5 Steps to Increasing Employee Engagement
Who we take onboard to our businesses matter a lot as they bring both energy, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas to the table. That’s why we spend so much time on recruiting the right kind of people and making sure that they’re the best fit for our company.
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Yet, they tend to stay in our businesses for some time before moving on, and it’s equally important to keep them enthusiastic and engaged throughout the employment. Here are some brilliant tips on how to increase employee engagement in your company so that it will be a great place to work.
#1 Feedback
It’s the most common tip, and you should absolutely make sure that your business is giving its employees the kind of feedback they need. Otherwise, they simply don’t know where they stand and whether or not they’re doing a good job – and it’s not good for either of you.
Another point to this is that you can ask your employees to give you feedback as well. They’re always the one getting the details about their work performance so it’s a good idea to let them know that you’re also interested in hearing their point of view. It’s not just about getting feedback and becoming the best employer you can possibly be – you also want to make them feel valued and heard.
You can ask for their input on a new design or a project, for example, to make it a bit more specific. That way, they’ll actually have something to say about it and will feel like their opinion is valued as well.
#2 Taking breaks
Not making them feel like a workhorse is a big part of getting your employees to thrive at work. They’re meant to enjoy their day at work, chat with each other, and have a meaningful week – otherwise, they’re going to find a better place to work pretty soon.
Make a point out of encouraging them to take breaks and be social with each other. You could install one of these apps on their computers, for example, that remind them to take breaks and get up and stretch once in a while.
It’s not a guarantee that they’ll do it, but it’s at least a huge sign that their employer cares about their health and general wellbeing.
Consider giving their break room a bit of love as well or make sure they have some decent coffee around the office to keep them happy. It doesn’t have to take that much of an effort from you, but it will have a lot to say for your employees on an everyday basis.
#3 Give them control
Every employee wants to feel like they have at least a bit of control over their everyday lives, and by giving them the right kind of tools you can make sure they have it.
So many applications and software out there provide a comprehensive overview of all the hours they’ve been working, the days they’ve been off from work, as well as their paychecks. That way, they’ll be able to go in and check this themselves – and can take back control of their days at work.
Plus, it frees up a bit of time for HR as they can let the employees log onto the system and check the days themselves if something should be wrong with their paychecks. It’s a win-win for both employer and employee.
A program that is great for increasing their sense of control, which again increases employee engagement, is the all-round Riteq Workforce Management as they’ll have a complete overview of their days at work. It incorporates everything from time worked, attendance, and optimisation so that they have access to everything as well.
#4 Be flexible
A great hit with most employees is flexibility at the workplace. They’re going to get the job done in any way, and knowing that they can tweak their days to work for them has a lot to say on an everyday basis.
Give them the option of working from home a couple of days per week, for example, and you should see a rise in both productivity and engagement. Invest a little bit in telecommuting software and make sure that you have some proper collaboration software they can use to work together.
With so many apps and software out there to make your business both easier to manage and better for your employees, you’re going to have a lot to choose from. Some of them are better than others, though, so make sure you have a proper look around the web before you decide on anything.
#5 Do something as a team
One of the best ways to increase their engagement is to make sure they’re functioning as one happy team. They won’t do this unless they actually get to know each other outside of the office as well so invite them out and do something fun together.
It will make them feel more connected as a team, and make sure that some of them even become friends. It’s the kind of stuff that ensures happy employees that show up for work every morning.
There is a lot to do when you run a business, but one of the most important parts is undoubtedly to make sure your employees are enthusiastic about working for you. Take care of the steps above, and you’ll definitely have them cheering you on.