How to get employees to engage
Feeling a general lack of energy in the workplace? This isn’t surprising, given that employee engagement fell to just 23% in the UK last year. Getting employees engaged can often be a challenge, as ebbs and flows of motivation is common. Sometimes it’s the time of year, sometimes personal issues, and there are times when workplace dissatisfaction can creep in. There are plenty of reasons that this could be the case, so getting down to the root issue, addressing it, and fixing it is the best way to revitalise employee engagement and enthusiasm.
Fear not! Act before it’s too late and you can keep a hold of your top talent.
Feedback
Employee engagement surveys. It sounds obvious and most companies utilise them at some point, but are you asking the right questions? Providing true anonymity so people can express themselves uninhibited by worries of getting in trouble? When you give people an opportunity to discuss their point of view and improvements they would like to see, you may be getting a new perspective or seeing something that was missed.
Or if this doesn’t feel like the right approach for your company (perhaps you are a smaller team?), then you can always organise a roundtable to allow your people to verbalise their experience. There’s no one right way to do feedback, but empowering your staff through their voices will be appreciated. And it doesn’t top there. Once you’ve received your feedback, take action where it’s necessary, and communicate the changes to see employees that feel heard.
Decision making
Feeling listened to and valued for your opinion can take many forms. For example, by being involved with decisions that occur in the company, employees feel the importance of their role. And from this, staff are more likely to care about the work they’re doing. Be it key business decisions, working methods, or tasks, having a say in their work is empowering, and therefore motivating.
The more involved, the more engaged!
Opportunities
On that note, involving employees with opportunities and events that can help with career growth is a big motivator. Whether it’s conferences, work trips, or networking, offering staff the chance to see a different aspect of their industry with a change of pace can be both refreshing and inspiring. And of course, can be valuable to the employee and company alike.
Rewards
If we are discussing engaged, motivated staff, rewards have to be a priority. Salary, location, workplace culture, and the job role may be some of the most significant factors in hiring and retaining employees, but there are other considerations too. For example, while salary is obviously a huge part of why people take/keep jobs, the benefits that are offered could make all the difference. In a day and age where people are more willing to change jobs if they are unhappy, securing committed, happy employees is largely down to what you offer as a company.
Employee rewards should be valued, useful, and flexible. Having more than just a ‘thank you for working hard’ (although that is always nice), goes a long way in ensuring that employees feel that their work is not only compensated, but appreciated. Incorporating discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme, Learning and Development, and Salary Sacrifice are amongst the benefits that you can provide.
Socials
We know, ‘enforced fun’ can do the opposite and put people off, so it’s all about finding the right vibe for your workplace. If you have a larger company it may be necessary to split this into departments so employees can actually mingle and spend time with their team outside of work. The key thing is ensuring that the activity or social is something that people want to do. You could opt for crazy golf, Escape Rooms, trying out a new restaurant in your area, or walking tour if you’re in a town or city.
Making sure everyone can get involved is hugely important when it comes to work socials. By offering up a variety of social events that include alcohol-free options, restaurants that cater to different dietary requirements, and accessible/suitable spaces for your team is a good start. Struggling for inspiration? Try a suggestion box!
Breaks
Burnout can quell the enthusiasm of even the most motivated employees. If employees feel overworked, it’s unlikely they’re going to be excited and passionate about what they’re doing. Ensuring that staff are getting enough down time, screen breaks from computers, physical rests from manual work, and being able to enjoy their leisure time without worrying about work is significant for work-life balance, and ultimately employee engagement.
Flexibility
Offering more freedoms and flexibility to employees shows that you not only trust their time management, but value their personal lives. If it is possible to offer up hybrid working or working from home, would this be a better fit for some of your staff? Happy staff are usually engaged staff, so perhaps it could help to reevaluate the flexibility of your working model.
Ready to take the next steps to boost your employee engagement? Book a free demo to see our Employee Benefits Platform.
