Engaged employees are 34% more happier at work.

Source: Forbes

Employee engagement has always been important for organizations, but with the constantly evolving job market and the rise of remote work, it's now more crucial than ever. Engaged employees are like the swish of a magic wand that can transform a business from average to amazing.

But what is employee engagement, you may ask? It's more than just having happy employees. It's about creating a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected to the organization's goals and values.

Now, you might be thinking, "How can I create a workplace like that?" Don't you worry, for we have some tips to help you out. We'll explore five employee engagement practices that can turn your workplace into a thriving hub of productivity and creativity.

Of course, change doesn't happen overnight, and neither does improving employee engagement. It takes ongoing effort and a willingness to adapt to your business and your employees' needs. But don't worry, we’ll clearly explain how you can crack the code of perfect employee engagement through efficient communication and a bit of careful planning. Let’s get started, shall we?

Employee engagement tells you how connected and invested your employees are in their work and how much they actually enjoy what they do. Employees with higher engagement produce better results and are more happy. They see your company's success as a result of their own personal success, and this relationship allows both parties to thrive. 

Why is employee engagement important?

Engaged employees not only do their assigned work, but look for new challenges and opportunities to improve your business.  Think of it this way: an engaged employee looks at their daily tasks and thinks about how to do them better. The average employee follows procedures without asking, while engaged employees ask questions and suggest improvements to existing processes to get the job done better and faster.

How to develop an employee engagement strategy 

Your organization's goals and the results of employee satisfaction surveys can help guide what employee engagement strategies you implement. Understanding the drivers of employee engagement can also help you narrow your scope. 

 Here are some factors of employee engagement...

•  Meaning and sense of purpose.  
• Job satisfaction. 
•  Psychological safety. 
• Target support and employee feedback.  
• Company culture.  
• Autonomy.  
• Shared values ​​between team members and  leaders.
•  Relations with superiors. 
• Trust and honesty in your management.
•  Relationships with colleagues. 
• Proud of the company. 
•  Career growth opportunities. 
• Salary and benefits package. 

Once you have decided which drivers to contact, the next step is to create an action plan. Think about your budget, the effort involved, and how you can manage and measure engagement success. Go beyond benefits and employee recognition, because today's employees are looking for an emotional connection to their work.

But, what to include in an employee engagement strategy?

There is no one right way to design an employee engagement strategy. These vary according to the values ​​and culture of the company and  the current state of employee engagement. When you start with complete detachment, it takes time to build morale.

To start with, you'd require an employee engagement platform. Meet ThriveSparrow — an all in one employee success platform.

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5 Ideas for employee engagement practices

First: none of these ideas are quick fixes and should only be used once. Employee engagement is something that should be included in your long-term strategy to build and improve your company's culture. There are many strategies and techniques to help you work on employee engagement, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

If you're looking for practical ideas for integrating employee engagement into your workday, first think about what your employees need and see how the tips below can help. If you are looking for benefits, try these simple but effective practices for increasing employee engagement and see how your team responds to it. 

1. Create personal growth plans for employees

Growth and development are the foundation of every career. When employees think they've gotten the most out of their role, they switch off and start looking for new challenges elsewhere. This means that one of the most important aspects of employee engagement is making sure your employees feel like they are constantly growing, learning and being challenged.

It should not be the preserve of senior staff in your organization. Start by creating personal plans for each of them and giving them a road map with instructions to achieve their goals.

You can offer a tuition budget, encourage groups to attend conferences, offer tutoring and courses, or set aside time during the work week for personal development. One thing remains the same, by prioritizing growth and encouraging learning, employees will work harder to find different ways to apply newly learned theories and test more skills.

2. Provide practical ways to act on your company's values

When we share the same goals and values ​​in life as someone else, we feel connected to them. The same is true in professional life. Establish clear and strong values ​​at the foundation of your company and hire people who match and embody them. Not only should you hire based on your company's values, but those values ​​should also be embodied in all the different areas of your organization.

But once we get going, it's often hard to turn them into practical behavior. What does transparency look like in your daily life? How far should courage go? How is accountability practiced in the workplace?

Sit down with your teams and see real, practical examples of how to interpret these values. Practice it. Getting people to understand your company's values, rather than just being aware of them, is a great way to increase employee engagement.

3. Make learning  part of work 

There are probably a dozen interesting things going on in your market or in  sales, HR, marketing, etc. But if you're focused on the day-to-day, it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends, which means you and your team can miss out on a lot of exciting things. 

Get everyone together regularly to keep up with your skills and what's going on around them. Knowing that your team is up-to-date and has the knowledge to do their jobs as efficiently as the current  market conditions allow increased engagement - and working together is even better.  

4. Invest in team building 

Employee engagement is  closely related to intrinsic motivation and is therefore very personal. But don't just focus on the individual. The people around your employees also play a big role in  their engagement. For starters, you can also implement team goals and tie rewards to it. Regular team building activities and making sure  new talent feels welcome and properly introduced will also help. You may want to use an employee engagement platform to  track  your efforts. 

5. Let your employees take the lead 

Delegating tasks is difficult, yes. But it is also important for employee empowerment. It shows that you trust and believe in your employees. Empower employees  to make decisions and hold them accountable for daily tasks. It also speeds up processes: no need to "let me ask my manager". This shows your customers and colleagues that you have highly trained staff that you trust to make the right call.

Wrapping up...

At the end of the day, employee engagement can make or break a business. To ensure long-term success, companies must prioritize this critical aspect of their operations in 2023 and beyond. Fortunately, there are five tried-and-true engagement practices that can transform your workplace into a thriving hub of connection and productivity. By empowering your employees with personal growth plans, aligning company values with practical applications, integrating learning into everyday work, investing in team building, and offering effective management strategies, you can create a workplace that truly inspires and motivates. And the best part? Employee engagement is a constantly evolving process, so you can continue to adapt and improve over time, creating a sustainable and successful company culture for years to come.

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