If you want your employees to feel connected to your organization and willingly contribute their best, you need to notice what’s missing and then take action. You’ve got to meet with your employees and let them know that you want their engagement and you’ll do what it takes to get it.
There are a lot of alarming statistics out there these days about employee engagement. In a Harvard Business Review article entitled, Research Shows a Simple Way to Increase Engagement at Work, written by Michael Parke and Justin Weinhardt, they state that a 2016 poll by the Gallup Organization shows that only 13 percent of employees worldwide are engaged at work. That means approximately 84 per cent of employees are not engaged in their workplaces. But there is a way to tip the scales and get more of your employees engaged.
What does engagement look like?
First, if you’re an organization that wants more engagement, you’ve got to know what it looks like. If your employees are engaged and your organization is doing it right, here are some signs to look for:
- Employees exceed work expectations: they like going above and beyond expectations because they know the organization cares about them so they want to give back.
- Employees stay in the organization for a long time
- Employees want to be promoted internally
- Employees are full of great ideas
- Other employees, clients, or customers have a lot of positive things to say about these employees
- Employees don’t use a lot of sick days
- The team participates in outside activities together
- Your team really enjoys working together to get the best work out there
- Your team isn’t afraid to give honest feedback
- Your employees feel that management is approachable
If you want your employees to feel more engaged, reaching out is key. By taking the time to meet with them to get their feedback on their needs and their work, you’re showing them that they matter — and that’s the first step to engagement.
Here are seven conversation starters that can lead to higher engagement:
- Ask your employees what they believe are their strongest skill sets and what do they enjoy doing the most. Then give them work that matches their strongest skills.
- Ask your employees what kind of work they want to be doing in five years and take actions to help them to get there.
- Include your employees in meetings and workshops that will add to their professional growth.
- Introduce your employees to staff that can help or mentor them to use their strongest skills in new ways.
- Let your employees know that you care about their job satisfaction and progress at work by meeting with them privately every week and setting goals.
- Welcome their ideas and thoughts and use their ideas in the workplace.
- Ask them what would make them feel more comfortable with their colleagues at work.
When employees feel seen and valued for what they give, they give more and they’re happy to do it, because they’re enjoying their work.
