Employee engagement is a hot-button issue these days. Leadership understands that it should strive to get employees engaged, but it's often at a loss for how to achieve this goal. However, all the books and seminars and training sessions on the topic can be boiled down to one simple word: communication. Structured programs to improve peer-to-peer communication and recognition might be the best way to ensure a highly engaged, motivated workforce. However, to start, it might be helpful to define what engagement actually looks like. Engagement and enthusiasm are often mistaken for one another. However, the terms are not interchangeable. Engaged doesn’t necessarily mean cheerful and bubbly; it means dedication and a desire to meet or exceed the set goals. But for employees to meet their goals and expectations, they must first know what those goals and expectations are. This is why consistent, clear, and honest communication is so vital in achieving and maintaining engagement. It’s also important to communicate the value of employees' work, and how what they are doing fits into the overall vision for the organization. Nothing kills an employee’s engagement level faster than creating an environment in which they have no emotional investment.