Why should your organization focus on improving employee engagement? When employees are engaged, they’re emotionally invested in your company. They’re happy in their work, which raises their level of motivation and commitment and makes them effective and willing brand ambassadors. The best news is that there are easy ways to improve employee engagement, and many don’t even involve spending money.
1. Create a people-first culture. Some companies have employs that are passioned, engaged, energetic, and committed. Others are having trouble just retaining their staff. What’s the difference? The successful companies know how to improve employee engagement by focusing on their people. Corporate culture is built from the top down, and when the leadership is empathetic, authentic, and committed to connection, it sends a message to employees that their leaders are there for them.
2. Set your employees up for success. Begin with an onboarding process that helps your new hires to understand where they fit into the company’s big picture by connecting them to the mission, vision, and values of your organization. Show them that they’re vital to the team, and provide them with ample information about their role in the company. Don’t stop training your employees once they’re established, though. Provide employee development opportunities that allow them to grow within your company. Train your managers to care about their employees’ career goals, watching for development opportunities and helping to thrive. Celebrate employee development, promoting from within the company and incentivizing managers for employee growth.
3. Keep the lines of communication open. Encourage your employees to seek regular feedback from you, and to communicate their needs and views with you as well. Make sure employees know that they can safely share honest feedback, and keep them informed about what’s happening in the company. Listen to their concerns, getting to know them individually so that you can genuinely care about what they’re saying. Instead of annual reviews, provide frequent surveys and one-on-one meetings. This kind of approach will help employees feel valued, and it will also give you good information about how your operation could be improved.
4. Provide your employees with meaningful work. When their work has meaning, employees are productive, inspired, happy, and yes, engaged. Make sure your employees have the right resources to do their jobs and are in the right roles, and that they clearly understand how valuable they are to your organization.
5. Praise freely and loudly. It’s important for employees to feel appreciated and valued by the leadership of their company. Rather than focusing too much on things that need improvement, notice things that your employees are doing well, and reward them for it. Celebrate milestones like work anniversaries and completed projects, and reward innovation and creativity. Give specific credit to the people involved, and announce any actions that were prompted by employee feedback. Don’t be afraid to publicly acknowledge your employees’ successes, but do be mindful of how different personalities respond to public attention. You want to reward your workers in a way that celebrates them while also making them comfortable.
6. Foster an atmosphere of collaboration. One key factor in successful teamwork is healthy personal relationships. If you want your employees to connect with each other, give them opportunities to do this, both in and out of work. Offer HR-sponsored events where they can gather, but also provide a breakroom and time for them to relax together during their downtime at work. Discourage employees from working through lunch or eating at their desks. Instead, encourage them to use that time to take a break from work and engage with their colleagues so that they can come back refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day.
7. Promote community connection. While lunch breaks, team building exercises, and company picnics all provide valuable time for team bonding, there’s something very special about working together as a team to help others. Get out in your community and volunteer for local causes together. By engaging in service projects, you’ll be demonstrating that your organization cares for the local community, and you’ll also be helping workers build closer relationships with each other.
8. Encourage a healthy lifestyle. Promote work-life balance, be generous with break time, and provide opportunities to live a lifestyle that prioritizes wellness. Allow employees the flexibility to work remotely when possible, and create a work schedule that helps to minimize overworking and prevent burnout. Employees who know that their well-being is prioritized are more likely to be engaged and happy at work.
If you need further ideas to improve employee engagement, contact Marketing Innovators, where we believe that connecting to people on a human level is the best way to build a great business. That’s why for over 40 years our family-owned, employee driven company has been working to build and strengthen that connection between businesses and their employees, customers, and partners. We work hard to help our clients motivate, incentivize, and reward their workforce. Our commitment to our core values of integrity, trust, collaboration, empowerment, and the kind of results-oriented attitude that promotes customer success has made us a leader in the engagement marketplace. To learn more about how we can help solve your business challenges, call 800-453-7373 or contact us through our website.
