Employee engagement is a hot topic in the business world today. A recent study by Gallup showed that only 33% of employees in the United States engage at work. This means that 67% of employees are either not engaged or actively disengaged. The numbers are even worse for millennials, with only 29% of them engaged in work. Clearly, there is room for improvement when it comes to employee engagement. In this blog post, we will be discussing insights and strategies from experts on how to improve employee engagement.
What Is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement is a term that uses to describe the level of enthusiasm, commitment, and connection that employees feel towards their work and their workplace. When employees engage, they are more likely to be productive, innovative, and motivated. They are also more likely to stay with their company for longer periods of time.
There are many factors that contribute to employee engagement. Some of these factors include:
- Nature of the work itself
- Relationships that employees have with their co-workers and supervisors
- Company’s culture and values
- Opportunities for growth and development
- Level of compensation and benefits
Short-Term Ideas To Increase Employee Engagement
If you notice that employee engagement is slipping, or if you simply want to proactively increase engagement levels, there are several short-term ideas that can help you to make a quick impact. In this section, we’ll discuss eight manageable strategies that you can implement to increase employees’ engagement.
Prioritize Feedback
Giving employees regular feedback is one of the most important things you can do to improve engagement. Make sure that you are providing both positive and constructive feedback on a regular basis. Feedback should give in a timely manner, and it should be specific.
Employees crave feedback, and if they don’t feel like they are receiving it, their engagement levels will suffer. Every team in a company should have some sort of feedback system in place, whether it’s through regular check-ins or an anonymous survey.
Coordinate Volunteer Opportunities
Giving employees the opportunity to give back can be a great way to improve engagement. Employees who feel like they are making a difference are more likely to engage in their work. You can coordinate volunteer opportunities for your team or allow employees to use company time to volunteer for causes that they are passionate about.
Make sure that you are clear about your expectations for employees who choose to volunteer during work hours. You don’t want employees to feel like they are being taken advantage of, and you also don’t want them to feel like their volunteering is taking away from their work.
Encourage Social Interaction
One of the best ways to increase engagement is to encourage social interaction among employees. This can do in a number of ways, such as hosting social events, setting up lunch groups, or creating opportunities for employees to work on projects together.
When employees feel like they have a good relationship with their co-workers, they are more likely to engage in their work. Social interaction also allows employees to get to know each other on a personal level, which can make them more likely to work together effectively.
Make sure that you are creating an environment where employees feel like they can interact with each other. Employees should feel like they can approach their co-workers and have a conversation without feeling uncomfortable.
Address Problems Quickly
If there are problems in the workplace, it’s important to address them quickly. Ignoring problems will only make them worse, and it will also lead to disengaged employees. If you see that something is not working, take action immediately.
Address problems as soon as they arise, and be sure to involve employees in finding solutions. This will help to build trust and respect between employees and management.
Create Development Plans
Employees who feel like they are progressing in their careers are more likely to engage. You can create development plans for employees that outline their career goals and how they can achieve them. Development plans should tailor to each individual, and they should review on a regular basis.
Encouraging employees to think about their career goals is a great way to engage them in their work. When employees feel like they are working towards something, they are more likely to motivate.
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
Giving employees the ability to control their own work schedules can be a great way to increase engagement. Flexible work arrangements allow employees to have a better work-life balance, which can lead to higher levels of productivity and satisfaction.
If you can, offer flexible work arrangements to all of your employees. If you can’t offer flexibility to everyone, consider offering it to employees who are struggling with engagement.
Flexible work arrangements are becoming more and more popular and for good reason. Employees who have the ability to control their own schedules are more likely to be engaged in their work.
Give Reward To Top Performers
One way to keep employees engaged is to offer rewards for top performers. This can be done in a number of ways, such as giving out bonus points, gift cards, or even cash prizes.
Giving rewards is a great way to show employees that their hard work is appreciated. It’s also a great way to motivate employees to achieve even higher levels of performance.
When you give rewards, be sure to set clear criteria for what qualifies as a “top performer.” This will help to ensure that everyone understands how they can earn a reward.
Plan Company Outings
Another great way to improve employee engagement is to plan company outings. This can be anything from a group trip to the movies to a team-building retreat.
Company outings are a great way to build relationships between employees and management. They also allow employees to get to know each other on a personal level, which can make them more likely to work together effectively. When you’re planning company outings, be sure to involve employees in the planning process. This will help to ensure that everyone has a good time.
As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can improve employee engagement. By taking some time to implement these strategies, you can create a more engaged workforce that is more productive and satisfied with their work.
Long Terms Strategies For Improving Employee Engagement
Because it is so complicated, having a solid employee engagement strategy in place is critical to ensuring that your staff is interested in their job and the company’s culture. Take a look at these three long-term efforts to boost employee engagement. To continually increase your team’s engagement, apply some or all of these methods simultaneously with your low-lift initiatives.
Encourage And Provide Training Opportunites For Career Progression
One way to keep your employees engaged is by encouraging and providing training opportunities for career progression. If they feel like they’re stuck in a dead-end job, it’ll be hard to get them excited about coming to work every day. But if you offer regular training and development programs, they’ll feel like their skills are being sharpened and that there’s room for growth within the company.
Profession skills are always in demand and by providing training, you show that you’re committed to your employees’ development. Furthermore, this will also give them a sense of ownership over their job and make them more likely to stay with the company for the long haul.
Evaluate Processes And Address Inefficiencies
In any company, there are bound to processes that are inefficient and need to streamline. This can lead to employees feeling bogged down by red tape and not being able to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
If you want to keep your employees engaged, it’s important to regularly evaluate your processes and address inefficiencies. By doing so, you’ll make sure that your team is able to work smarter, not harder, and they’ll appreciate the fact that you’re always looking for ways to improve.
Provide Employees With Flexibility
In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to provide employees with flexibility. With the rise of remote work, there’s no need to have everyone in the office from nine to five.
If you want to keep your employees engaged, give them the option to work from home or set their own hours. This will show that you trust them to get the job done and they’ll appreciate the freedom to work on their own terms. Flexibility is key when it comes to employee engagement and by offering this perk, you’re sure to keep your team happy and motivated.
These are just a few long-term strategies for improving employee engagement. By following these tips you can create a solid strategy that will keep your employees engaged and motivated.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many ways to improve employee engagement within your organization. Try out a few of the strategies we’ve discussed and see what works best for you and your team. Remember, happy employees, lead to a happy workplace – so it’s worth the effort!
Mantra Care is a platform that helps you to find the perfect employee insurance programs for your employee’s needs. Sign up today and start improving your health.
A Word From MantraCare Wellness
Employee wellness programs are the key to improving employee motivation, productivity, and retention. At MantraCare Wellness, we have a team of health experts, counselors, and coaches who serve corporate employees with 10+ wellbeing programs including EAP, Employee Diabetes Reversal, Corporate MSK, PCOS, Employee Fitness, Corporate Yoga, Employee meditation, and Employee Smoking Cessation.