The term employee engagement refers to the level of an employee’s commitment and deep connection to an organization. Employee engagement has been proven to be a key driver of business success in today’s highly competitive marketplace.
When an organization is filled with engaged employees, it leads to high productivity, and employee retention and It is a key to customer satisfaction. But when an organization has a whole lot of disengaged workers who feel little or no real connection to their jobs, it can spell doom for the organization as such workers would always want to do the bare minimum and not give their all to any given task.
They are less likely to work hard or meet the expectations of their job role. Their level of apathy and lackluster attitude toward work can cost the organization a huge loss in their revenue. These types of workers are more concerned about the pay they receive than doing the actual work they were hired to do.
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Employers must understand that engaging employees in the workplace is critical for retaining valuable talent, as employees who are more engaged in their work are more likely to be highly motivated and remain committed to their employers.
Unfortunately, a lot of organizations have lost touch with the basics. They must understand that employees want to feel like they are part of the vision of the business and not just there to do certain jobs to get paid. It is not just enough to post the mission statement on the company’s website, employers must see the need to be integrated into the company’s vision and values which should be evident in their day-to-day business operations.
One may be tempted to ask, how can a manager develop and sustain employees for proper engagement in the workplace.
Here are three (3) ways to develop and sustain employee engagement;
1.) Recognize and Reward Employees: When a manager recognizes and rewards employees for their massive input towards the success of the organization, they feel valued. It gives them the impression that their efforts do not go unnoticed. Rewarding employees might not necessarily be in the form of an award or cash, it could simply be a “thank you for a job well done”, or a handwritten appreciation note. Naturally, humans love to be recognized and rewarded for their good work which often spurs them to give their best. Therefore, it is ideal for managers to adopt this style into the workplace culture to be able to develop and sustain employee engagement.
2.) Encourage Feedback: Providing feedback is important in the workplace because it makes employees feel like they are part of something great. One secret is, when employees feel like they are part of the company, they become more engaged with the company’s vision and values. Giving and receiving feedback fosters employee engagement. Rather than always giving feedback as a manager, let there be a paradigm shift by asking your employees for feedback on what they think about certain things. When doing this, don’t try to get defensive, instead, focus on what you can learn and implement from their feedback.
3.) Consistent Communication: The one fact about employees in the workplace is that they want to always be in the know. I.e they want to always be updated on the latest development in the workplace, which is the ideal reason why managers must consistently communicate with their team members and update them on everything they need to know. By doing this, they will feel part of the company and more engaged in carrying out their duties. Good communication boost teamwork and leads to better project collaboration. Maintaining effective communication ensures that the management and team members are on the same page.
Final Thoughts
Managers must see the need to properly engage employees because it is very crucial to the success of an organization. Organizations need to have effective engagement strategies in place, such as; Encouraging feedback, Consistent Communication, etc because it creates a better work culture, reduces staff turnover, increases productivity, builds better work and customer relationships, and impacts company profits.