Ltd, disagrees. "Vision is about foresight, about where the business is going and what it will become" he says. Mission relates more specifically to tasks to be performed and actions to be taken to attain the vision.

The vision does not have to be altruistic or lofty but it does need to be clear. Foggy, ambigious or uninspiring visions are not going to inspire employees to engage in the business. Ask any group of managers to condense in one sentence the vision of their organisation and you'll get responses like "To provide timely and reliable service" or "Provide a wide range of legal services to public and private sector organisations" etc. Hardly inspiring enough to get employees excited and motivated. One front line manager wrote that the CEO of his company had promised that if he stayed with the firm for 5 years he would make him a millionaire!! That's what got him going every morning.

If the vision is clear, is well articulated and generates excitement then employees will usually commit and will be motivated. People management is then built around reinforcing behaviours that are consistent with that vision. Job descriptions can then be rewritten into success profiles of what each employee needs to do on a regular basis to make the vision a reality. Now you've got employee engagement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Townsend is a professional consultant who works with organisations to develop employee engagement and motivation. His corporate website is: http://www.townsendinternational.com.au