Employee engagement means people are committed to company values, goals, and work. In other words, engaged employees are involved and show up not because they get paid but because they are emotionally invested in the company. An organization that encourages and supports employee engagement will generally perform better.
The Importance of Employee Engagement
Here are the benefits of employee engagement:
Improved Employee Safety
As engaged employees are connected to their workplaces, they become more aware of their surroundings. There are fewer safety incidences in highly engaged workplaces. Rather than worry about whether they are their boss’s favorite or if there is room for improvement, engaged employees concentrate on their tasks.
Boosts Employee Productivity
Employees invested in their work roles have a higher productivity rate than those not. Engagement is a sign of success. Employees who are thriving and feeling good about their support to the company are also proud to work for it, come to work happy and feel valued.
Increases Customer Satisfaction
A person who is passionate about his job is best suited to interact with customers. Passion is infectious, and customers will take note. As employee engagement increases, the more effort they will apply, which results in increased productivity levels, a satisfied sales force, and a great product pitch. Customers have a better experience when interacting with engaged employees.
Improves Company Culture
Engaged employees are easier to work with as they embody the culture of employee engagement. A culture of employee engagement is a workplace designed around its company values. Creating such a culture requires checking in with employees to ensure the company mission aligns with how people work and what they want to work. Recognizing and celebrating the most engaged employees is a step towards developing an engagement culture.
How to Increase Employee Engagement Effectively
Employee engagement can be enhanced through the following ways:
Provide the Right Tools
Employees should have the tools necessary to perform and succeed in their roles, enabling infrastructure. Company infrastructure includes the processes and tools used to work and the organizational capabilities at their disposal.
Assign Everyone the Right Role
Get the right people on board and ensure they have the right roles. This means aligning talent acquisition and retention strategies to company objectives.
Provide Proper Training
A manager or leader expecting to build a culture of accountability and trust should set the team for success. This entails providing proper development and training while eliminating obstacles.
Listen to Employees
Influential leaders obtain feedback from employees and then act on it. This is why annual employee surveys are substituted with monthly or quarterly surveys. There are more performance conversations within organizations. A comprehensive approach to obtaining feedback helps an organization identify and address problems while making employees feel valued.
How to Increase Efficiency in Employees
Flexible Work Hours
Open work hours don’t restrict employees to a fixed schedule. In its place, employees work when they are most efficient and productive. Flexibility may translate to working late for one person or early for another. Allowing your employees to pick their hours makes them happier.
Match Tasks to Skills
Knowing your employees’ behavioral styles and skills is essential to maximize efficiency. For instance, an extrovert creative would be good at pitching ideas to clients. Don’t expect your employees to be good at everything.
Update your Technology
Introduce technology that will increase work efficiency. For example, investing in iPads can help your employees work remotely. Tablets can simplify the receipt of packages and inform employees about guests.
Encourage Team Building
Productivity in the workplace increases when there’s better communication amongst employees. Look for ways for employees to work in groups and schedule time for departmental collaborations. Team building can enhance information flow within the organization.
The Negative Effects of No Employee Engagement
Employee dissatisfaction. Poor engagement is one reason for employee dissatisfaction with their jobs. People want to feel appreciated and vital.
The company stagnates. Engaged employees are innovative and devise ways to move the company forward. On the other hand, disengaged employees are oblivious to company objectives and values.
Reduced returns and increased costs. This is due to disrupted workplaces and company stagnation. Disengaged employees drain a company’s resources and time and may drive away engaged employees.
Hurts collaboration. Employee collaboration encourages creative problem-solving, innovation, and creativity. Employee disengagement negatively affects project collaboration as it makes employees withdraw and keep away from each other. This is why managers should prioritize collaboration.
Taylor McKnight is an Author for Management Training Institute.
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