How companies can do a Better Job at Mastering Employee Engagement
Having engaged employees is critical for companies that want to survive and thrive. Studies have shown that engaged employees are more committed, more productive, and less likely to leave the company. They are happy with their jobs, and more willing to go above and beyond to get things done. Employee engagement isn’t just about financial rewards. Here are some steps you can take to boost engagement.
Share the company’s vision and goals
To be truly engaged with their jobs, people need to feel that they are contributing to something larger than themselves that they can believe in. When your company has a vision that employees agree with, they will feel a greater commitment to their jobs. Share your company vision regularly, along with your business goals, strategies, and challenges. This will make employees feel like they part of a larger team, working together toward a shared vision.
Create an emotional bond
It is important for a company’s leaders to set the right tone, and create a bond with employees. If the senior executives are absent or invisible, then employees may feel that they are out of touch or don’t care. Make your leaders visible to employees, and create opportunities for interaction. A great leader can inspire employees with an emotional connection, which will build engagement. When people trust their leaders, they are confident in their own strengths, too. They won’t be afraid to take risks, even if they feel insecure. Actions matter a lot for an organization that wants to earn the trust of their employees. Rather than encourage harsh criticism and pointless observations, CEOs and business owners should focus more of building rapport and encouraging communication.
Create engagement from the beginning
Workers with high-demand skills usually have choices about where they want to work, and working for a company with a vision they believe in can make a difference in their decisions. Make your company’s vision and values part of the corporate website, and discuss it during the interview process. Not only can this sway top performers to work for your company, it also helps you ensure that applicants are a good fit.
Build trust
Employees won’t be engaged with a company that they don’t trust. Building trust takes months and years, requiring sustained honest and open communication, and consistency of action. Destroying trust can happen in an instant, undoing all of that hard work. Don’t make employees feel used and collaborate with them on a constant basis. Share important facts, allow them to take important decisions, and show them you have complete trust in their abilities. This way, you will manage to increase engagement.
Show that you value employees
People want to know that their work is appreciated. If they feel that all of their efforts are being overlooked or taken for granted, they can lose motivation and become less engaged in their work. Make a point of thanking people for special efforts, recognizing their hard work, and congratulating them on exceptional results. Both public and private recognition help to make a person feel valued. Let people know that their managers, peers, and others in the organization all appreciate what they do.
Create a positive work environment
The place where people work can definitely influence their view of their job. Do what you can to make the physical environment both pleasant and productive. There is also an emotional aspect to the work environment. Strive to make your company a place where people can take reasonable risks and make mistakes, without fear of repercussions. Ask questions, and get employees to contribute their suggestions and feedback. And when you do get suggestions, follow up on them, rather than just filing them away.
Is your work space keeping employees engaged? When an office looks and feels comfortable, it instantly makes employees feel good, too. Engaged workers are a lot more customer-focused, productive, and profit-generating when they perform their duties in a pleasant environment.
Employee engagement should be seen as human resources initiatives that managers and business owners are reminded to perform annually or bi-annually. You can also conduct 360 degree feedback to improve employee performance. It’s an important strategic initiative meant to drive accomplishment, performance, and improvement. It’s basically the result from how your company connects to people and drives business results.
