Engaged employees are committed to the goals of their organization and motivated to contribute.

Unsurprisingly, higher employee engagement results in many positive outcomes like better customer service, higher profits, and greater employee retention. Organizations with strong employee engagement generate revenue growth at a rate of 2.5 times faster than those with low engagement.

Although executives understand the direct effects engagement has, they may struggle with finding the best strategies to increase it. Attempting to buy engagement with competitive pay and benefits may improve worker satisfaction, but rarely increases the employees’ enthusiasm and commitment characteristic of engagement. The effective strategies for increasing engagement share common goals like helping employees feel valued and passionate about their work. Outlined in this post are some of the most effective methods for driving employee engagement.

1. Provide all the tools for the job

Trying to accomplish a task without the proper tools and equipment is incredibly frustrating. Imagine a chef who has been asked to cook a meal but must work in an unstocked kitchen. Making sure employees have all the tools that are necessary to succeed in their roles in one of the most important factors in engagement. Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends 2016 labeled enabling infrastructure as the top driver of engagement globally. When employees have all the necessary tools for their work, they can work more effectively and get more done.

2. Treat employees as individuals

Engagement begins with the individual. Each employee has a unique personality and experiences that drive their performance. Feeling respected at work can help employees tap into their full potential.

According to Gallup, “Managers and leaders should know their people — who they are, not just what they do. Every interaction with an employee has the potential to influence his or her engagement and inspire discretionary effort.”

3. One-on-one sessions

To understand employees on an individual level, you will need to offer individual attention. There is no universal fit for boosting employee engagement, and you may have to employ various strategies for different employees. There are many ways to measure personality traits and try to dissect employee desires, but there is also a very obvious way to find out: ask them! Given the chance to communicate about their work, what frustrates them, and what motivates them, many people will gladly open up. Connect with employees during individual meetings and provide them the opportunity to share their perspectives.

4.Educate managers and hold them responsible for engagement

Gallup’s research found that managers are primarily responsible for their employees’ engagement levels. Train managers to participate in developing engagement plans with their employees and hold them accountable by tracking their progress.

Show your employees that you appreciate their improvements, and they will feel more valued. Work with employees to create personalized development plans and provide training and coaching opportunities to help them achieve their development goals. You will foster a culture of continuous learning and boost engagement. Training does not have to be expensive, consider cross-training employees, so they learn how to do other jobs in addition to their own.

6. Respond to employee feedback

According to the 2016 Trends in Global Employee Engagement report from Aon, effective leaders pay attention to and act on employee feedback. Consider measuring employee engagement quarterly or monthly using quick pulse surveys. More frequent feedback will gauge the success of engagement efforts and help to pinpoint issues. Additionally, asking for feedback makes employees feel valued and essential to company goals.

7. Don’t micromanage

Even though engagement is highly personalized, there are a few keys that seem nearly universal. Autonomy and responsibility will often lead to higher engagement. Flexibility to decide when and how employees complete tasks motivated them to perform better.

Rewards and recognition will increase engagement when the meaning of the company’s work is publicly acknowledged. Reward behaviors that align with overall company goals. Highlight employee achievements in a way that fits your company culture. Recognition motivates employees and reminds them of the value of their work.

Developing connections with colleagues allows workers to feel more emotionally invested in their jobs. Healthy personal relationships are essential for team-centric environments. There are endless options for fostering personal connections, including those that involve asking employees to contribute their time or talent. Cooking a meal to bring to the potluck or designing a poster to promote the next team gathering are ways an employee may help.

Communication is key. Company goals should be clearly and frequently communicated, and employees should always understand how their work contributes to larger goals. Management should offer transparent communication to build trust with employees. Acknowledging employees and thanking them for their efforts will also go a long toward building relationships. Be authentic in your efforts to build genuine relationships.

Addressing employee engagement is a complex task that will require constant monitoring and adjusting to feedback. At the core of engagement are trust and autonomy. Connect with, encourage, and listen to your employees to make adjustments that will increase their motivation and engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to stay and will positively benefit the company objectives.

If you want to know more about company communication and increase engagement, contact Infinity Staffing now!