The Engagement Nobody Talks About
Before I start, let me ask you one honest question.
How many of you have changed jobs,
not because of salary…
not because of designation…
but because you felt—
“I don’t really matter here.I am not important here”
You were doing your work.
You were meeting expectations.
You were delivering results.
And yet…
you felt disconnected.
Here is an important truth—
Most people don’t leave companies.
They leave relationships.
They don’t quit work.
They quit the experience of being ignored, unheard, or undervalued.
Today, organizations often ask—
• Why don’t employees show ownership?
• Why don’t they go the extra mile?
• Why do they work only for salary?
But very few organizations ask—
👉 Did we ever emotionally connect with them?
Because performance is not just a professional decision.
Performance is an emotional response.
And that brings me to today’s most misunderstood word—
👉 ENGAGEMENT.
Not HR engagement.
Not activity-based engagement.
Not annual events or surveys.
But human engagement.
To truly understand engagement,
let me explain it using a very simple, real-life metaphor—
One that all of us understand clearly.
Now let us understand engagement with a real-life metaphor.
Something all of us understand very clearly.
.
👉 First engagement… then marriage.
Never the other way around.
Now ask yourself—
Why is engagement first?❓
WHY FIRST ENGAGEMENT?
Because engagement means—
• Understanding each other
• Building trust
• Creating emotional connection
• Testing commitment
Engagement clearly says—
“I am not legally bound yet,
but I am emotionally invested.”
Marriage without engagement is risky.
Because commitment without connection does not last.
NOW LET ME ASK YOU THIS
If this logic is true in life…
👉 Why do we forget this inside organizations?
In companies—
📄 Appointment letter is like marriage
💰 Salary
🎯 Role
📜 Policies
📘 Rules
Everything is legal.
Everything is formal.
But tell me honestly—
👉 Do we build engagement first?
Or do we directly expect—
• Loyalty
• Ownership
• Extra effort
• Sacrifice
Without building any emotional connection?
THE BIG REALIZATION
Here is the uncomfortable truth—
Employees are legally married to the organization…
but emotionally single.
They come to the office.
They attend meetings.
They complete tasks.
But their heart is not there.
Why?
Because engagement never happened.
WHAT DOES ENGAGEMENT REALLY MEAN AT WORK?
Engagement at work means employees feel—
• “I am heard”
• “I am respected”
• “I am trusted”
• “I see my future here”
Engagement silently communicates—
“This organization genuinely cares about me.”
And when people feel cared for—
they naturally care back.
No force.
No pressure.
No micromanagement.
WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT?
Marriage without engagement leads to—
• Emotional distance
• Silence
• Frustration
• Eventually, separation
The same thing happens in organizations.
Without engagement—
• People stop sharing ideas
• Stop taking responsibility
• Stop thinking long-term
They remain on the payroll…
👉 but only work for the salary.
Let me say this very clearly—
Salary creates attendance.
Engagement creates commitment.
And commitment is what builds
great and sustainable organizations.
In Indian families, elders always say—
“Before marriage, meet each other… understand each other.”
Leaders must do the same.
Before expecting performance—
👉 build engagement.
Before asking for loyalty—
👉 build trust.
Before demanding results—
👉 build relationships.
Whether it is personal life…
or professional life…
👉 Engagement always comes before commitment.
Ignore this step—
and performance becomes forced.
Respect this step—
and performance becomes natural.
Now the real question is—
If engagement is so powerful…
❓ Why do leaders still ignore it?
❓ And how does engagement slowly die inside organizations?
Let’s talk about that.