Employee engagement is the degree to which your employees feel enthusiastic about their role, responsibilities, and objectives. It also includes their commitment to you, their employer, and willingness to participate in different areas of their employment. If many of your employees are customer-facing, employee engagement can be a particularly important driver of your organization’s mission.
Enthusiastic and engaged employees have a positive impact on productivity, morale, and employee retention. They are key drivers of positive customer experiences, brand loyalty, and, ultimately, sales.
On the other hand, disengaged employees can have severe and negative effects on areas of your organization. These can include strained relationships with managers and coworkers, increased turnover, and hampered customer service.
To foster employee engagement, create an environment that supports open communication, employee autonomy, and opportunities for professional development.
This will contribute to an environment in which employees feel valued, supported, and recognized for their contributions. This process of building this sort of environment can vary significantly from organization to organization. However, there are some important questions to ask yourself as you embark on this process.
How Connected Are Employees to their Colleagues?
Feeling connected to and valued by one’s colleagues is an important part of feeling engaged at work. When employees feel like they are part of a team and that their work is meaningful, they are more likely to be motivated and invested in their job. There are a number of ways to foster a sense of connection among employees. These include team-building exercises, company-wide events, and simply ensuring that there is regular communication and opportunities for collaboration.
Do Employees Feel a Sense of Contribution?
Employees need to feel they are playing an important role in the success of the company. When employees feel their work is worthwhile, they are more likely to be engaged in their jobs.
First, consider whether employees understand the company’s mission and how their work fits into that mission. Second, look at the way work is assigned and see if there are opportunities for employees to have more input into the projects they work on. Finally, ensure that you recognize and reward employees for their contributions to the company.
What Level of Autonomy do Employees Have?
If you want to improve employee engagement, examine the level of autonomy you are giving them. When you give employees the opportunity to direct their own work, they are more likely to be engaged and invested in their job. In addition, autonomous employees often have higher levels of job satisfaction and lower levels of stress.
Are There Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities?
When employees feel they are learning and growing, they are more likely to be engaged in their work. They are also more likely to see their company as a place where they can build a career, rather than just punch the clock.
Do Employees Have Access to Shift-Swapping and Self-Serve Portals?
Shift-swapping and self-serve portals give employees the ability to trade shifts, request time off, and view their schedule from their mobile phone or computer. Self-serve portals also give employees the ability to view their pay stubs, update their personal information, and request time off. gives employees more control over their work hours, which can lead to higher levels of satisfaction.
How Much Do They Enjoy Their Job?
One simple, yet effective, way to address employee engagement is to examine how much your employees enjoy their job. Do they feel they have a good work/life balance? Do they feel their talents are being used in the best possible way? Another employee engagement strategy is to focus on communication. Do employees feel like they are able to voice their opinions and be heard?
Achieving Work-Life Balance
Poor work-life balance can quickly create a toxic environment. On he other hand, employees who feel they have healthier work-life balance are more likely to be engaged in their work and invested in their company.
There are a number of ways you can achieve a better work-life balance for your employees.These include flexible working arrangements and assistance programs to help employees manage stress and other personal issues.