Employee engagement describes the relationship between an organization and its employees. It measures employees’ mental and emotional connection to their work, team, and the organization. While an engaged employee has a positive attitude toward their work and employer — leading to strong job performance — a disengaged employee’s negative attitude can lead to costly coasting or actively damage the organization.
Many factors influence employee engagement, like an employee’s relationship with their manager and colleagues and their personal life situation and well-being. To help employees feel more connected with their work, and improve employee engagement, here are seven tips you may use to encourage or nudge employees along.
- Help them understand your organization’s ‘why.’ It’s one thing to read a company’s mission statement; it’s another to study why it does what it does. When your employees understand your organization’s purpose, they can better align their work with its impact. This understanding can foster a greater sense of purpose and higher engagement. McKinsey finds that “…when employees feel that their purpose [aligns] with the organization’s purpose, the benefits expand to include stronger employee engagement, heightened loyalty, and a greater willingness to recommend the company to others.”
- Foster colleague connections. Engaging with coworkers is one of the best ways to help employees feel more connected to their workplace — something that is more challenging and less spontaneous in hybrid work and work-from-home environments. Harvard Business Review (HBR) reports that “When you identify with [your colleagues]. . .you’re much more likely to be happy with your organization.” So whether your team works remotely or in-office, encourage one-on-one get-to-know-you calls. It’s also worthwhile to schedule other types of events and get-togethers, in-person or virtual, to expand social work connections.
- Identify employee strengths and weaknesses. Understanding strengths and weaknesses can help employees identify areas where they can contribute the most to the organization. Gallup found that “When employees are explicitly encouraged to use their talent [to pursue] a goal, individual engagement improves (from 9% to 15%) as does team performance and the company’s business metrics…” Increase employee self-awareness by encouraging your team to study what they do best, what makes them unique, and how to apply that knowledge. This might mean volunteering for special projects or participating in different work activities.
- Set specific goals. Encourage employees to set goals that align with the organization’s objectives. Goals can help employees stay motivated and focused. This might mean learning a new skill or tackling a tough assignment. Researchers find that “Based on hundreds of studies, the major finding of goal setting is that individuals who are provided with specific, difficult but attainable goals perform better than those given easy, nonspecific, or no goals at all.” Individuals must also possess sufficient ability, accept responsibility, and receive feedback related to their performance.
- Encourage self-care. Engaging in work is nearly impossible if employees struggle with physical or mental health. If you want to increase engagement, encourage employees to prioritize their well-being. This may involve getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising, and caring for their mental health by connecting with others, spending more time outside in nature, speaking with a therapist, or taking appropriate medication for a diagnosed mental health condition.
- Celebrate accomplishments. When was the last time you celebrated employee achievements? Taking time to celebrate work and personal successes can foster a positive work environment and a sense of pride in your work and team. Reflect on what led to the successful outcome, acknowledge employee strengths and hard work, and express gratitude to the folks who helped.
- Invite employees to participate in the organization’s culture. To feel more connected to an organization, employees should invest in its culture by participating in company events or roundtable discussions, joining a committee, or volunteering for an event or project. Employees can take advantage of company benefits like paid time off for volunteer work or mental health activities. They can provide thoughtful responses in employee surveys and offer honest and constructive feedback to HR and leadership when appropriate.
To improve employees’ mental and emotional connection to their work, team, and organization, help them to better understand your organization’s Why and how their role fits in. Encourage employees to participate in your organization’s culture and connect with colleagues. Inspire them to take care of their physical and mental well-being, and provide programs to help employees identify their strengths and weaknesses, set personal goals aligned with their job, and celebrate successes.
