How companies can do a better job mastering employee engagement

Employee engagement is paramount for companies that want to stay afloat. Engaged employees are more productive and committed to their organizations; they’re satisfied at the workplace and don’t have an issue with going the extra mile to help their company thrive.

Contrary to popular belief, these are smart ways to master employee engagement in the workplace without having to turn to financial rewards. Small businesses in particular can’t afford to raise salaries every 6 months. Therefore, it’s important for them to use other strategies to keep their people motivated and enthusiastic about their jobs.

Finding excellent project managers, great developers, and other technical position is such a challenging task, and retaining these top-tier performers is ever more difficult. Nobody wants to work in an anti-social environment, and unfortunately, too many companies seem to let the good people quit.  Why do they hold onto those who can’t deliver?

Companies must value the work of their employees

They say small businesses are easier to assess and fix than large corporations. Companies with 10-15 employees for example, have the power to take better care of their people than enterprises with hundreds of workers. Regrettably, sometimes even the smallest businesses don’t survive because entrepreneurs can’t keep people engaged.  According to experts, employee engagement drives a lot of good things, and every organization needs better employee retention, better customer outcomes, and increased productivity.

There’s a huge difference between engaged and mediocre employees. It’s not enough just to show up to work anymore, especially with today’s amplified rivalry for top-tier talent. Retaining new staff is getting harder and harder, and thus engagement is now more important than ever. In order to help your company thrive, entrepreneurs and CEOs must value the work of their people.

Measuring data

Let’s think about some of the most common ways to assess customer data. Companies are accustomed to employing social communities, surveys, feedback and focus groups to measure work progress and assess productivity. HR departments analyze and track both voluntary and involuntary turnover in the hopes of uncovering losses and finding solutions to common office issues. It’s certainly a good idea to measure data and focus on the numbers when you want to help your business flourish.

As business owners, we often forget to connect with our people. How can we motivate and inspire them when we’re not even talking to them? Engaged employees have a reason to come to work every single day. They want to learn from their leaders and they’re not afraid to take chances and state their mind.

Don’t undervalue the great importance of empowerment

Employees want to feel valued to stay motivated at the workplace; they want to be congratulated by superiors and they want to be allowed to make mistakes. By permitting your workers to take risks, make important decisions and collaborate with their peers, you create a welcoming environment. Engagement at the workplace must not be confused with motivation. Workers can be motivated by an excellent salary package but that doesn’t mean they have to like what they do.

What motivates your people?

Start by performing a thorough research and find out what motivates your people. Companies should start with an internal employee survey or engagement pool. As an employer, it is important to conduct a survey that gauges feelings. Leaders must speak candidly about goals, vision, strategy and challenges. Those who can listen to the needs and wants of employees, have high chances of stirring positive emotions. Engagement is the key to success in business. When your people are happy, they work harder; and hard work increases productivity.

As soon as a company understands that employee retention and engagement are vital for business, it won’t be that difficult to achieve success. Sometimes, the smallest changes can have the biggest impact. HR departments should use 360 degree feedback to evaluate employees and make sure that they’re pleased with their duties. There’s no need to spend a lot of money to delight workers; a flexible work schedule on Fridays, a weekly lunch break with the whole team, and daily brainstorming sessions are things you can use to keep them engaged.

Download the eBook and get practical ideas on designing employee engagement activities for your team!

Images via Flickr user cpsenergy under C.C.2.0