One of the top investments that any company can make is the hiring and also the maintaining of employees that are truly engage in all aspects of their work. A great employee obviously will make a significant positive impact on your company and spending money on great employees can improve the bottom line more than just about anything else on which you spend money.
Finding good employees is one thing, but keeping them happy and engaged is just as critical to make sure you can retain them for the long term. Here are five effective activities you can use right now to make sure you get the best results out of your most valuable resource.
1. Make A Mark On Milestones
Everyone enjoys having their hard work recognized, and it's one of the least expensive and most effective motivators out there. In fact, recognition often outperforms monetary rewards as a motivating factor for employees.
While a private pat on the back is always appropriate, recognition goes even further when others learn about it. Make a habit of recognizing successes "publicly," by making announcements, handing out awards, and citing names and accomplishments in company publications and on the website. For employees who consistently outperform, reward them with a promotion and increased job responsibilities.
2. Encourage Open Communication
If you could create a venue for employees to be able to air out views regarding subjects related to work, they will know they are heard therefore causing them to be fully engaged in their responsibilities. This step actually can ensure your employees truly feel that they are an important part of the company. Any employee aiming to make a difference will keep in mind the long-term business strategy and will be on the front lines making the goals a reality. They often also provide valuable insights which should not be missed by senior managers.
Create and promote multiple ways employees can learn about what's going on in the company and opportunities for them to offer feedback or suggestions that will actually be heard and considered. For example, consider a company newsletter, a regularly updated intranet, or a monthly "Letter from the CEO," which poses questions to the employees and gives them an opportunity to respond straight to the top. This kind of interaction boosts engagement and goes directly toward improving the bottom line.
3. Make Progress Reports Truly Updated
Communicate the company's goals clearly, and then keep employees apprised of how they're doing in helping to reach those goals.
An employee shouldn't need to wait until their annual performance review to know how they are doing. The best company leaders offer continuous feedback so their employees always know where they are excelling and where there is an opportunity for improvement.
While C-level executives are often privy to reams of big data about the company, employees are always interested in how their individual efforts are affecting the organization's progress. If you want your employees to be thoroughly engaged in the success of the company, consider them among the group that "needs to know" all the high-level information executives use to keep their fingers on the pulse of the business.
4. Focus On A Good Cause
Many companies have found a strategic corporate philanthropy program or employee volunteering initiative to be one of the most effective employee engagement activities available, as it combines team building, skill development, and leadership along with the positive feelings that come from doing good.
If you want to achieve the best on both fronts you can always give employees the liberty to choose which causes are important for them and give them the choice of either giving monetarily or through volunteer works. You can provide employees with an update on how their cause actually fares just as you would with any other corporate business initiative.
5. Have Fun Together As A Team
Don't fall into the trap of pushing your employees toward higher and higher levels of productivity and efficiency without taking into account the need for rest, relaxation, and balance. Make it a point to set aside times for employees to have fun.
Even the most engaged and effective employees will burn out if pushed too hard, so it is essential to make having fun a part of the overall culture they're supporting. Use holidays, corporate milestones, or even just random events as opportunities for employees to let their hair down for a while and just enjoy each other's company in way that isn't focused on business.
Finding good employees is one thing, but keeping them happy and engaged is just as critical to make sure you can retain them for the long term. Here are five effective activities you can use right now to make sure you get the best results out of your most valuable resource.
1. Make A Mark On Milestones
Everyone enjoys having their hard work recognized, and it's one of the least expensive and most effective motivators out there. In fact, recognition often outperforms monetary rewards as a motivating factor for employees.
While a private pat on the back is always appropriate, recognition goes even further when others learn about it. Make a habit of recognizing successes "publicly," by making announcements, handing out awards, and citing names and accomplishments in company publications and on the website. For employees who consistently outperform, reward them with a promotion and increased job responsibilities.
2. Encourage Open Communication
If you could create a venue for employees to be able to air out views regarding subjects related to work, they will know they are heard therefore causing them to be fully engaged in their responsibilities. This step actually can ensure your employees truly feel that they are an important part of the company. Any employee aiming to make a difference will keep in mind the long-term business strategy and will be on the front lines making the goals a reality. They often also provide valuable insights which should not be missed by senior managers.
Create and promote multiple ways employees can learn about what's going on in the company and opportunities for them to offer feedback or suggestions that will actually be heard and considered. For example, consider a company newsletter, a regularly updated intranet, or a monthly "Letter from the CEO," which poses questions to the employees and gives them an opportunity to respond straight to the top. This kind of interaction boosts engagement and goes directly toward improving the bottom line.
3. Make Progress Reports Truly Updated
Communicate the company's goals clearly, and then keep employees apprised of how they're doing in helping to reach those goals.
An employee shouldn't need to wait until their annual performance review to know how they are doing. The best company leaders offer continuous feedback so their employees always know where they are excelling and where there is an opportunity for improvement.
While C-level executives are often privy to reams of big data about the company, employees are always interested in how their individual efforts are affecting the organization's progress. If you want your employees to be thoroughly engaged in the success of the company, consider them among the group that "needs to know" all the high-level information executives use to keep their fingers on the pulse of the business.
4. Focus On A Good Cause
Many companies have found a strategic corporate philanthropy program or employee volunteering initiative to be one of the most effective employee engagement activities available, as it combines team building, skill development, and leadership along with the positive feelings that come from doing good.
If you want to achieve the best on both fronts you can always give employees the liberty to choose which causes are important for them and give them the choice of either giving monetarily or through volunteer works. You can provide employees with an update on how their cause actually fares just as you would with any other corporate business initiative.
5. Have Fun Together As A Team
Don't fall into the trap of pushing your employees toward higher and higher levels of productivity and efficiency without taking into account the need for rest, relaxation, and balance. Make it a point to set aside times for employees to have fun.
Even the most engaged and effective employees will burn out if pushed too hard, so it is essential to make having fun a part of the overall culture they're supporting. Use holidays, corporate milestones, or even just random events as opportunities for employees to let their hair down for a while and just enjoy each other's company in way that isn't focused on business.
About the Author:
Sebastian Troup likes writing about philanthropic solutions for businesses and non profit organizations. For further info about setting up workplace giving campaigns, or to find some employee giving campaign ideas, please go to the Truist website today.
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