A Guest Post by Michael Deane
According to Gallup’s study, only 15% of the workforce are engaged with their work globally, while disengaged employees cost US companies up to $550 billion per year.
On the other hand, highly engaged teams show 21% more profitability, as well as higher loyalty, greater job satisfaction, and retention and lower absenteeism.
That’s why the most successful organizations view employee engagement as essential for their business strategy.
Here are the six most important ways to boost engagement and reap the benefits of a satisfied workforce.
1. Show Respect
Statistics show that employees who feel that their employers treat them with respect are 63% more satisfied with their job. In other words, showing respect to your employees is one of the simplest strategies to boost engagement in your workplace.
Start with having a fair attitude towards each one of your employees and treating them equally, in a polite and kind manner.
Recognize that every employee is an individual with their own needs, opinions, and wishes. Furthermore, each one of them has a certain professional competence and experience, which you should take into consideration.
To show respect, ask your employees for their opinions, pay attention to what they are saying, and provide them with adequate feedback. Also, show them you trust their capabilities by delegating meaningful assignments and granting them autonomy in handling them.
2. Acknowledge Their Accomplishments
Another factor important for boosting the engagement of your employees, as well as their overall satisfaction is by showing your appreciation for a job well done. An employee wants to know that their hard work, effort, and accomplishments won’t go unnoticed.
There are numerous ways you can do this, from a monetary bonus or a recognition day to acknowledging their success in meetings. There are also some more creative options, such as using a corporate gamification system or showing your appreciation on social media.
You can show gratitude to your entire team too, by going to dinner together or organizing a group charter journey to a fun nearby location where you can celebrate the success. Such opportunities are great for getting to know your employees better two, and building the team spirit.
The most important thing is to demonstrate that you notice their efforts and their commitment, and highly value them.
3. Open Communication
One of the factors crucial for nurturing the culture of engagement at your workplace is keeping the channels of communication open. Salesforce report shows that employees who feel that their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform their best at work.
Your employees should feel that they can express their concerns freely, or talk about their challenges with you if any problems arise.
Check-in with your employees regularly, and talk to them about their ideas on how to solve certain issues or make improvements. Listen to them actively and take action according to their feedback if you have to make some changes. Even if you don’t have resources to act on the feedback right away, it’s important to follow up on the issue with your staff, and make sure they’ve been heard.
4. Give Them Opportunities to Grow
Your employees will be more engaged with their work if they have a chance to explore their capabilities and enough space to grow. Statistics show that 95% of millennials believe learning is key to their career success. If your company won’t support them in fulfilling their goals, they will be disengaged and most likely leave.
Instead of micromanaging and hovering over your staff, try empowering your employees to discover their full potential, both professionally and personally. Put them in a situation where they can learn something new, strengthen their confidence.
Encourage your staff to attend professional meetups or conferences so that they can gain new skills and develop professionally. You can also offer them an opportunity to work abroad, which opens up a clearer career path for your staff and a chance for a fresh start. This is applicable to both entry-level team members and established executives, with services that arrange necessary travel documents, housing options, and other relocation requirements found at ARC relocation.
5. Be Flexible
One of the most important things your staff wants is a better work-home balance.
The rise of technology has brought many changes to the way we do business, and employees are often expected to be there for their companies 24/7, even during weekends, and not only in case an emergency arises.
The only fair thing to do is to offer your staff flexible working hours, wherever it is appropriate. You can also support them in achieving a better work-life balance by giving them a chance to work from home one or two days a week.
A flexible schedule and telecommuting lead to increased loyalty, productivity, and engagement, as well as happier and more satisfied employees.
6. Promote Wellness in the Workplace
You can’t have a productive and engaged workforce unless they’re healthy, so the staff wellbeing should be integrated into your business strategy.
You can start small by providing some fresh fruits and healthy snacks for the office. You can also find a nearby gym and offer your employees membership cards so that they can exercise during breaks or after work.
Apart from physical wellness, you can also promote financial, social and emotional wellness too, as these kinds of concerns can lead to great physical and mental distress.
By making your employees feel respected and appreciated, and providing them opportunities to develop and act independently, you’ll boost their workplace satisfaction and engagement.
