According to Forbes, only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged in their jobs. Employee engagement has an impact on productivity, company culture, quality of work, profitability, and retention. Low engagement in the workplace is only hurting your business and pulling your company away from your goals and aspirations. Here are 9 ways to ensure that employee engagement is at an all-time high this year.
Define your vision
Without a clear vision, employees will lack motivation and more than likely become disengaged team members. Ensure that your business has a straightforward mission, vision, and purpose. Communicate objectives to your employees so that they remain engaged in work that they can connect to a bigger meaning.
Place employees in the right roles
If an employee is in a job that they are under or overqualified for or that doesn’t align with their skillset, they can easily lose excitement and eagerness to perform well. Hire with care and be observant at the beginning; don’t be afraid to make adjustments to a role after you get to see your new hire in action during their first few weeks.
Provide resources
Your employees will feel empowered when they have been offered tools and training that set them up for success at their job. A well-equipped employee will have a clearer path to success than someone who feels underprepared and overwhelmed. It’s difficult to find inspiration for your work when you are constantly in a state of limited resources.
Outline expectations
Some employee engagement strategies are more simple than others. Simply limiting the surprises when it comes to work or culture expectations can greatly impact retention efforts. Provide adequate training and ensure that rules and standards are heard and understood. Employees succeed when they clearly understand what is expected of them.
Praise good work
Provide recognition when an employee lands a client, goes out of their way to help another employee, or knocks a project out of the park. Giving constructive feedback along with positive words at formal and informal check ins will keep your employees feeling positive about their contributions to the company’s goals.
Encourage authenticity
Employees are happier when they feel like they can be themselves. Don’t try to fit your team members into a mold. Instead, let them be themselves and watch them shine. Employees that hone their natural skills and utilize characteristics that are truly “them” will feel at ease in the workplace and comfortable in their role.
Stop micromanaging
Employees will be more motivated to do their work when there isn’t a superior always looking over their shoulder. Building trust and confidence in your employees is key. Step back and let them explore and make independent decisions. Failing is not bad every once in a while; it’ll be a learning experience that leads them to fulfilling their full potential.
Offer learning opportunities
Improving employee engagement starts with the growth of each employee. Encourage and support activities or classes that stress personal and professional development. Whether it’s a planned lunch-and-learn at your company or an off-site seminar, your employees will feel supported, knowing that you want them to succeed. When you invest in your employees, they will be invested in the company.
Share the journey
How to engage your employees is up to you, but when you accomplish a long-term goal or receive recognition, allow your employees to experience the company’s success with you. After all; it was more than likely a team effort! It will feel good coming back to work on Monday after being a part of a team celebration on Friday.
Many managers and owners think about how to increase employee engagement at their business due to a lack of motivation, low productivity, or uninspired work. According to Forbes, employee disengagement costs the U.S. around $550 billion per year in lost productivity, directly impacting a company’s ability to succeed. Employee engagement can be hard to define and measure, but if you make it a priority, you can start an organic shift in the right direction.
