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The Ultimate Employee Engagement Guide

OPINION

by Charlie Cutler, March 29, 2022

Don’t you just love happy, productive, and unstressed employees? 

If that’s your goal as a manager or employer, you need to stop looking elsewhere and read this amazing Employee Engagement guide. 

We feel it’s just the right thing you should start with to build engaged and successful teams.

 

What Is “employee engagement?” 

Engaging an employee is no joke.

We’ve been going through numerous articles looking for that one that can elevate the employee experience in your company.

Employee engagement is a common topic in HR and its popularity has grown immensely over the past four years. Especially since COVID.

The concept of employee engagement should not be confused with happiness. It’s really more about an employee’s psychological investment in their organization and motivation to produce extraordinary results.

In simple words, it’s an emotional commitment employees have to their job, their team,  goals, and their company’s vision.

Remember!

Only an engaged workforce can generate valuable business results. That one link between employer practices and employee performance is – BUSINESS RESULTS. 

Based on those results, we have several different employee engagement types, such as:

  1. Highly Engaged
  2. Moderately Engaged
  3. Barely Engaged
  4. Disengaged

Two women colleagues at work talking. One is dressed in a black sleeveless blazer and tan pants, the other in a baby blue turtleneck and white skirt

Employee Engagement Factors

When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute

Employee engagement is all about emotional connection.

Strategies for employees engagement have in the past focused on rewards such as pay increases, bonuses, or flexible working hours. 

But it’s the feeling-based relationships that have made a difference, and inspired effectiveness, retention, and will to act as an ambassador for your organization

Besides emotional connections, important employee engagement factors are:

  1. Purpose
  2. Psychological safety
  3. Flexibility
  4. Ownership
  5. Development
  6. Recognition
  7. Company values
  8. Work relationships
  9. Communication

Employee Engagement Is Management Issue. The Role Of Managers

Managers play a vital role in increasing the employee engagement level in their workplace.

Good managers fill the role that HR cannot. Managers build personalized relationships with their team members, they empower and motivate their people. 

Here are three things employees want from their managers:

  1. Growth and development opportunities: Prioritizing employee development significantly impacts employee engagement.
  2. Recognition and appreciation: Recognition from your immediate supervisors is often more meaningful and authentic.
  3. Communication and Feedback: Regular one-on-one meetings establish authentic connections with employees, and give managers valuable insight into what motivates (or demotivates) their people.

Man talking and explaining something in meeting while smiling and his colleagues listening carefully

How To Improve Employee Engagement 

Wondering how to increase employee engagement? Here are SEVEN successful employee engagement strategies, based on studies and research.

    1. Thoughtful onboarding: Companies with great onboarding processes boost new hire retention by 82%, and employee productivity by 70%.
    2. Improving communication: Communication is a building block for creating a holistic work environment. ANYWHERE. It encourages teamwork and collaboration.
    3. Recognize efforts and contributions: When employees feel appreciated – they stay. It’s as easy as that.
    4. Prioritize employees’ wellness: Both physical and mental are at stake now, especially after shifting the work-life balance.
    5. Encourage Personal and Professional Development: 76% of employees are looking for career growth opportunities.
    6. Well-defined responsibilities = Clear goals
    7. ASK FOR FEEDBACK!

Employee Engagement DOES NOT Require A Big Investment!

Most startups think that employee engagement programs or practices need a lot of investment. But it’s not true! You don’t have to break your bank to do it.

Companies can improve engagement by paying more attention to their employees. Mainly providing them with a good working environment, the right tools, amenities, etc. 

That is why we’ve created a great employee engagement environment at FOCUS, with tools available all the time, for the price of one membership fee. At FOCUS, you have all you need to get started!

5 Prime Benefits Of Employee Engagement

Why Is Employee Engagement Important?

Well, engaged and committed employees are more productive, motivated, and success-driven. But the employee engagement benefits do not end here. Here are some of the most valuable ones:

  1. Higher retention
  2. Enhanced customer experience
  3. Higher profits
  4. Low(er) absenteeism

Next step?

In our next section, we’ve covered the strategies (backed by data) that will help your company increase employee engagement through office and workspace design. Make sure you check those ones out.

NEW: How Design Is Building a Positive, People-Centric Culture While Working

Actually, we’ve written a lot of handy guides on how to win in the marketplace by investing in your space and making people happy with where they work.

We’re obsessed with keeping employee engagement front and center. You’ll see why once you click HERE.

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