It's no secret that the modern labor market is
oversaturated. Employees quickly get tired of working in one company and
begin to look for a new place. Therefore, many managers and HR
professionals puzzle over how to increase employee engagement.
1. Think company mission
The term "mission" is becoming more popular among
modern companies. Yes, in most cases it is aimed at the company's
customers - both existing and potential. But it is equally important that
the mission is understandable for employees.
Remember the “Maslow Pyramid”: not
only salary and privileges are important for employees, they want to know that
they work for good reason. For example, in an annual performance
evaluation, pay attention not only to employee achievements. Tell us how
his work helped the company.
Forming a company mission, do not hesitate to involve
employees in the process - for example, arrange a big brainstorm (more on this
below).
2. Clarify the goals and responsibilities of each employee
Each employee has goals and responsibilities. When a
person does not fully understand what role he plays in the company, his
involvement falls.
And the point is not necessarily in poor leadership (although
often it is). It’s just that sometimes individual problems are lost in the
general flow, and instead of eliminating the root cause, you have to eliminate
the consequences of the error.
When you start a new project or delegate a task to an
employee, it is very important to say the smallest details. Take your time
and answer all his questions - this will save you from a headache in the
future.
3. Take care of your health
Physical and psychological
health is important to anyone. Sometimes, due to stress or a heavy
load, you can skip exercise or forget about a healthy diet. Such is the
rapid life in the modern world.
Some companies offer employees gym memberships or pay for
the services of a massage therapist - this helps to relieve stress and better
focus on work. And sometimes it’s enough just to fill the refrigerator
with healthy food.
Any step towards a healthy lifestyle enhances employee
engagement.
4. Offer employees a fee schedule
Few people like the "obligation". The right
managers are guided by the result, and not by the number of hours that the
employee spent in the office. There are many ways to give employees more
freedom. Allow them to work from home, do not set a tough time for the
beginning and end of the working day. You can also allow the employee to
take time off - provided that he will complete his tasks on time.
If an employee understands that he is trusted to manage his
schedule, he feels the respect and trust of the management, and this helps to
increase employee involvement.
5. Do not hide anything
Continuing the theme of trust: employees want to not hide
anything from them. The management and HR department often neglect this,
as a result of which involvement is affected. Share “insider” information with employees, do not hesitate
to invite them to important meetings. For example, call colleagues to a
meeting with managers, where you will address issues that will determine the
future of the company.
You can add a note “At your discretion” to the
invitation. Not everyone will come, but no one will leave your trust
without attention.
6. Celebrate personal victories
Once one employee has completed a monthly or quarterly plan,
let it be a victory for the entire department - or even the company. Tell
your colleagues about its achievement and arrange a small feast.
7. Praise subordinates more often
Encouraging the good work of colleagues is not just the task
of managers or department heads. If you find out that someone did an
excellent job, do not be too lazy to approach and congratulate yourself.
At the same time, it’s important not to go too far: praise
too frequent will spoil employees. Therefore, be careful and monitor their
development. Regardless of the incentive - whether it be a pay raise or
the usual "thank you" - be sure to emphasize why the employee
deserved it.
8. “Relive” the office
Often, employees feel a decline in engagement when they
begin to feel sick from a boring gray office. Therefore, try to create a
unique and comfortable space around them.
Today, open-plan offices are becoming increasingly
popular. Try to go further: add indoor plants, organize a recreation
area. Some offices even have slot machines - why not take an example?
When designing an office, be sure to consult your colleagues
- the personal contribution of each of them will create a more home-like atmosphere at work. You can assemble an impromptu team from those who are
well versed in interior design.
9. Let employees define a dress code
Dress code greatly affects the attitude of employees to
work. The question “how to dress at work?” Has been haunting managers for
more than a dozen years. How not to upset the balance between comfort and
professionalism?
The best solution is to allow employees to independently
determine the dress code. In the end, if you are confident in their
skills, there is no doubt that they will do the job qualitatively no matter how
they are dressed.
10. Do not forget about entertainment
Entertainment and work - it would seem, two things are
incompatible. Many share them in the same way like work and personal
life. But in vain! There are many ways to combine business with
pleasure.
Friday is a great occasion to shorten the working day and do
something pleasant. Sports, bowling, paintball or even a regular walk -
all this will help to unite the team and provide an opportunity to communicate
with colleagues from different departments.
Give employees the opportunity to feel part of something
bigger. Many companies use a similar strategy to increase employee
happiness and reduce turnover.
