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The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Culture of Employee Engagement
December 1st, 2022
Leaders from different organizations all over the globe want to believe that their employees feel engaged in the company and motivated about their work. Since a company's success is directly linked to the effort of its workers and motivated employees are more likely to thrive in the business, it is essential for directors to build successful employee engagement strategies.
Without conscious efforts to keep your employees feeling involved and invested in their work, you might find your organization struggling with turnover, high rates of absenteeism, and poor or mediocre performance. Conversely, making employee engagement initiatives an integral part of your company's business model can boost employee satisfaction, increase productivity and quality of work, and improve retention rates.
In fact, a recent Gallup study comparing employee engagement levels found that companies in the top quartile of employee engagement experienced 18% greater productivity and 23% greater profitability than companies in the bottom quartile of employee engagement. However, these aren't the only benefits of improving employee engagement! Keep reading to learn more about why engagement has become an important part of ensuring long-term business success.
Before considering the benefits of an employee engagement strategy, it is important to understand exactly what employee engagement is. Gallup defines employee engagement as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.” It is important to note that employee engagement and job satisfaction, although related, are not the same thing. However, encouraged employees are more likely to experience job satisfaction because they feel connected to the company's core values and establish emotional commitment.
Now that we know what employee engagement is, let's take a closer look at how a more engaged workforce and effective employee engagement strategies can boost the success of your organization.
Engaged employees are healthier and happier
Mental health and burnout are major issues facing today's workforce. Some of the top contributors to burnout include inadequate work-life balance. Employees who think that their opinions and concerns are ignored or they can't get enough recognition for their efforts feel psychologically unsafe at work and are less likely to find meaning and fulfillment in their job.
Companies that focus on improving employee engagement by providing real workplace wellness programs, promoting a culture of trust and transparency, prioritizing work-life balance, and actively communicating with their workforce can go a long way toward improving the employee experience and mitigating job-related stress.
Engaged employees are less likely to leave
It is estimated that U.S. businesses are losing one trillion dollars every year due to voluntary turnover. The cost of replacing a single employee is estimated to range from 1.5 to 2 times that employee's annual salary. Losing talent can also lower team morale, damage customer relations, and cost you some of your top thinkers and innovators. Luckily, there is a lot your organization can do to retain talent–one of the most important steps is to improve employee engagement.
Because engaged team members feel a sense of connection and commitment to their work, they are less likely to seek other employment opportunities. Committed employees also feel as if their companies value their contributions and care about their professional growth. An employee is much more likely to remain at a company if they can envision a future there.
Engaged employees are more likely to show up
Job-related anxiety, stress, and burnout often contribute to employees missing work or taking unscheduled days off. This absenteeism is estimated to cost U.S. companies around $225.8 billion each year. An effective employee engagement strategy significantly eliminates this kind of charge.
Employees who feel valued and form a positive emotional connection with work typically experience less job-related anxiety, stress, and burnout. Consequently, they are less likely to miss work and more likely to enhance productivity. Prioritizing employee health and well-being by fostering a work-life balance and encouraging employees to speak up when they feel overwhelmed creates a motivating environment that employees are excited to show up to every day.
Employee engagement boosts performance
One of the most pronounced differences between companies that prioritize employee engagement strategies and those that don't is the performance of their workforce. Most leaders understand that employees are a company's biggest asset. However, what many still don't recognize is that skills and experience don't necessarily ensure organizational success. In order to get the most out of your employees, you must invest in workplace culture and employee engagement. Key performance indicators of a successful employee engagement strategy include:
- Improved productivity. Because involved employees are more invested in the success of their company, they are more motivated to advance their organization's work and mission. They are interested in their work and aligned with team and company goals, which makes it easier to stay on task and more likely that they will go the extra mile to do their job.
- Better quality of work. An engaged employee is also more invested in individual performance and more likely to produce high-quality work. Workers who are aligned with the
- Increased innovation. Highly engaged employees are empowered to communicate their questions and think independently, so they are more likely to contribute fresh ideas and creative solutions. They are also more invested in solving their organization's problems because they are invested in their work and believe in the company's mission.
- Higher profitability. Higher levels of employee engagement can actually increase a company's revenue–according to Gallup, by around 23%. This is because engaged team members are more efficient and often willing to go the extra mile to finish their work.
Employee engagement improves customer experience
One of the most interesting benefits of having an engaged workforce is customer satisfaction. That's right–the health and well-being of your employees directly impact the experience of your customers. If employees are committed to their work, they become delegates for the organization, delivering excellent service and fostering customer engagement.
When employees feel valued, they reflect this encouraging attitude toward the customers. Workers who are respected, appreciated, and recognized by their employers will feel accountable for enhancing customer loyalty and often go the extra mile for clients. Therefore, organizations that are loyal to their employee engagement strategy are more likely to offer satisfactory client services.
How to Achieve Employee Engagement in order to Gain the Above Advantages?
As demonstrated, employee engagement strategies pay off for a company in many ways. To achieve engagement and gain the associated benefits, here are a few ideas to consider implementing:
- Enhance engagement with an improved work-life balance: Empower your employees with time-management skills so that they can confidently meet the demands of both their personal and professional lives.
- Conduct periodic employee engagement surveys to assess their well-being: Surveys are great sources for gaining insights and showing your team members that you value their satisfaction. Encourage employees by creating an action plan according to the survey findings and implementing the necessary changes.
- Use your power to provide and get feedback: Maintaining employee engagement, actively respond to your employees' demands and concerns about their tasks by establishing a supportive and honest feedback culture.
- Exhibit and boost your core values: Keep your employees engaged by aligning them with the organization's fundamental principles.
Use performance management software to improve employee engagement at your company
Establishing a culture of employee engagement has never been easier thanks to performance management tools like Teamble. Our platform allows you to improve employee engagement, build better teams, and strengthen performance at your organization using the tools you are already familiar with: Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Using 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 increase employee engagement, check out our Help feature or give Teamble a try for free.