Team Up Events 5 Handy Hints to Improve Employee Engagement. According to Gallup, only 13% of employees across the globe are actually engaged at work. This statistic is troubling, as a lack of employee engagement can have a lasting impact on your business. Employees who are engaged are happier, perform better, increase profitability, have passion for their work, and are more loyal, resulting in lower turnover. They are willing to go the extra mile, stay late, and are more creative and innovative. It’s easy to see that improving employee engagement is vital to the success of your business.

So how can you engage your employees more without investing a lot of time or money? Here are our 5 Handy Hints to Improve Employee Engagement.

Model engagement yourself

Your employees look to you for cues. If you’re disengaged and unenthusiastic about the project or the work, they’ll feel the same. Be focused and excited about coming to work every day, show them that you’re not afraid to pitch in or admit your mistakes, and you will inspire your staff to follow your lead. Let them see you working, interacting with employees, offering help and direction rather than spending most of your time behind closed doors. You’ll increase your approachability factor and will motivate employees to engage more with others.

Communicate openly

Be clear with the goals and expectations of a project so there is no uncertainty and everyone is on the same page. Thank your employees and openly acknowledge their contributions and successes. Involve your employees in the inner workings of the company. They will feel pleased that they are trusted with this sensitive information and will become more invested in the business. Keeping them in the loop also gives them the sense that everyone is on the same team and narrows the gap between manager and employee. Survey your staff and listen to their ideas for improving existing systems, products, team strength and performance, and team culture.

Give them work that has meaning

Learn who your employees are – what makes them tick, what their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations are. Help them realize their career goals by giving them opportunities to tap into their potential and grow and advance within the company. Let them run with an idea and participate in the decision-making process, rewarding them for their ingenuity and creativity to show them you have faith in them. Ensure that they feel their work is valuable; employees who feel they are doing meaningful work that matters are more engaged in the process.

Ensure a good work-life balance

Overworked employees are not engaged employees. People need time off from work to have fun and spend time with their families. Give them breaks and they will come back renewed, refreshed, and ready to dive back in. Ensure that your employees feel well taken care of, with a positive team culture, competitive compensation and benefits packages, and flexibility in their schedules. They’ll feel more secure in their jobs and will be happier and more productive since they don’t need to spend their time worrying about personal situations that may arise.

Check-in with long-term employees

Your senior employees are at a high risk of lowered engagement due to fears of stagnation or feeling undervalued. Ask them how you can engage them better; and what steps they would like to take at this point in their careers. Don’t forget to praise and reward them for a job well done. Check their salary and compensation packages to make sure they are in line with the current market rate to show that you value them and their contributions. Younger employees will also see that you treat your senior employees well and will be more likely to want to remain with the company long-term.

Team Up Events specialises in developing team culture and improving employee engagement by positively contributing to the growth and prosperity of New Zealand work place businesses though the delivery of world class Team Building experiences. For more information contact Team Up Events today.