If you’re an HR Professional, chances are your company is already talking about Employee Engagement. As businesses struggle to attract and retain top talent, we must focus on creating a culture of engaged employees who are dedicated to going above and beyond. Employee Engagement is about improving work conditions to help employees feel more invested in their companies. Employee Engagement, if done correctly can reduce turnover, increases productivity, and can help companies generate more revenue. These 6 Ideas to Increase Employee Engagement Now can help get you started.
These employees have the desire to advance the companies they work for while advancing themselves. They understand that they will be as committed to their employer that the employer is committed to them. These gems are excited to come to work and believe in their company’s mission. They grow and thrive in supportive environments. To retain and attract top talent businesses should practice the following.
You can start to build a culture of engagement by setting clear team goals that align with the company goals, vision, and mission. Show employees how they play a role in the bigger picture. Promote inclusion, be respectful and give employees that opportunity for feel seen and heard.
This is critical because 75% were cited to leave their jobs because they have a bad boss. Most likely your managers and company leaders got promoted into these roles because they were good at there jobs. In some cases, that did not include managing people.
By investing in your leaders, you’ll help them foster a supportive culture where employees can feel excited to come to work and put their best efforts forward. When a manager can transition to a leader that deserves to be followed could result in more engaged employees, retention, and reduced turnover.
Communication is the key driver in employee engagement. Start by establishing frequent check ins to measure progress. Encourage and invest in the development of your employees. Ask for feedback. Make communication seamless by creating a comfortable environment that encourages people to ask for help, seek feedback and exchange ideas.
Can you remember a time in your life when someone went the extra mile to recognize you for a personal achievement? Those are the moments that stick with employees as they decide if they will stay or leave a company. To create a culture of recognition, start with a mix of formal and informal ways to recognize employees. Create opportunities for peer-to-peer recognition like an employee of the month programs. You can also take time during regularly scheduled meetings to share successes and celebrate good work. Individual recognition can make an employee feel valued, appreciated and excited to do their jobs.
Oftentimes, leaders manage performance and contributions only. Leaving emotion and empathy out of management could lead to disengaged employees. Empathetic leaders build a culture of trust and manage the whole person, work life and all. They can help connect their employees with resources to manage stress and care for their obligations. Being understanding and taking the time to listen can really go far.
Catalyst surveyed nearly 900 US employees working across industries to understand the effects of empathic leadership (in senior leaders and direct managers) on their experiences at work—especially in times of crisis. Employees with highly empathic senior leaders report higher levels of creativity (61%) and engagement (76%) than those with less empathic senior leaders (13% and 32% respectively).
Training, Mentoring and Coaching is not just for top leaders. Investing in developing the skillsets of your employees is a win/win. The employee wins because they are gaining new knowledge, and the business wins because development can result in happier employees and increased profits. People leave companies when they feel stuck and complacent, give them a reason to stay.
Implementing these 6 ideas to Increase Employee Engagement Now is just the tip of the iceberg when developing a modern-day company culture. It’s no surprise that the old way of handling employees is no longer working. It might be time to shake things up.
To start the process, consult the team of HR professionals at AlignHR. AlignHR works to proactively develop HR solutions to meet the current needs of businesses and organizations. See if you could benefit from our HR support by completing our fast and free HR assessment.