Results in a 2015 Gallup study found that only 32% of workers are engaged. A further 50.8% are disengaged while 17.2% are actively disengaged.
Disengaged employees are uninspired to work and are often apathetic and dissatisfied with management, which puts an organization at peril. Since they have no desire to excel, these employees do not contribute to a team’s collaborative efforts. This causes stagnation and destroys a business from the inside.
Engaged employees, on the other hand, are positive, confident, have the willpower to excel, and perceive challenges as opportunities. They are always focused on the task ahead, and almost always, they achieve astounding results.
Managers ought to maintain high engagement levels among employees to decrease job turnover and save on hiring and onboarding costs. Here’s how you can boost employee engagement in your organization.
1) Reward your employees
Reward employees for a job well done. Recognizing and rewarding good work and good deeds makes employees feel valued, and this enhances performance at work.
However, you should refrain from giving rewards on a regular basis, even when employees are not performing. Doing so will hurt performance and decrease engagement. Monitor the performance of employees for some time before rewarding them with a verbal thank you, gift, salary increase, or a pat on the back.
2) Facilitate employee interaction
In large organizations, employees can go for months without knowing each other. Large companies have a greater chance of disconnect and managers of such organizations must focus on helping employees to know each other better. You can do this in many ways such as planning a happy hour at the end of the week, or any other activity that will help your employees interact and communicate with each other on a more personal level. Also, managers should interact with their employees throughout the day at work and outside work.
3) Blend work and play
It’s probably cliché to say “all work without play makes Jack a dull boy”, but it makes sense when you are trying to boost employee engagement. A little humor, fun, and games go a long way.
Play transforms a workplace by making employees feel that their professional lives are enjoyable. Through play, employees can have fun doing what they are good at and find happiness in their career, which boosts performance. Smile and share a joke with employees once in a while to make them more comfortable with the management. Happy employees are able to draw a fine line between work and play. Moreover, they are more open to growth and learning.
4) Have or serve as a mentor
Onboarding is critical for every newcomer, and it dramatically affects their perception of an organization. Always assign a newcomer someone who can answer their questions and guide them, to help them adapt and grow as part of a team.
Also, do not hesitate to offer help to struggling employees. Delaying help magnifies a problem, and before you know it, an employee is already unengaged. Setting aside some time to help makes employees feel valued. If you are pressed for time, you can have another manager step in and offer help on your behalf.
5) Encourage autonomy
Instead of always telling your employees what to do, tell them what you want to achieve and let them come up with plans on how to get there. Allowing your employees a little independence serves as a great motivator. Do not forget to communicate with your employees regularly to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal.
6) Celebrate people and achievements
People have plenty of important days and occasions such as birthdays and weddings. Celebrating with them shoes that you value and care for them, which in return motivates them to achieve company goals.
It is important to recognize that it takes lots of hard work and burnout for employees to achieve goals. Whenever they do, show them that they effort means a lot by celebrating their achievement. For instance, you can partner with golf courses to hold annual parties and games for teams that achieve their goals.
7) Promote health and wellness
Nowadays, people are suffering or are at risk of suffering many lifestyle diseases. You can help your employees to remain happy, healthy and engaged by:
- Buying a home bowling alley for office use during free hours or in the evening
- Availing healthier food options on-site
- Allowing office snack deliveries and healthy food vending
- Giving employees gym memberships
Any step towards improving the health and wellness boosts employees’ engagement significantly.
8) Provide role clarity
Everyone wants to feel that they are an important part of your organization. Therefore, their roles ought to be made clear from day one during onboarding. This way, employees will understand their work, value it, and e engaged in the company’s goals and missions.
9) Allow employees to speak up
People become disengaged when their voices are suppressed or when they feel that their opinions do not matter. By denying your employees the chance to speak up, you miss out on many valuable ideas and solutions that can steer your business forward. Maintain an open-door policy and hold discussions with your employees to foster communication, bring useful ideas to the table, and boost engagement by making employees feel that they influence decision-making in the organization.
10) Show respect
Respect is the pillar of every interaction in the workplace. When you do not respect your employees, they will not care about goal achievement. They might continue working for you, but when they find a better workplace, they will leave.
You can build long-term enjoyment in the workplace using the tips discussed above. Do not forget to show your human side to make it easier for employees to approach and interact with you.
