"It goes without saying that when employees are not engaged at work, their performance and overall productivity, as well as that of the organization, plummets. When employees are engaged, they go about their work with so much enthusiasm and commitment that get things done and, in turn, secures the bottom line.
The need to increase employee engagement is on the rise: Gallup data shows that only about 34 percent of US workers - and 13 percent globally - report that they are engaged at work. These figures reflect on the profitability and the overall success of organizations. According to Hay Group, a management consulting company, organizations that rank high in their employee engagement scores have a revenue growth rate 2.5 times higher than companies that rank lower.
There are several reasons why organizations may not focus on employee engagement: from organizational conflict, poor cohesion among workers, to job market unease. However, a lot of employers are beginning to take this issue seriously - A recent survey by Bersin by Deloitte showed that more than 85% of employers globally believe engagement is important.
Here's the good news: These business leaders can improve workers' engagement without spending large amounts of money. Here are some approaches to drive engagement in the workplace.
Provide the Right Resources
Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 2016 rates this as the top driver of employee engagement and refers to it as providing an "enabling infrastructure". The resources and tools employees work with can influence their productivity and engagement. Lack of effective tools or use of tools that slow down completion of tasks can impair engagement. Employees need the right equipment and resources to complement their skills and enthusiasm.
Give Attention to Each Employee
What works for one employee to boost engagement may not work for the other. In a multinational, multi-ethnic workforce, engagement approaches should differ for each worker. Managers can simply ask each person to find out what each employee wants, which roles they thrive in, and what motivates them. This help managers and supervisors tailor their communication styles to each individual's needs and personality.
Listen to Employees
It takes an effective leader to listen to their workers and act on that feedback. This could be done in form of quarterly or monthly pulse surveys to help an organization identify areas that need to be addressed, what burdens the employees face, and what personal or administrative factors prevent them from doing their jobs more effectively.
Provide Training
Providing training and coaching creates an atmosphere of continuous development and communicates to workers that the organization values them and believes in their potential. This makes employees feel they play vital roles in a company and that the company is serious about investing in their future. This, in turn, boosts their level of engagement.
Coaching also drives engagement, as it reinforces a company's commitment to building its workforce. Investing in this fosters loyalty from workers, reduces turnover and attracts new talent into the workforce.
For instance, The Container Store, a U.S. retail chain company, provides over 250 hours of training in each worker's first year of work. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Fortune Magazine rates the company as the best places to work for 17 years straight.
Encourage Friendships
When employees feel a deep sense of togetherness in the workplace, they are driven to take steps towards achieving individual and collective success. HRs can foster closer connections with and between workers by sponsoring low-cost events. For example, at Timberlane, woodworkers built a beanbag toss game that workers use during company parties and other social events.
Give Employees some Control
If employees do not have any control over their work, they are likely to feel uncomfortable and put less of themselves in their work. People want to have as much control as possible over their work. This implies that employers give their workers some autonomy and control over some decisions.
Once workers feel their voices can be heard and they can influence some decisions concerning their work, they feel empowered, motivated, and engaged.
Challenge Them
Employees should always be reminded of the vision, mission, and core values of an organization through yearly, monthly individual and organizational goals. If workers feel that their work has a long-term impact and it's pivotal to achieving a result in the big picture, they feel more enthusiastic about their work.
Reward Progress
Every person wants to feel acknowledged and appreciated, and this applies to a work environment. For instance, at Disney, workers are rewarded for providing customers with a magical atmosphere to have fun, and this keeps them motivated and wanting to do more.
Again, employees need to listen to their workers to find out what works best for them and what kinds of rewards hit home for them. Some will feel most appreciated with a thank you note mailed to their homes or via email, others will feel most appreciated with fanfare. Employers should tailor rewards based on what each individual finds more meaningful.
Bottom Line
Employees are humans and at the end of the day, how well they perform is often tied to how well they are engaged at work. Companies that focus on building their employees often have the best results, in regard to performance and financial returns, and this is simply because keeping employees comfortable and happy with their jobs creates an atmosphere for peak productivity.
