Grow Forward: Employee Engagement That Works
Trucks, shovels, augers, irrigation systems, and plants are essential to getting the work done—but in today’s fast-moving environment, the strongest driver of efficiency, innovation, and long-term results is still your people. When you intentionally invest in employee engagement, you build the kind of culture that improves performance, strengthens service, and helps your business stay competitive.
Research highlighted by Harvard Business Review and other sources shows just how measurable engagement can be—reporting up to 78% less absenteeism and 32% fewer quality defects among highly engaged teams compared to low-engagement groups. When employees feel seen, supported, and connected to the mission, that energy shows up every day in productivity, quality, and customer experience.
In this session, we’ll explore practical, research-based frameworks for employee engagement, identify how engagement (and disengagement) shows up on the job, and discuss ways to leverage generational diversity to engage team members across age groups in meaningful, effective ways.
You’ll leave with:
- A clear understanding of what drives engagement—and what quietly drains it
- Tools to strengthen alignment, accountability, and motivation in day-to-day operations
- Strategies to reduce absenteeism and turnover through smarter people practices
- Simple, actionable ideas to help employees “bloom where they are planted” in ways you can see—and measure—in your business
Our Speaker
Anna Strickland
Chief Cultivator, Harper and Mary Strategies
Anna lives by the leadership motto “bloom where you are planted,” a philosophy she brings to life through Harper & Mary Strategies, a leadership development and landscape design firm named in honor of her daughters. The firm’s mission is to cultivate people and plants, grounded in the belief that the right environment and support allow both to thrive.
Harper & Mary Strategies offers leadership and talent development services for individuals, couples, retreats, and teams of 10–250 participants, using the Emergenetics personality assessment to strengthen communication and collaboration. Anna also provides HOA-approved, pollinator-friendly landscape designs that promote native and perennial plants.
With more than a decade of community and economic development experience, Anna most recently served as President & CEO of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, leading strategic planning and membership growth. A Double Dawg from the University of Georgia, Anna is an accomplished leader and dedicated volunteer for Jones Chapel, Leadership Georgia, Georgia Farm Bureau. She and her husband, Dr. Tyson Strickland, live and work in Madison County with their two daughters.
Moderated by a Next Generation Community Connector.
Sponsored by
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AmericanHort members have access to past recordings from the Grow Forward series. To access webinars, log in to your AmericanHort profile.