8 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement in the Workplace

Updated December 22, 2023

If you’re reading this, you’re likely asking yourself “why is employee engagement important?”. Employee engagement is critical to motivating and retaining a workforce. When you have engaged employees, they display enthusiasm, involvement, and commitment to their jobs, and to the company as a whole.¹ An engaged employee who is invested and passionate about their work is also an employee who is committed to the company and who has an emotional connection to the people that they work with.

Recent studies by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) clearly demonstrate the link between an effective employee engagement strategy and increased productivity, where employees who are more engaged in their work are more likely to help the company achieve its goals.² Employee engagement is also an effective way to measure and manage employee satisfaction and employee perspectives on the workplace and company culture.³

The Benefits of Improving Employee Engagement

The cascade of benefits that come from improving employee engagement translates to higher employee retention and improved company revenue. According to polling and analytics firm Gallup, companies with low employee turnover rates and high employee engagement see an 81% decrease in absenteeism, and a 23% increase in profitability, and are better able to meet their overall strategic business objectives as a result.⁴

In the era of the “Great Resignation,” ensuring job satisfaction through engaged employees is an important part of creating a great company culture and employee experience, as well as growing a productive and successful business. Here are 8 ways to improve employee engagement across your organization.

1. Create an effective onboarding process

Onboarding is the perfect time to connect employees with the company’s mission, vision, and values. Employers can use an onboarding checklist and highlight engagement initiatives to show prospective employees what sets their company culture apart and how they will be playing a vital role in moving the organization forward.

2. Give employees meaningful work

When employees find meaning in their work, they’re more productive, happy, and engaged. Job satisfaction is a critical component of employee retention and productivity, as well as a positive employee experience.

3. Evaluate processes and address inefficiencies

Ask employees about daily challenges and look for solutions. Effective employee feedback, through employee surveys and employee engagement tools, helps ensure employees have the resources they need to problem-solve and contribute to improving processes and procedures.

4. Prioritize feedback

Employees feel more valued when they believe their voices are being heard. Management should create a safe channel for employees to share honest feedback and hear their opinions and concerns.⁵ Employees who receive daily feedback from their managers are three times more likely to be engaged than those who receive feedback once a year.⁶ Establish good communication in the workplace by determining a regular schedule of employee feedback based on what works best for the employee.

5. Train employees to succeed

Encourage employees to grow within the company by supporting them as managers and leaders. Managers should make a concerted effort to learn and care about their employees’ career goals. Finding cross-training or career development opportunities for employees within your company will make them less inclined to seek growth opportunities elsewhere.⁷

6. Recognize employees and reward them

Employees are happier when their supervisors and colleagues recognize their hard work. Engagement initiatives that acknowlede achievements and reward employees for a job well-done improve employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. If you are looking for employee recognition ideas, celebrating Employee Appreciation Day can be a great opportunity to kickstart an employee recognition program.

7. Promote a healthy work-life balance

Make sure employees take breaks during the work day, and encourage them to use their available vacation days – both are great ways to prevent burnout and boost physical and mental health.⁸ Management should also consider allowing employees to adopt a flexible work schedule so that staff can work where they’re the most productive – at the office or at home.

8. Organize team activities

Employees want to feel connected to their colleagues and the community around them. Setting up opportunities for employees to connect with each other, whether it’s a virtual game night, a lunch outing, or a volunteer opportunity, helps build meaningful connections and a stronger company culture.⁹

Facilitating Employee Engagement with Smart Technology

Companies continue to make the mistake of approaching employee engagement as a sporadic exercise rather than an integral part of the management function. Surveys continue to show that many employees remain disconnected from their work – with only 35% of workers in the US falling into the “engaged” category when it comes to their job.¹⁰

Given these stats, having an effective employee engagement strategy is critical to business success, improving company culture and productivity in a way that translates to better customer service and customer satisfaction. How can smart office technology help? A variety of tools are available to help companies improve communication, build trust, and increase productivity and engagement.¹¹

• An employee engagement survey offered through companies such as Energize, QualtricsXM, and Gallup can be used to conduct regular employee engagement assessments and ensure the success of company initiatives.
• Employee recognition software is an increasingly useful tool that allows managers and employees to acknowledge and recognize the good works of colleagues. Services such as Cheers for Peers make it possible for employees to quickly recognize each other and celebrate successes as a group.
• Rewards distribution via commercial lockers lets companies deliver rewards safely and securely to employees. By using a parcel locker solution, they can retrieve goods at their convenience when they’re next in the office!

To find out more about how our electronic locker solutions can help deliver MORE for your employees, contact a Parcel Pending representative today.

Sources:

1. Heinz, Kate, and Matthew Urwin. 16 Effective Tips to Improve Employee Engagement. www.builtin.com. October 4, 2022. https://builtin.com/employee-engagement/how-to-improve-employee-engagement
2. Qualtrics XM. Employee Engagement at Work: Definition and Examples. www.qualtrics.com. https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/employee/engagement-engagement-guide/
3. Gallup. What is Employee Engagement and How Do You Improve It? www.gallup.com. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/285674/improve-employee-engagement-workplace.aspx
4. Ibid.
5. Schooley, Skye. 10 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement. www.business.com. November 29, 2022. https://www.business.com/hr-software/employee-engagement/
6. Gallup. What is Employee Engagement and How Do You Improve It? www.gallup.com. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/285674/improve-employee-engagement-workplace.aspx
7. Energage. 13 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement. www.topworkplaces.com. May 13, 2001. https://topworkplaces.com/how-to-improve-employee-engagement/
8. Heinz, Kate, and Matthew Urwin. 16 Effective Tips to Improve Employee Engagement. www.builtin.com. October 4, 2022. https://builtin.com/employee-engagement/how-to-improve-employee-engagement
9. Schooley, Skye. 10 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement. www.business.com. November 29, 2022. https://www.business.com/hr-software/employee-engagement/
10. Gallup. What is Employee Engagement and How Do You Improve It? www.gallup.com. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/285674/improve-employee-engagement-workplace.aspx
11. Schooley, Skye. 10 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement. www.business.com. November 29, 2022. https://www.business.com/hr-software/employee-engagement/