Engagement Economics

When employees disengage, everyone pays the price.

In Engagement Economics, two-time TEDx speaker and employee-engagement professional Diondra Filicetti examines a problem she first observed in her own workplace meetings: talent, expertise, and skill trapped behind faces of disinterest. She soon recognized the real culprit behind her teams’ stalling performance: disengagement, an issue that costs the global economy trillions of dollars. Turning insight into an actionable resource, Filicetti delivers an expert guide to fostering high-performing teams and avoiding the dreaded disengagement of Wednesday morning meetings.

Throughout the book, Filicetti provides a wealth of resources to help readers strengthen their management skills. Particularly effective are the numerous case studies, which illustrate the research and key concepts in action, alongside interviews with professionals from a range of industries and businesses. Packed with practical tools, compelling case studies, and real-world insights, Engagement Economics bridges the gap between engagement theory and everyday leadership.

Filicetti combines sharp business insight with fascinating workplace history, revealing how yesterday’s management practices continue to shape today’s teams. She demonstrates a clear command of the literature while conducting some fascinating business archaeology into how familiar workplace practices developed. One of the first concepts she explores is employee satisfaction, which, surprisingly, has only been formally measured by researchers since the 1950s, when it emerged as a by-product of an experiment involving workplace lighting.

Grounded in both Filicetti’s professional experiences and the perspectives of Canadian workers, Engagement Economics is a timely and relevant resource for Canadian readers. Many business books rely on the same tired stories from prominent American companies. Filicetti ventures beyond these familiar examples, drawing on personal and local experiences that give the book a distinctive sense of place. Offering a fresh alternative to recycled corporate success stories, Engagement Economics brings Canadian workplaces and voices to the forefront.

Some concepts covered in the book, such as challenge versus ability, rely more heavily on Filicetti’s professional intuition as a learning, development, and engagement specialist than on original research findings. While personal experiences and anecdotes provide necessary qualitative support, readers may occasionally want more evidence before fully accepting the conclusions drawn from them. Even so, Filicetti gives readers an invaluable starting point for moving beyond employee satisfaction and building teams that genuinely thrive.

A great read for anyone craving a fresh perspective on key business and management principles, Engagement Economics is the perfect gift for that friend who has recently stepped into a management role. Fans of Simon Sinek’s Start with Why will find another inspiring approach to leadership within Filicetti’s pages. Fresh, resourceful, and packed with expertise, Engagement Economics offers a compelling solution to stalled workplace performance—and the costly disengagement behind it.

—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

Purchase Engagement Economics on Indigo

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