3 Tips to Increase Employee Engagement

According to Gallup data, just 34 percent of workers in the U.S. are engaged at work. This is a troubling statistic, as research shows that employee engagement correlates with productivity, customer service, and profitability. 

In other words, if you want to turn a profit, you need to engage your staff. So what should an organization do?

For starters, pay attention to your employees. If employees feel like their voices are heard at the highest levels of an organization, that is a great first step. 

It is not enough, however, so here are 3 tips to keep in mind when developing your employee engagement strategy.

Tip #1: Invest in Infrastructure

Your employees need the right tools to get the job done. According to many reports, the proper organizational infrastructure is the most important factor in driving employee engagement. 

If your employees are struggling, for instance, with inadequate software and scouring the Internet for solutions, it is time you make an assessment of the tools you provide them.

What are your employees trying to get done? What obstacles are in their way? What are the possible solutions? 

Asking and answering these questions will go a long way toward encouraging employee engagement.

Tip #2: Provide Training

It is not enough to simply tell your employees what you need accomplished. You may need to show them how, which is why training is critically important for employee engagement.

Training allows employees to acquire new skills, sharpen existing ones, improve their performance and increase productivity. With proper training, your employees will also be better able to manage themselves. 

Investments in training also help to identify weak employees, many of whom rely heavily on others to complete basic work tasks.

If you want an engaged staff, you need to help them make improvements that not only benefit the organization, but themselves as lifelong learners. Concisely put, a well-trained and supported staff will perform better.

Tip #3: Listen to Your Employees

It is one thing to pay attention to your employees, but another thing entirely to really listen to them. Employee engagement is the result of active and intentional listening, which encourages more feedback.

One way to solicit feedback is to text your employees a link to a satisfaction survey. Generation Z and Millennials, for example, are increasingly interested in providing feedback to employers. Employees also expect this sort of dialogue with their employers.

Build continuous feedback into your workflow process so discussions around improvements become an ongoing part of your everyday conversations with your staff. 

If you can encourage feedback from your employees in a systematic way, you increase the chances they will remain engaged in their work and your organization’s mission.