With employee engagement being one of the main issues employers face in 2020, it’s time for change. Start here to begin your employee engagement journey.
WE ALL WANT A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND ENGAGED WORKFORCE..
..but a lack of employee engagement is still one of the main issues employers face in 2020, with only 40% of employees engaged in their offices. In light of this continuous obstacle for modern organizations, our Wishlist team came up with a few unique ideas for you to use in the office that will help you increase employee engagement.
PRIORITIZE WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Work-life balance is not one-size-fits-all. Balance is going to mean something different for each employee, so prioritize having one-on-ones with your team to see how you can be doing better as an organization to enhance your employee experience. Most times, you will find that a flexible work schedule will be the easiest way to help your employees feel more empowered to get the job done in a time and place that works best for them.
CREATE A WHEEL OF FUN
This one requires some investment, and may even seem a little silly at first, but initiating some casual fun in your office might be exactly what you need. What’s great about the “Wheel of Fun” option is that you can completely customize how the game works, according to the people on your team. However, make sure that whatever prizes you choose for the “wheel of fun” are both a treat and actually feasible. Following through on whatever prize was landed on is key to making this game an enjoyable experience that your employees look forward to every week.
How the “Wheel of Fun” Works:
- Buy a Dry Erase Spinning Prize Wheel.
- Make this your team’s board from day one! Ask for your employees’ input for what should fill the wheel (company perks, fun games, snack & coffee privileges, etc.) Give them a budget for each section & then cast a vote!
- Pick a day of the week for the wheel of fun spin.
- Tie performance into who gets to spin the wheel each week! As a manager, publicly affirm and highlight this employee before they spin, and next week, that employee can choose someone who they think deserves a shoutout to spin the wheel.
- Watch 5-10 minutes of fun turn into more moments of community and engagements.
FIND OUT WHAT INTERESTS YOUR TEAM
Each member of your team has a cause, charity, or hidden interest that you probably do not know about. Taking the time to understand what lights a fire in your employees, whether that’s wellness, sports, recycling, volunteering, etc., will show that you value who they are and not just what they do. Creating a culture like this will set your organization apart from your competitors. Showing your team that you will stand with them in their passions will develop an engaged and loyal organization.
As you figure out what your team is interested in, take the time to initiate educational & growth opportunities surrounding those topics, as well as topics involving your organization’s industry. Here are some ideas:
- Set up Lunch & Learn opportunities about subjects like: “Sustainability in the Office”, “Financial Planning”, “Finding Your Personal Why”, etc.
- Invite a speaker that is well-known in your industry, or ask one of the executives in your company to do a Q&A session.
- Offer subscriptions to online learning courses
- Pay for employees to go to industry conferences
- Provide professional and personal mentorship
SEND OUT AN EMPLOYEE SURVEY
Values create a community where everyone agrees about what really matters. So often, executives and CEOS gather together in an office and dish out a list of idealistic core values that they expect their employees to live by and uphold. But when you do not include your employees in the conversation of what they should value, misalignment is bound to eventually create disharmony. So if it’s been a couple of months or years since you’ve defined what your company stands for, it may be time to refresh and innovate! The first step you can take to feel the pulse of your organization is by sending out a survey that is solely for the purpose of understanding the real, raw experiences and values that your employees have at your company. If you don’t know that something is broken, how can you fix it, right? As a leader, you can never assume that your employees are doing great since you are not in the nitty-gritty of their everyday experience. Sending out a survey will provide you with a wealth of insight, and will give you the wisdom in how to make positive changes and reinvent your core values.
DEFINE EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS
Most employees genuinely want to know how their role impacts the greater good of their organization, so take time to provide a specific, heartfelt vision for each of your employees’ roles. By giving your employees this broad, high-level vision of who they are and what they contribute, they will begin to feel that they are necessary to the success of the company.
PAY FOR PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS
If your department can swing it, pay for your team to get professional headshots. Many employees struggle to afford and find the time to get LinkedIn-Worthy pictures taken of themselves. By investing your resources to enhance your employee’s overall career, you are cultivating an environment where your employees feel taken care of and valued by your organization.
START AN EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM
Our last suggestion for uniquely engaging your employees would be investing in a formalized employee recognition program. Through using a tool that automates employee milestones while also giving your employees the freedom of choice when choosing their reward, you will differentiate yourself as an employer by putting together a benefit or experiential reward package. Learn more about reward and recognition programs here.
Our team knows first hand that cultivating an engaged culture can seem daunting, but we promise you that positive change is possible through meaningful appreciation, community building, and experiential rewards.
