Announcement

The 8 Most Effective Employee Engagement Strategies for a Better Workplace

January 25th, 2023

An organization's chance of success is directly related to its employees. They're the ones on the field, carrying out all the operational processes and delivering customer services in accordance with the company's core values and missions. That's why an organization's greatest asset is its workforce and it needs the highest attention. While having skilled and experienced team members in your team is significant, prioritizing employee engagement strategies paves the way to achieving the highest level of performance and business success.

Employee engagement, which Gallup defines as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace,” contributes to employee satisfaction and commitment. Employees who establish a positive emotional connection with the company and know their efforts will be recognized by their leaders are more competent in bringing organizational success. Some of the most significant benefits of investing in an effective employee engagement strategy include higher retention rates; lower rates of absenteeism; better individual, team, and organization-wide performance; and improved customer satisfaction.

Because employee engagement is deeply rooted in the company's culture and values, it can take a lot more thought and effort to improve employee engagement strategies than many leaders might at first realize. However, leaders who are committed to creating a more fulfilling and healthy work environment will soon find that investing in their workforce can have huge payoffs. Keep reading to find out our top eight most effective strategies for companies hoping to strengthen their employee engagement efforts.

Show that you value your employees

It might be cliché, but actions indeed speak louder than words. When it comes to building a successful employee engagement strategy, being consistent in your everyday efforts carries great importance. If you want engaged employees who are excited about maintaining the company's mission and eager to attain business goals, you need to show that you value their time, health, and psychological safety. By making sure your employees have the tools to manage job-related stress and feel empowered to voice questions or concerns, you can form an engaged workforce.

To improve employee engagement by showing your attention, you can provide real workplace wellness programs, promote a culture of trust and transparency, prioritize work-life balance, and actively communicate with workers. Leaders can also invest in developing managers, who account for at least 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement.

Provide feedback often

Regular feedback is one of the most beneficial tools that managers can utilize for improving employee engagement. When an employee is informed timely about how their work is evaluated and how they contribute to overall success, they can feel more responsible for being actively involved in operations. Lack of regular feedback, on the other hand, can lead employees to feel directionless, disengaged, and unmotivated, eventually reducing job satisfaction. Therefore, consistent feedbacks are key to enhancing employee engagement.

Continuous check-ins that are focused on core competencies show employees that their manager cares about them and wants to help them succeed. Hence, encouraging managers to establish frequent one-on-ones also provides your employees with more opportunities to connect and feel heard, which strengthens their sense of value and belonging.

Recognize and reward employees

Everyone likes to receive credit for their effort and accomplishments. That's why an organizational culture of appreciation and reward plays a crucial role in employee engagement. Recognizing performance and valuing hard work, a leadership team can bring highly engaged employees. Having reward systems in your organization can inspire motivation and increase belonging by making employees feel valued.

A few strategies to recognize and reward your employees for improving engagement might include:

Giving different awards such as Employee of the Month, Years of Service, and Customer Service.
Shout-outs on company social media
Monetary awards like bonuses, extra paid time off, and gift cards
Employee appreciation events
Celebrating the completion of difficult or important projects
Engage employees in celebrations like birthdays and other important achievements outside of work (like marriage, the birth of a child, athletic accomplishments, volunteer work, etc.)

With the above practices, you can motivate employees and boost engagement in your organization.

Improve your onboarding process

The first few weeks of an employee's new job are critical for engagement. That's why it is so important to make sure your human resources department offers an effective onboarding process that provides new employees with all the resources and training necessary to succeed at your company.

Use this time to let employees know they have a place in your company and its culture. Show them how their position fits into the larger goals and values of the organization. Doing so will motivate new employees and provide them with a sense of connection and belonging from their very first days with your company.

Create a culture of trust and transparency

Hoarding information or neglecting to communicate important company news can cause your workforce to disengage. It can be difficult for employees to feel invested in an organization when they never hear from leadership or know where the company is going next. Instead, promote a culture of trust and transparency by keeping employees informed on important decisions, policies, and other news related to your organization.

Regular company-wide status updates and other communications can help establish a culture of transparency and trust. Encouraging honest feedback between managers and employees can also foster a healthier work environment that your workforce will feel excited about engaging in.

Prioritize growth and career development

Professional growth and career development opportunities are crucial for improving employee engagement in a company. When team members know you provide them with a future at your organization, they are more likely to stay and engage in the service. If an employee feels like there are no opportunities for career growth or mobility, chances are high that they will disengage and eventually look elsewhere. Instead, improve retention and motivate your workforce by investing in career development and creating clear growth opportunities for your employees to work toward. Train managers to provide constructive feedback and set goals that challenge and encourage employees.

Opportunities to learn, develop, and grow within an organization show employees that their company values them and wants to invest in their people. Therefore, companies that prioritize employee development are more likely to achieve employee engagement.

Foster a sense of community and connection

With the rise of remote work over the past few years, it has become more complicated to build connected teams and foster a sense of belonging. However, there are several rituals and events that you can implement at your company to strengthen feelings of connection and make employees engaged.

You can have virtual connection hours, virtual happy hours, virtual celebrations of important team milestones (like birthdays, work achievements, and years of service), company-wide speaking events, company-wide town halls, and annual omitting celebrations with a virtual component. These events give your employees a chance to connect with peers, managers, and even leadership in a more inclusive way that promotes team bonding and feelings of belonging.

Develop and uphold core company values

Employees who believe that their work has a purpose and makes a meaningful contribution tend to show higher levels of motivation, job satisfaction, and engagement. One way to foster this sense of purpose is to develop and operationalize fundamental, consistent company values.

A company mission statement alone can't provide a sense of meaning. You need to ensure that your values are an integral part of the company culture that every employee is expected to maintain. An engaged employee who embraces corporate culture through action is the greatest asset for any organization.

Performance management software can help you foster employee engagement

Rethinking your company culture to prioritize employee engagement can seem like a daunting task. Luckily, performance management tools like Teamble allow you to improve employee engagement, build more connected teams, and strengthen performance at your organization with confidence.

Using tools you are already familiar with–Slack and Microsoft Teams–Teamble makes it simple to:

Provide continuous feedback and recognition in real-time;
Receive feedback from employees;
Hold one-on-ones with your employees;
Develop and distribute surveys;
Document interactions with your team;
Document engagement-related metrics;
Set and view goals; and
Establish team rituals.

For additional information on how Teamble can help you strengthen your company culture and employee engagement strategies, check out our Help feature or give Teamble a try for free.