It’s no secret that positive employee engagement is imperative to running a successful business. Engaged employees are not only more inclined to stay in their place of business for longer—which in turn benefits companies financially—but are more likely to work harder and therefore potentially increase profit revenues.
Not only that but having a company in which employees are consistently engaged creates a positive inclusive, workplace culture with content employees.
In short, at the heart of a happy company are happy employees: those who are switched on to a company’s progress, invested in its success and believers of its ethos. If you’re looking for ways to keep your employees engaged, here are some do’s and don’ts to help you get started.
Get to know your workforce
Do: Ask questions
It’s important to understand that each of your individual employees are just that – individuals. Without necessarily getting too personal, ask about their backgrounds and their families, their likes and dislikes. Showing an interest in your employees can make them feel valued, which in turn makes them more invested in the company.
Don’t: Make assumptions
Like we mentioned above, not all employees are the same. It’s best not to jump to conclusions about any single employee based on another, but rather to get to know them on their own and gauge their interests from there.
Communicate your brand and goals
Do: Clearly outline your goals
You’ll want to be upfront about your company’s goals and targets, as well as how each employee can contribute. Communicating business targets helps everyone feel like a vital part of the team and know exactly where they fit into its dynamics to make the company more successful.
Don’t: Hold back information (where possible)
Employees are much more switched on to difficulties within the company than those in the boardroom might think. Being transparent where possible, letting your employees know the challenges your industry is facing and the ways they can get involved in being the solution is proven to help towards increasing their overall engagement.
Get them involved
Do: Encourage input and communication
Your employees want to feel like they’re part of the team. Encouraging them to communicate their ideas will help them to feel included and to recognise that their work is vital to the wider business.
Each employee is an important and valuable part of your organisation – giving your employees a voice is key to making them feel engaged and connect to your organisation and its mission.
Don’t: Isolate employees
Encouraging teamwork will not only create a more positive atmosphere within your company but can also improve productivity and efficiency, especially when the right team is assembled.
Don’t just throw together a team at random–pair people thoughtfully, matching skills and areas of expertise to inspire creativity.
Considering employee feedback
Do: Listen closely
Employees want to be heard. That’s why it’s important to not just ask for employee feedback but to listen too.
If your employees are the ones constantly interacting with customers, it’s even more important to listen closely to their feedback, as their input will likely give an indication of how your customers are feeling.
Open and honest two-way communication enables your employees to voice their opinions and concerns, allowing managers to provide reassurance where necessary.
Don’t: Ignore your employees
Even if implementing certain employee feedback is momentarily off the cards, keeping your employees in the loop with clear, open explanations of why things must stay as they are should be a priority.
Creating an atmosphere in which your employees feel unheard or ignored is likely to increase staff turnover, as people will seek out an environment in which they feel their needs and voices are respected.
At the centre of every successful company is successful employees, and one of the best ways to ensure success is to engage your employees. Always remember – when you show your employees they are valued, they will go the extra mile for your business and your customers.
This blog post was provided by StaffConnect, creators of a mobile employee engagement app. To discover how StaffConnect can help unify and engage your entire workforce, click here.
