4 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement Now

What is employee engagement?

In simple terms, employee engagement is all about putting in place the right conditions, values and tools to bring out the best in your employees. Engaged workplaces are ones in which staff members are motivated, committed, enthusiastic, and they feel valued and appreciated by their managers and executives.

Improving employee engagement can be difficult for any business. Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup, said it best, “To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.”

4 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Here are four tips to help companies improve and enhance employee engagement to create a more satisfying work environment for staff:

1. Use digital motivation.

• Motivating employees in the digital age requires a different approach. Gamification will become the new normal, so consider incorporating game elements now rather than falling behind the curve.
• Many forward-thinking organizations are turning to “gamification” — i.e., the application of game mechanics to certain activities in the workplace to drive positive change and outcomes. Employees readily accept gamification because it’s human nature to want to compete, achieve and be rewarded.

2. Deliver frequent feedback.

• Effective communication, including targeted, actionable feedback, can build awareness and action toward better employee performance.
• Countless studies have proven that frequent, specific feedback increases employee satisfaction, engagement and performance.

3. Support charity and volunteer work.

• Give your employees a day or two per year to go out and volunteer for a cause they support or a cause that your company supports. This will keep your employees engaged while improving the corporate culture and your reputation as an employer.

4. Have an open-door policy.

• For most organizations, an open-door policy is one that expresses to employees that the door is always open (literally or figuratively) for communication and complaints.
• Open-door policies encourage two-way communication. Multiple studies show that communication is the key toward building greater employee engagement, productivity and innovation.
• By keeping an open-door policy, employees will feel comfortable knowing that they can approach upper management. 

Invest in Your Most Valuable Assets

At the end of the day, your employees are more valuable and important to your business than any other asset. People spend a third of their lives at work, and it’s in your best interests to make sure they’re not miserable that entire time. With that being said, employee engagement can have a great impact on your company.

Dan Westmoreland is the director of inbound marketing at Deputy, an online HR and employee management system.