Increase employee engagement in a workplace

 

Increase employee engagement in a workplace

 

Figure 1: Employee engagement (Source : (Blain, 2020)

 

Introduction

Employee engagement is defined as the degree to which employees are motivated by, passionate about and invested in the work they do. Engagement also indicates the individual’s commitment to the company and their emotional connection to the people they work with. 

Workforce engagement is often misunderstood to be synonymous with job satisfaction. Though the two concepts are related, employee engagement is vastly more complicated as it is influenced by a variety of factors including location, culture and individual characteristics. These factors are variable and prone to fluctuate over time, which is why measuring employee engagement is crucial to staying up to date with your staff’s needs

Model your core values and emphasize your mission

Employees are more engaged when there’s a goal they can get behind and a purpose to inspire them. Your core values and mission statement are the foundation of your company culture, which plays a large role in how engaged your employees are. Start by creating a concise list of company core values, and then train each employee in these values. Doing so will guarantee employees understand the importance of the company’s values, how they positively impact the business and what’s expected of each individual? Lead by example and hold every member of your team accountable.

Prioritize feedback

Optimal amounts of feedback correlate with positive manager reviews. Even managers who give their direct reports too much feedback are rated higher by their team than those who don’t provide enough. The gist? Employees crave feedback, and it influences their level of engagement. Start by scheduling check-ins for each employee with their manager, and then encourage middle management to establish regular review sessions with their team as an ongoing initiative to improve employee engagement. 

While it may be tempting to implement a company-wide schedule for feedback, keep in mind that every team is different and frequent touch points may feel unnatural to some. Managers should talk to their direct reports about their preferred methods for receiving feedback in order to engage employees in a way that’s meaningful to them.

Concentrate on engaging management

Your managers’ levels of engagement directly affect their teams. Let’s take a look at some stats: in the U.S., 34% of employees are engaged at work, which nearly aligns with the 35% of managers who report being engaged. Plus, employees report that 75% of great managers are passionate about the work they do that kind of positive attitude is contagious. While your workforce engagement strategy should account for the individual needs of every employee, focusing on middle management is an effective way to quickly increase employee engagement across the board. 

Coordinate volunteer opportunities  

Employees want to know they work for a company that cares about making a positive contribution to society. Volunteering unites employees toward a larger purpose, offering an opportunity to connect on a deeper level. Indeed, 70% of employees believe volunteer events improve morale more than happy hours and 89% believe companies that sponsor charitable activities have a better work environment.

Look for a volunteer opportunity that’s located near your office and plan an event for after work. This is an easy way to come together as a team and give back to your community. Additionally, offer a “Volunteer Day” as an employee benefit. This should be a day outside of your PTO policy that employees can take off to donate their time to a cause they’re passionate about.

 

Figure 2 : People (Source: (Welsh, 2021)

Prioritize physical and mental health

It’s easy for individuals to engage with their work when the organization makes an effort to enhance their overall wellbeing. A company-wide wellness initiative is a great way to improve employee engagement. Sponsor workout classes as company outings and, as a long-term solution, consider offering fitness subsidies to encourage healthy lifestyles beyond the office.

Offer meditation classes and encourage employees to take mental health days when they need to step away from the office and focus on themselves. Additionally, stock the kitchen with healthy snacks that will fuel employees during the busy work day.

Conclusion

Employee engagement is attracting a great deal of interest from employers across numerous sectors. In some respects it is a very old aspiration – the desire by employers to find ways to increase employee motivation and to win more commitment to the job and the organization.

 

References

 

Asare-Bediako, K., 2002. Professional skills in Human Resource Management. Accra: Kasbed Ltd.

Blain, R., 2020. Human Resources Online.net. [Online] Available at: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/managing-employee-engagement-critical-to-avoiding-negative-workplace-behaviour [Accessed 3 December 2021].

Bolger, B., 2015. Human Capital Is Critical to ISO 9001:2015 Success. [Online] Available at: https://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/standards-article/human-capital-critical-90012015-success-022618.html [Accessed 01 March 2018].

Buchan, J., 2004. What difference does ("good") HRM make?. Human Resource for Health.

Welsh, K., 2021. Live Science. [Online] Available at: https://www.livescience.com/how-mental-health-affects-physical-health [Accessed 3 December 2021].