Keeping employees happy, engaged and productive is no easy feat. In fact, it’s a challenge for many organizations. Gallup reports that only about one-third of workers are engaged at work, which means they’re willing to go the extra mile and give their best effort on a daily basis.
The remaining two-thirds are classified as either actively disengaged or not engaged at all. In this post, we will explore ideas for employee engagement that work in any organization. No matter your industry or company size, you can implement these strategies to improve employee engagement within your team.
Assign Organizational Values
Organizational values are the beliefs that make up the core essence of your business. These are the standards your employees should uphold in all aspects of their work, regardless of department.
When employees know, understand and feel a connection to organizational values, it makes it easier for them to be engaged at work. It also makes it easier for managers to identify and take action when employees are not following the organizational values. Values are powerful.
They motivate employees to stay engaged and even help them to be more productive. When employees know their work has a purpose, it’s much easier to find fulfillment in their jobs.
For example, let’s say your organization has the core value of transparency. This means you are committed to being open and honest with your employees about the company’s strategy, goals and everything in between.
When employees see this being demonstrated on a regular basis, they’ll feel more connected to the company. And when they feel more connected, they’re more likely to stay engaged.
Organizational Transparency And Inclusion
Another way to establish trust and transparency within your organization is to make sure employees feel included in the decision-making process. Employees who feel like they’re being left out of the conversation become disengaged and less productive over time.
For example, if you’re making changes to the company’s strategy or structure, employees should feel like they’ve been included in the decision-making process. To foster transparency and inclusion in your organization, hold regular meetings where employees can voice their ideas and concerns.
Be sure to allow plenty of time for open and honest dialogue, and don’t interrupt or jump to conclusions when employees are expressing their opinions.
Host An Employee Recognition Event
There’s no better way to show your employees that they’re appreciated than to host an employee recognition event. This can be as simple as a company-wide email where you recognize employees for their contributions.
Or you can host an event where you give out awards for excellence. If you have a substantial budget, you can even hold an awards show event. The key is to make the event fun and engaging.
If you want to go the low-budget route, you can host the event over the internet or use a social media platform to live-stream the awards show. For example, you can use Zoom to host an employee awards show. This way, employees can watch the event from the comfort of their homes.
Make Time For Fun
While it’s important to foster a corporate culture of productivity and excellence, it’s also important to make time for fun. When employees have opportunities to relax themselves, it helps them to unwind and recharge.
This can help to reduce stress and improve employee health, two things that can affect engagement if they become too high. When it comes to events, team outings or other types of fun in the workplace, you don’t have to host an extravagant event every week.
Even small things like hosting a ping-pong tournament or playing a game during lunch can make a big difference in your employees’ engagement.
When deciding which events to hold and when to host them, keep one thing in mind: engagement doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that requires patience and consistency.
Hold Weekly Training Sessions For Employees
Whether your employees are new to the industry or have years of experience under their belts, it’s a good idea to host weekly training sessions. This can help to keep employees up-to-date on the latest developments in their fields and provide them with opportunities to develop new skills and learn new things.
When employees feel as though they’re constantly learning new things, it makes them feel more engaged. Plus, when employees know what their organization expects from them, it’s easier to hold them accountable.
It’s also a good idea to host training sessions with higher-level employees to ensure that they’re providing their teams with the guidance and direction they need.
Provide More Responsibilities
When employees are engaged, they are more likely to go the extra mile. This means that they’re willing to work beyond their job descriptions and offer to take on more responsibilities within the organization.
When employees feel like they have something to do their best and offer more value to the organization, it’s likely that they’ll be more engaged at work.
When it comes to giving your employees additional responsibilities, start small. For example, if one of your employees always has great ideas for how to improve productivity, be sure to listen to them. Then, assign the idea to your team and let them know that they’re responsible for making the idea a reality.
Encourage Personal Projects
Another way to help employees feel like they have more to offer is to encourage them to pursue personal projects. This can be anything from pursuing a degree to writing a book to organizing a community outreach program. When employees feel like they have something to prove, it makes them more engaged at work.
While they’re pursuing their personal projects, they are also likely to turn to their teams for help and support. This can make them even more invested in their jobs.
Furthermore, when employees are pursuing personal projects, it gives them a sense of purpose. This can help them to feel more fulfilled and willing to put in the extra effort needed to be more productive.
Be A Motivating Coach, Not A Managing Boss
Managers who are the boss are more likely to micromanage and dictate how employees should do their jobs. This, in turn, leads to disengaged employees who feel as though they have no room to grow.
When you want to engage your employees, be a motivating coach, not a managing boss. This means you are open to suggestions and recommendations from your employees and eager to help them develop new skills.
Create A Feedback Safe Environment
When employees feel safe to share their feedback without feeling judged or afraid of negative repercussions, it makes it easier for them to be engaged at work.
Host meetings with your employees where they can share constructive feedback. Make sure to encourage them to be specific and to focus their feedback on the things that they would like to see changed.
When you receive feedback from your employees, don’t react defensively. Instead, thank them for their input and let them know that you will use it to make improvements in your organization.
Bottom Line
When employees feel like their organizations are committed to keeping them happy and engaged, they are more likely to stay committed to their jobs. This is why it’s so important for managers and leaders to ensure that their employees feel valued and as if they’re part of a team.
These strategies help to improve employee engagement. When employees feel as though their organizations are committed to making them feel valued and appreciated, it’s easier for them to stay engaged.
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