Employee engagement undeniably brings in better output, increased staff retention, and profit. Having an engaged workforce can result in astounding benefits, yet many businesses fail to promote engagement. This article discusses how to encourage employees to be more engaged. But first, let’s find out what it means.
Understanding Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is the power of the emotional and mental connection of your worker’s attitude regarding the work they do, organization, and team. In addition, employee engagement plays a significant role in the company’s revenue, customer experience, profitability, employee turnover, and many more.
Studies show that even business executives think that engaged employees are better performers; they boost the success of teams and outcomes of the company. It’s vital to increase employee engagement, regardless of the financial standing or size of the business.
In short, your employees are the key ingredient to the success of your company. Many businesses fail to realize that apart from their other assets, their employees are essential resources to be successful.
Importance of Employee Engagement
Companies that take care of their employees will get the prize of a passionate, skilled, and dedicated workforce. Yet, those that fail to look after and compensate their staff accordingly will never get the most out of their workers, regardless of how skillful they might be.
Employee engagement offers many benefits, including:
- Employee retention. Happy and satisfied employees tend to be more loyal to their companies, as their efforts and hard work are well acknowledged.
- Increased productivity. Engaged employees are more productive and reliable as well. They offer outstanding performance and high-quality work.
- Lower absenteeism rate. Engaged employees care not only about their jobs but about the companies goals as well. They value the importance of being present in the workplace and the need to get the job done.
Ways to Improve Employee Engagement
Enhance Work Efficiency
If the employees are working with old technology and inefficient methods, their quality of work will be significantly affected. Surveys state that inefficient work processes waste up to 26% of the entire working day of the employee. That is about a quarter of the whole day put to waste.
Promote Short Breaks
Employees need short breaks to breathe and refresh their minds. As an employer, it would be wiser to encourage, or better yet, remind your employees about taking a 5-minute break to stretch or get coffee. Short breaks are ideal for diverting your attention off work for a little while after being stressed about documentation.
Some companies take breaks seriously, that they even provide gaming rooms or lounges with soft mattresses. With areas like these, it’ll be easier to promote short breaks and improve employee engagement.
Always Be Genuine
The best way to build teamwork and trust between management and employees is to have genuine relationships. Encourage your employees to be more engaged by creating a trusting workplace, making them feel comfortable with their environment.
When workers realize that they work in a genuine environment without sugar-coating, they will instantly feel comfy enough to be open with their colleagues. They will always be honest with their thoughts and emotions, creating a healthy environment for all employees.
Hold Gatherings
Weekly or monthly gatherings with peers and colleagues are excellent ways to help employees come together. Social gatherings allow people to know each other personally, which is essential in building employee relationships.
Having dinner or fun together doesn’t just break the daily routine but also promotes collaboration and creativity. Employers don’t always have to plan extravagant weekly events. Sometimes “Pizza Fridays” or “End-of-the-week Lunch Dates” are enough to gather employees and have a friendly conversation.
Be Clear With Goals
Employees work better when they understand their roles and responsibilities in the organization. Sometimes, employees get confused about their tasks when the management fails to explain to them clearly. Make sure to clarify each employee’s responsibilities and goals to promote employee engagement.
It’s also easy for employees to get exhausted while they try to achieve their goals. And this usually happens due to a lack of leadership and support from the team. Often, they feel as if they are not good enough, leading them to lose confidence to do their jobs.
It would help if you were a great leader who can help them understand their work priorities. It’s part of your responsibility to ensure that they set their goals accordingly to achieve them at the right phase. When employees achieve their goals, they feel more empowered, encouraging them to be more engaged in the workplace.
There is no secret to improving employee engagement in the workplace. In most cases, you can simply ask your employees about their opinions. They will most likely share ideas on where to improve to help their time at the office be more fulfilling every single day.
