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Your employees are central to your business's success. They talk to customers, answer questions, resolve issues, recommend products, use equipment, and troubleshoot software, giving you more time to manage your business. Yet, despite their importance, many employees feel undervalued. When they don't get job satisfaction, your best workers might start leaving unexpectedly.
Unfortunately, a pizza party or $25 gift card won't restore their morale. Your employees need to know they can count on you for patience, professionalism, and leadership, even in times of crisis. These unique ideas to boost employee engagement will help your workers understand their importance and inspire them to work even harder.
One of the most significant benefits is increased productivity. Employees who feel valued will look forward to coming to work each day and strive to provide the best products and services. They'll take pride in their work and give customers personalized attention. As a result, you'll see increased sales and more five-star reviews.
You'll also notice less workplace drama. Positive people tend to mind their business and focus on their projects instead of badmouthing their coworkers or trying to get them in trouble. When coworkers need help, they're happy to assist with their email, presentation, or difficult client.
Guests will quickly take notice. Once they've received excellent customer service, they'll return and recommend your store to their friends. They'll enjoy the visit because your business surrounds them with friendly, cheerful employees. Likewise, you'll build stronger relationships with investors, vendors, stockholders, and business partners who want to help you succeed.
A happy office also improves your work/life balance. When you're staying on track and producing quality work, you'll spend less time working overtime or rushing to complete deadlines. Instead of worrying about your job while you're at home, you can focus on your friends, relatives, and hobbies.
Even the best office can suffer from low morale if you're experiencing a crisis, such as a massive lawsuit or economic downturn. Other employers place too much pressure on their team or hire managers who insult and belittle their workers. Aggressive leadership might cause a temporary productivity boost, but this behavior will drive people away in the long run.
Signs that you need more employee engagement include:
If you're unsure, ask employees how they feel about coming to work. Make sure they know that they can speak openly without fear of retaliation. When people admit that they dread coming to work, don't enjoy their projects, and avoid talking to customers, they need motivation to start enjoying their jobs again.
As you brainstorm unique ideas to boost employee engagement, it's important to consider your office's needs. You probably have employees who want to advance but don't have the time or resources to make it happen. Start playing an active role in their careers by investing in personal development.
Talk to your HR staff about developing classes, videos, and workshops that teach your employees new skills and prepare them for leadership positions. You could even schedule one-on-one chats where you discuss their goals and offer advice that will empower employees to succeed. Mentoring programs are another way to help leaders connect with their teammates.
Many people want to help others, but can't spare the time or money. Charity events give your employees the resources to help, which makes them feel good about themselves and enhances your business's reputation. To start, gather a list of local charities, then let your workers vote for a cause to support.
Once you've selected a cause, you could offer a donation that matches up to a certain amount. For example, if one employee donates $25, you'll donate another $25 from your company's reserves. Ultimately, you'll total the donations and show your team how much they contributed. You might even get a letter of gratitude from the charity to hang on your wall.
You could also give your employees a few volunteer hours each year. When they find a charity they want to support, they'll leave work for a few hours and get paid while they donate their time. You'll have to collaborate with the charity to ensure your employees are working and not taking time off.
"Employee of the Month" posters have become a sitcom staple, but they encourage productivity and promote a positive working environment by showing your team that you appreciate their efforts. If you want to get creative, hang up a board that lists different characteristics, such as "Dependable," "Courteous," and "Welcoming," then add pictures of employees that exemplify these traits.
Likewise, make sure you're celebrating your team's victories in meetings and emails. When a coworker lands a high-profile sale or gets recognition from the CEO, mention them by name and personally congratulate them for their achievements. You could also discuss overall statistics, such as increased sales or lead generation.
You can foster a positive workplace, but outside circumstances will eventually creep in. Rude customers, family conflicts, mental illnesses, and past traumas strain your coworkers' well-being. If they don't get help, they'll bring the stress to work, which lowers morale and productivity.
For these reasons, many employers are investing in employee wellness programs that offer free amenities, such as therapy sessions, mental health check-ins, yoga classes, nutritional videos, and wellness apps. These won't replace intensive therapy for people with significant issues, but they help employees with the basics and show them that you care.
Your workers might sigh and roll their eyes when they hear "teambuilding activities." Fortunately, teambuilding doesn't have to involve corny challenges or "icebreaker" games. Sometimes, you can encourage teamwork by getting everyone together for a shared activity, such as a meal or a group project.
Hosting a company meal is a great way to start. Free food will grab everyone's attention, and they'll mingle with coworkers from different groups or departments. You could encourage more engagement by hosting a potluck and inviting everyone to bring their favorite dishes. However, make sure you contribute a few entrees to avoid running out of food.
Other ideas include movie nights, bingo games, hiking trips, and trivia groups. Look up local events, then release a sign-up sheet encouraging employees to attend. You might even meet people in your area who could use your products or services.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that many businesses have the resources to let their employees work from home. While some workers looked forward to returning to the office, others preferred working at home in a comfortable environment. This flexibility can improve job satisfaction and boost productivity, allowing your employees to save money on gas.
Consider letting your coworkers choose between in-person and remote work. If you're worried about productivity, you could offer a trial period and evaluate their progress afterward. You could also require them to visit the office once or twice a week, then spend the rest at home.
Most employees look forward to lunch every day. This is the time when they can relax, enjoy a meal, talk to coworkers, and get ready for the rest of their shift. Unfortunately, if your workspace doesn't provide snack options, employees might find themselves rushing to the nearest restaurant, reheating leftovers, or snacking on junk food from the vending machine.
Offering meals at the office gives your workers a selection of tasty, nutritious options that boost their energy, mood, and cognitive skills. Some businesses treat their employees to an in-house daily cafeteria with fresh meals. If this option is outside your price range, install vending machines with healthy meals and snacks instead of potato chips.
You could also reach out to local restaurants and see if they'll give your employees a discount in exchange for increased business. Your team will still have to make the commute, but they'll appreciate the reward for working in your office. They might even invite coworkers to lunch and build stronger relationships.
Periodically, you could order catering for your entire team. This gives them a pleasant surprise and improves everyone's mood for the rest of the day.
For hourly employees, CEOs and managers often feel like distant figures beyond their reach. Hosting Q&A sessions with leaders allows people to talk to their managers, ask questions, request changes, and get valuable insights that help them perform in the workplace. Your leaders will also learn more about their employees' experiences and what they need to succeed.
Ultimately, your employees know what they need better than anybody. However, many people hesitate to talk to management face-to-face, thinking you might retaliate or embarrass them. An anonymous survey allows employees to discuss issues and offer advice without worrying about backlash. Plus, you'll show workers that you genuinely care about their daily lives.
To start, make sure the survey is genuinely anonymous. Look for survey software that protects the employees' responses and doesn't collect any personal information. If a third party got their hands on the answers, they might be able to humiliate your company by exposing secrets, challenges, and workplace drama.
Afterward, create a survey asking specific questions about the workplace experience. Include a combination of star ratings and open-answer questions to keep the survey quick and concise. Most people won't want to spend more than 10-15 minutes on this project, and if the survey goes on too long, they might leave without submitting their answers.
Possible questions that you could ask include:
Avoid loaded questions that sway people's opinions, such as "Why does this office need to start cracking down on discipline?" or "What frustrates you about our newest vendor?" Instead, keep the questions non-judgmental and straightforward to encourage people to share their opinions.
Once the survey closes, you'll review the responses and see which questions or comments keep popping up. For example, if stress is a common complaint, you might want to invest in an employee wellness program. Consider sending a follow-up email to thank everyone for participating and discuss the changes you want to implement.
With these unique ideas to boost employee engagement, you'll have a happier workforce ready to serve customers. However, it's still important to monitor your reputation across the web. Otherwise, you could miss a two-star review or negative article that drives away consumers before you can make it right.
E-Marketing Associates' all-in-one reputation management software suite gathers reviews from Facebook, Yelp, and Google, then places them in one easy-to-read dashboard. You can view your ratings and respond to customers in minutes. Our built-in AI program can generate polite, professional responses if you're short on time.
To learn more, schedule a 15-minute discovery call. We'll discuss the suite's features, such as local SEO, automated review requests, and AI-generated analytics, and how they can benefit your operation.
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