Published by Lookforzebras
Enhancing employee engagement has become one of the top business strategies since it directly impacts a company’s financial health and profitability. Despite positive data that the employees are committed to their work and their team’s goals and enthusiastic about their organization, most employees are disengaged at work.
Since an engaged workforce can generate valuable business outcomes for an organization, employee engagement is viewed as a strategic business objective. Effective employee engagement can promote productivity, improved quality of work, and long-term employee retention.
Table of Contents:
What is Employee Engagement?
Employee engagement refers to the level of an employee’s commitment to their job, contribution to their team’s goals, and their organization’s mission. It significantly promotes the retention of talent, productivity, and loyalty. It also contributes to customer satisfaction, the company’s reputation, and stakeholder value.
Employee engagement can be gauged, nurtured, and dramatically increased. Organizations with an engaged workforce tend to outperform their competition, recover promptly after recessions and financial setbacks, and have a higher EPS (earning per share).
Benefits of Employee Engagement
Engaged employees are enthusiastic, motivated, productive, and success-driven. Effective employee engagement may:
- Increase Productivity: Engaged employees are often more productive consistently than their peers, resulting in more revenue. Employees tend to understand their purpose in the company and work diligently. They also extend discretionary effort in the job roles as necessary.
- Enhance Higher Employee Retention: Engaged employees stay motivated towards their goals and remain committed to their employer. Employees seldom leave an organization when they are appreciated and recognized for their work.
- Enhance Profitability: Increased productivity and efficiency increase the profitability of an organization. Employers with engaged employees produce higher revenue and increase the company’s overall performance.
- Reduce Absenteeism: Productivity and performance get affected when employees don’t come to work. Absenteeism can damage workplace relationships, customer satisfaction, and delay projects.
- Increase Customer Satisfaction: Employees engaged with their company and keen about their work interact more effectively with their customers. Highly engaged employees treat their customers well, resulting in happy customers.
- Enhance Company Culture: Engaged employees set an example to their fellow team members and consequently enrich a company’s culture.
- Improve Employee Satisfaction: When employees are recognized for their contributions, they feel good and realize the importance of their work.
How to Improve Employee Engagement?
Enhancing levels of employee engagement may contribute to a high-performing workforce and the organization’s success.
Based on research, some of the successful employee engagement strategies are:
1. Onboarding
Research states that a well-structured onboarding process promotes new hire retention by 82% and productivity by 70%.
The employee onboarding process could be a great tool to build trust with new hires and convince them that they have made the right decision. Some practices can be followed, such as taking them around the office and introducing them, conducting exciting activities, etc., to create a smooth transition to regular work cadence.
2. Employee Communication
Communication is essential to create a holistic work environment. It allows interaction, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and transparency in a team. Communication must be two-way, simple, and jargon-free. Proper communication can help motivate and provide guidance for employees.
Employees, who express their views, share their opinions and ideas are more productive.
3. Recognize Efforts and Contributions
Employees recognized for their efforts feel appreciated and motivated to work harder, and are loyal to the company.
Appreciation and recognition can build stronger working relationships and a greater sense of belonging.
4. Leadership
Highly engaged leaders are necessary to build a skilled team. Since managers mediate between higher management and employees, it is essential to train them to achieve their goals.
An ideal leader would influence and engage employees.
5. Employee Wellness
Wellness means both physical and mental fitness. It is an employer’s moral responsibility to promote wellness in the workplace.
When an organization makes an effort to enhance its employee’s overall well-being, it improves employee engagement.
An organization can include wellness programs to encourage physical and mental fitness.
6. Professional Development
Most employees look for career growth opportunities, and companies can help them with the necessary resources. Companies may organize workshops and seminars to ensure the employees are aware of the latest technologies and trends and provide free access to professional courses to perform their job.
7. Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of the employees must be well defined. Create a detailed job description manual regarding the roles and responsibilities, resources, skills, and professional experience required.
8. Feedback
Surveys and feedback will provide insights to build a great company culture and help gauge employee engagement.
Employees who feel free to share their views and provide feedback tend to be more productive. Listening to their suggestions, issues, and ideas may lead to an engaging workplace.
9. Measure Employee Engagement
Employing best practices to improve employee engagement may be great, but how would one know if it’s working?
The best approach would be to take a survey to understand how the employees are feeling and coping. The survey may focus on different aspects, such as communication, motivation, relationships, happiness, growth, employee satisfaction, and engagement. The results will aid in making prompt and better decisions.
10. Action Plan
Asking employee feedback without taking any action may lead to employee disengagement. After gathering the data, it should be analyzed and acted upon accordingly.
Every time you do a survey, thank the respondents, acknowledge the feedback and ask for a solution.
Takeaway
Implementing a successful employee engagement program may help build a cohesive team and help you achieve your goals.
