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How To Improve Employee Engagement

September 26, 2021
group of employees
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In today’s workplace climate, engaged employees are essential. For business owners, it is one of the easiest ways to reduce turnover, increase productivity, boost your brand, promote safety and support your business strategy. Engaged employees have the passion, commitment and energy necessary to do their best work every day, and they’re more likely to reach beyond expectations and achieve greater achievement for your organization.

With that said, are you struggling to get your employees engaged? If you feel like morale is low and your workers are not feeling connected to your company, what can you do to improve workplace engagement? While some companies turn to external rewards, such as more benefits, a fun work environment or pay bonuses, these tend to provide only short-term boosts in engagement. What you really need to get your employees connected is intrinsic motivation. Here are six ideas you can implement at your business, no matter the number of employees, your budget or your organization’s culture.

1. Provide Individualized Attention

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It’s easy to assume that all of your employees are motivated in the same way. Because they are all individuals, it is important to get to know each person’s preferences and what makes them tick. Take the time to provide individual attention to each employee so that you understand which management style works best for him or her. For example, one employee may enjoy speaking in front of large groups, so it would make sense to ask that person to lead meetings. On the other hand, another employee may balk at the idea of presenting in front of his or her peers. Instead, ask that employee to work one-on-one with new hires.

2. Establish Open Communication

Transparency and good, open communication can help employees feel informed, heard and understood. Creating a culture where your workers feel as though they can speak up without fear of repercussions is the best way to invite better communication and feedback. You can model this by creating a channel for your employees to provide feedback to you and vice versa. Let them know that you value all opinions and that you genuinely care about what is going on within your business.

3. Offer Quality Training

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When you set your employees up for success, they’ll know that you value their contribution to the company and can see their potential. While the training offered at onboarding is invaluable, it shouldn’t end once your employees get the hang of what they’re supposed to be doing. Foster continuous development with additional training so they can grow and develop within your organization rather than looking elsewhere. You can provide a path to upward movement within your company, which encourages loyalty and incentivizes a desire for more training.

4. Give Recognition Regularly

Some people do not need recognition for a job well-done. However, many do and even more enjoy receiving praise, regardless of whether or not they thrive on it. When your employees know that their managers, leaders and peers appreciate the work they are doing, they are more likely to be motivated to do their best. Engagement comes when people feel valued and esteemed. However, remember that some employees may actually not want recognition as it may make them uncomfortable, so it is important to know individual preferences.

5. Encourage Healthy Work Habits

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Gone are the days when workers were expected to put in endless hours of work with no gratitude from their managers. That often led to quick burnout and turnover. Instead, organizations that encourage their employees to take breaks, provide flexible work schedules and push for a better work-life balance get better engagement. When employees know that their place of work values their well-being, they in turn are more committed to providing quality work.

6. Provide Opportunities for Service

Services projects can be a valuable tool for developing employee engagement. It shows your people that the organization cares about more than just the bottom line. Plus, it encourages employees to work together and often fosters positive relationships and peer connections. While many of your employees may find meaning in the work that they do for you, helping them reach out to others in your community is not only socially responsible, it’s a great way to help them step outside of their day-to-day responsibilities and see that they can find meaning outside of work.

Employee engagement is more than just a tactic to keep people from leaving your company. It is a tool for boosting morale and creating a workplace culture that values positivity, loyalty and commitment to one’s betterment and the betterment of others. If your organization is struggling to keep employees engaged, Momentum Employer Group can help. Contact a member of our team today to find out more about our employee engagement programs that can help your staff feel empowered, understood and appreciated.