Gauging job satisfaction and fueling engagement are tough enough in good times. But when times are tough, it’s actually a great time to restart engagement by focusing on performance management and goals alignment.

Taleo Research recently studied responses of nearly 1,000 US workers that focused on job performance and found 80% want to change their performance reviews. Employees clearly want engaging change where the performance process directly reflects and rewards their efforts.

According to our Engaging Times research in the UK, workers need more than a job. Even in a recession, they require a higher level of engagement that employers are not currently providing. Findings include these glass half empty / half full observations. Only:
• 45% have visibility of internal job opportunities.
• 42% can see their next step up the career ladder.
• 57% have career communications with their employer.
• 40% have access to online career tools.

One important bottom line takeaway is this: an employee’s role understanding rises to 82% when talent management tools are used.

We all know that engagement is tied to productivity and retention. A major road to success in recessionary talent management is balancing talent retention with cost reduction. One good path is to define and align individual and business goals, provide a clear career path with internal mobility options, and tie results to a pay for performance environment.

Smart organizations should leap at this opportunity to stimulate engagement. As stated in The Economist’s Disengagement Party article:

Those organisations that can strike a better balance between the loot and the other stuff that makes employees love their firms will be the ones that emerge victorious from the economic malaise.