Here is an article written by Mike Prokopeak for Talent Management magazine’s “Talent Management Perspectives” series. To check out all the resources and sign up for a free subscription to the Talent Management and Chief Learning Officer magazines published by MedfiaTec, please click here.

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Work-life balance is a myth. Even if employers develop job-sharing options or flexible work schedules and workers place strict boundaries around their jobs, work will find a way home with them, argue the authors of a new book on employee engagement.

“You can’t box up the emotions from work,” said Kevin Kruse, co-author with Kenexa CEO Rudy Karsan of We: How to Increase Performance and Profits Through Full Engagement. “That’s still going to spill over into the home domain.”

The idea that the answer is to simply structure work differently to create balance is inadequate, Kruse said; instead, managers should focus on developing deeper employee engagement. Engaged employees are healthier, more productive and contribute to higher profits and performance. It’s different from job satisfaction in that way.

“You can be satisfied at work but still not be fully engaged,” Kruse said. “If you’re satisfied, you might not give that 100 percent effort; you might return that headhunter’s call.”

Companies that pursue that elusive work-life balance may be headed down the wrong path. Instead, they should focus on effective day-to-day management that connects on a personal level with employees.

“When you realize the impact that you have as a leader, it’s very dramatic,” Kruse said. “From [workers’] cardiovascular health to the quality of their marriage to the behavior patterns of their children, you have an impact even though you’re not a doctor; you’re not a marriage counselor; you’re not an elementary school teacher.”

Effectively engaging employees goes beyond conducting annual surveys, holding annual recognition meetings and structuring job roles differently. It requires practicing great leadership every day. That’s where many engagement efforts fall flat. Despite the best intentions, many leaders and managers fail to see the big picture.

“We look at the to-do list and the reports that need to be taken care of and the fires that need to be put out, and most of us default to managing tasks instead of leading people,” Kruse said.

Kruse said there are three ways to build engagement:

• Growth: Provide learning and career development opportunities.

• Recognition: Show appreciation for the work being done

• Trust: Build a shared vision for the future.

When business is growing, engagement often takes care of itself without specific leadership activities to foster it. Employees will see growth opportunities ahead and receive recognition through increased pay. It’s a different story when the economy is sluggish.

“In this environment, you activate this growth mechanism by personal growth,” Kruse said. “You want to make sure that you’re having honest conversations with your team members about their expectations for advancement and growth and be realistic and honest with them about whether or not that matches up with the reality of the company or not.”

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Mike Prokopeak is editorial director for Talent Management magazine.