Engagement is far more than simply being happy at work. Whether you have your employee engagement strategy right for your staff is measured by how connected workers feel to their organization and, more importantly, their loyalty and dedication.

According to research by Zenefits on more than 600 UK businesses with 50 to 500 employees, 63.3% of companies say retaining employees is more complicated than hiring them. 

Working on employee engagement can help your organization retain employees and boost staff satisfaction. It helps organizations understand employee sentiment by tracking employee feedback through dynamic surveys and polls.

In this article, you will learn the importance of keeping your employees engaged and the tricks and tips for understanding the power of positive emotions on employee satisfaction, commitment, and overall productivity.

Let’s begin!

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is a human resource (HR) concept that describes a worker’s enthusiasm and dedication toward their job. 

Positive employee engagement happens when the staff care about their work and the company’s performance and feel that their efforts make a difference. They consider their well-being linked to their performance, thus instrumental to their company’s success.

While all companies may define employee engagement according to their own needs, the essential characteristics of an engaged employee are:

• They are passionate about their work and take pride in their job.
• Engaged employees have a positive attitude toward their work and their colleagues. 
• They are enthusiastic and energetic, which helps create a positive work environment. They are adaptable and can easily adjust to changes and new challenges in their work. 
• They are flexible and can work effectively in different environments. 
• Engaged employees share their knowledge and expertise with others and support their colleagues. 
• They are loyal to the company and rationally and emotionally connected to their organization.

Best Ways To Improve Employee Engagement

Here are the top ways to improve employee engagement:

1- Value the individual effort

The management should always recognize their employees’ efforts and contributions to the company’s overall goals and direction.

Your staff will improve their engagement towards their work if they know that their efforts impact the organization. Showing employees that smaller contributions can help build larger goals is essential.

You can use top employee experience software to keep a bird’s eye view of what’s happening in your company and make data-driven decisions to boost employee performance and loyalty.

2- Better communication

Set aside time each day to talk with employees or join them during coffee breaks to engage with them.  

This way, you make employees feel like you are part of the team while displaying leadership traits rather than simply being a boss. Experts agree that team communication is super valuable.

3- Create a more positive working environment

Finding creative ways to keep your employees engaged will help keep them more motivated and can help rectify any possible harmful working environments experienced by your staff.

It can be very demotivating if the workplace is full of conflict or, for any other reason, is not a positive place for your staff. 

One way to find out how they feel about their environment is by getting feedback in the form of employee surveys so that you can more fully understand any problems they are experiencing, which makes for a hostile workplace.

4- Reward efforts

A few simple low costs but high-value rewarding tactics can work wonders when inspiring your team. Present a coffee shop voucher or an employee of the month award.

By recognizing and rewarding your staff regularly, you are affirming them that they are appreciated, which will persuade them to work more.

5- Be Flexible

Flexible working has revolutionized the way both employees and employers work. Many small businesses have dropped the conventional nine-to-five working day completely.

New technological innovations such as video conferencing, super-fast home broadband, and smartphone phones have made it much easier for employees to stay connected during a working day while giving them the flexibility of better managing their work-life balance.

6- Clear progression

Providing clear progression opportunities is one of the best ways to keep motivation high and your employees consistently engaged.

Giving them a snapshot of the future gives them a chance to aim high and keep working towards an end goal.

7- Leaders Should Set a Good Example

Employees will often look up to their managers as workplace role models. Leaders should show the characteristics and behavior they expect all workers to have.

Statistically, when that happens, employees will be more engaged and focused. They are also much more likely to stick with your company rather than jump ship to work for the competition.

8- Ensure Managers Are Approachable

Employees may need more confidence to do an excellent job if they feel managers need to be more approachable. Your organization’s leaders should be friendly and open to new ideas and feedback. 

If a worker suggests improving something, don’t dismiss it. If they need help improving specific skills, help them with personal development.

Conclusion 

A positive workplace where employees are consistent and motivated is paramount to the organization’s success.

Ensure your staff feels content, listened to, and has clear career goals. A positive working environment is crucial to their growth and, subsequently, the growth and success of the company.

Ensuring your employees feel that their work and efforts are essential to the company’s success will keep their morale high and encourage staff loyalty.