Employee engagement is an important contributor to an organization's success. When employees are engaged, they are happy, productive and loyal. Companies everywhere are starting to discover the importance of employee engagement but may not be fully aware of how to keep or even begin to engage their employees. It is important to get to know your employees, encourage their participation and show them your appreciation.
Engagement Starts On Day One
It all begins at the interview process, but we’ll start with their first official day for the purposes of engaging your current team. Below are some proven strategies that are inexpensive and make a positive impact on your work culture. I've found that these strategies are universal and will work well in most professional environments.
1. Create an employee-led committee.
One very important employee engagement strategy is keeping them involved in company decisions and what’s happening behind closed doors. This builds trust, boosts camaraderie and tells employees that their input is valuable. Create an employee-led committee, and put a person from each department on the board. Then there is input from all angles, and all departments know what is going on.
2. Host monthly mini-celebrations.
Anniversaries, birthdays and employee-of-the-month initiatives are all great opportunities for you to show you care about the little things. A simple card, cupcake or even something as easy as a mention around the office can brighten an employee's day and show they matter. If there isn’t an anniversary or birthday to celebrate, take employees out once a month on some sort of bonding activity. A company potluck, game night, camping trip, lake day or karaoke night are all fun and frugal ideas that I've seen work well. This further builds a solid foundation of loyalty and gives employees a sense of excitement about having something to look forward to each month.
3. Put up an achievement board in the lounge.
Unfortunately, it is quite often that I have encountered employees who have been discouraged because their hard work goes unnoticed. Try to keep an eye out for those over-achievers, always-on-timers and special employees who always try their best. Give them kudos on a board where everyone can see. This will encourage others (and slackers) to follow suit and go the extra mile as well, especially if there is some sort of incentive. Some no-cost incentive ideas:
• An extra hour of lunch time one day.
• The option to leave early on a Friday.
• A “get out of jail free card” for a late arrival.
4. Give away a day off.
One of the greatest sources of motivation is knowing that there is an opportunity for an extra day off, especially if you nest that prize into all sorts of activities that benefit the organization. Did an employee have perfect attendance for six straight months? Reward them with a day off. Did one of your salespeople get a glowing compliment from a customer? Extra day off time! Surprise and excite employees by giving away occasional days off and a reason to always be on their toes. Just make sure to stipulate when they can and can’t take the days so that you are not left understaffed.
5. Create goofy contests.
Give employees a break from the normal grind by creating a goofy contest. Getting away from the usual train of thought to have fun and let loose can really stimulate productivity and even encourage a higher quality of work. Sometimes you just need to think differently for a while, especially if you are experiencing a creative block or are frustrated with your work. This strategy really helps boost morale, creativity and productivity around the office.
Get Started Today
Get started on these employee engagement strategies today. Your work culture will thrive because of it. The faster you start engaging your employees, the easier it will be to keep your A+ people, hire more A+ people and boost your corporate health and culture.
