In partnership with Connecteam
There’s no doubt that you’ve heard about employee engagement over and over again. It’s a topic of discussion at every HR conference, it’s embedded in every article you read about running your business effectively, everywhere you look, someone has something to say about employee engagement. So, just what is employee engagement? Good question!
Forbes said it best, “Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.” That’s right, engaged employees genuinely care about their job and the company they work for. That means the cashier will put an item back if they find it lying around in the wrong spot even if the manager isn’t looking. That means the garbage truck driver will work longer hours, even if no one asks them to. That means the orderly will direct someone who’s lost even if they’re just about to head out.
Employee engagement is so important because it leads to better business outcomes and higher stock prices – now we have your attention! No, but really. Engaging your employees will only lead to good things for your business and at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing you need to be concerned about. In other words, employee engagement leads to higher service, which leads to higher customer satisfaction, which leads to increased sales, which leads to higher levels of profit, which leads to higher shareholder returns. And the cycle just keeps on spinning!
Are you keen to engage your employees but aren’t sure how to do so? Here are five employee engagement tips:
- Increase Transparency. When you have trust, you’re already well on your way to creating engaged employees. How do you get such trust? By being transparent with your employees. In effect, be human! Tell them about your business decisions, admit if you’ve made a mistake, include them in big discussions, always tell the truth, and share your thoughts and concerns with them.
- Clarify Work Expectations. Sounds a little too simple, right? Wrong. Too often do managers just assume that their employees know what’s expected of them. It’s not just about ticking off the boxes of a job description – it’s about an employee’s behavior, their customer service skills, and if they’re meeting your standards across the board. Your employee isn’t a mind reader! Tell them what you expect of them, explain to them why their job is important, and help them prioritize their tasks so the most important work gets done. According to Gallup, only 50% of employees know what’s expected of them.
- Give Employees The Chance To Be Heard. Don’t just have your employees clock in and clock out. Employees should feel like they have a say in what goes on in the organization, otherwise they won’t care about failures or successes. So, let them be heard! Ask them about how they feel about a decision you made that will be implemented soon. Ask them for their opinion on how to roll out a new product or improve customer satisfaction. Ask them how to redecorate the office! Just talk to your employees, chances are, they have some great ideas you may not have considered. Sure, they can’t influence every single decision but having a platform to offer their opinion will make them feel more connected to the company and the product, in turn, they’ll give more of themselves because they know they can really make a difference.
- Appreciate Your Employees! A “thank you” can go a long way. Don’t forget to show your employees some appreciation, after all, they’re the ones who keep your company running. Without them, you’d be nowhere. Start with the most simple of actions and thank your employees for a job well done, for stepping up, for whatever reason, just thank them. Go beyond that and create a “Wall of Fame” that showcases the employee of the month. Throw a party to celebrate an employee’s success, a retirement, milestones achieved (if an employee has been with you 5 years, 10 years, 20 and so on), write them a thank you note (or any kind of positive note), and more. There are endless ways you can express your appreciation, but just make sure that you do.
- Encourage Breaks. The New York Times reports that just 30% of employees feel focused if they take a break every 90 minutes. Additionally, 50% are able to think creatively if they take breaks. Encourage breaks and your employees will feel more energized so that they can, in turn provide the best service possible. If they’ve hit a slump, let them take a 15-minute walk outside. Offer a 45 minute or one-hour lunch break. If someone has been outstanding, reward them by letting them go home earlier.
What’s one way you can achieve all five tips every single day? Use Connecteam’s employee engagement app. In just the push of a button, you can send an announcement, lead a team discussion, share birthday wishes, start a private suggestion box, create surveys, have an accessible company manual, and so much more. Connecteam’s engagement app is packed with tools to easily and quickly help you enhance employee engagement.
Employee engagement stock photo by fizkes/Shutterstock
