Employee engagement at work should be a key concern for managers, and for good reason.
Did you know that employee engagement directly influences an organization’s financial performance? You don’t have to take my word for it. Virtually all experts agree that employee engagement is a key success factor for any business.
Strong employee engagement avoids a host of problems, from absenteeism to lower productivity, inadequate customer service, and much more.
Knowing that only 15% of workers are really engaged at their organization, there’s clearly a lot of work to be done.
Motivation, Satisfaction, Engagement—What’s the Difference?
Let’s take a moment to unravel the terms “motivation,” “satisfaction” and “engagement.”
Motivation is what drives a person to get up every day to go to work. Some people’s motivation might be their salary, while for others, it might be the working conditions, for example.
By contrast, satisfaction is the sense of getting something out of a job, such as happiness, security, a sense of accomplishment, etc. It’s one of the things that makes an employee happy at their organization.
Engagement instead refers to an employee’s sense of attachment and loyalty to the company. An engaged employee will stay at a company longer and be willing to put in extra effort to achieve goals, for example.
Motivation, satisfaction and happiness at work are all factors that nurture engagement.
As such, engagement is the key for any company that wants to have productive and efficient employees.
What to Do to Boost Employee Engagement
Here are a few examples of concrete things you can do at your business to boost your employees’ engagement.
Really Listen to Your Employees
Almost all managers say their employees’ opinions matter to them, but do they really take them into account?
They say they understand and they will look at what they can do… but then they don’t do anything. This is why employees will express themselves, but eventually become frustrated when their opinion is not really being taken into account.
Too many managers hear their employees without really listening to them.
When an employee shares their opinion with you, make it a point to follow up so that they feel that you really listened to them. Was their idea turned down? Explain why. Did their suggestion help you solve a problem? Say thank you.
Another good practice is to regularly survey your employees on various topics. Encourage them to share their ideas.
💡 Use platforms such as Officevibe to better measure and understand your employees’ satisfaction and engagement.
Set Up an Employee Recognition Program
Employee recognition and engagement go hand in hand. If you want your employees to be engaged, you have to recognize their contributions. Establish recurring initiatives to value the work of your team members.
I know that having an employee of the month seems cliché to many people, but it can be revamped into a fresh, modern and effective practice. For example, at one place where I worked, the employee of the month was entitled to a paid day off plus a gift card from the store of their choice. This recognition was highly appreciated by all employees!
Similarly, you can offer gifts to employees who have distinguished themselves by their leadership, their work ethic, or their cheerfulness.
Say thank you more often and take the time to highlight successes. But above all, make recognition a daily practice. Your employees are sure to feel valued and their engagement will soar.
Creating a Stimulating Work Environment
A stimulating work environment is an environment where:
● Employee stress levels are low;
● People are not afraid of making mistakes;
● Relationships are friendly and cordial;
● Everyone can develop their abilities and hone their knowledge; and
● There’s room for fun.
In short, work should be a pleasant place where all employees feel good and are able to learn and develop. To achieve this, managers need to put employee satisfaction and professional development at the heart of their decisions.
To create a truly stimulating environment, you also need to invest in team cohesion. Organize regular team activities so your employees can get to know one another outside of work. After all, the greatest engagement an employee can develop is toward their team.
Engagement at Work Must be Cultivated Over Time
Having motivated, satisfied and happy employees at work is no small feat.
Learning from the best HR practices will help you along the path to this worthwhile goal. After all, no company can function without its employees.
