How to Keep Your Employees Engaged

Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202% (Source: Gallup). A national study by Dale Carnegie Training placed the number of “fully engaged” employees at 29% and “disengaged” employees at 26%, meaning 71% of employees are not fully engaged or productive. It’s a beneficial trail for companies to recruit, hire and maintain engaged employees. This can be accomplished faster and easier when using Applicant Tracking and Onboarding software. The below flow chart shows you a brief breakdown of how increased employee engagement will ultimately lead to higher levels of profit.

Employee engagement is defined as the emotional and functional commitment an employee has to his or her organization. Engaged employees put discretionary effort into their work because they are not only satisfied but motivated to do so. Now let’s throw out some interesting statistics. According to the Harvard Professional Group, the relationship between an employee and their direct manager is the number one indicator of job satisfaction. 75% of people voluntarily leaving employment don’t quit their jobs; they quit their bosses. (Source: Roger Herman) There are many ideas to increase employee satisfaction and engagement, but here are the most beneficial.

Relationship with the Immediate Manager

An employee’s relationship with their immediate manager plays a huge factor in being happy and productive at work. They need to feel appreciated, respected and valued. How can you ensure this happens as the immediate manager? Mold your employees’ personality traits with your managing style. Find out how they prefer to be rewarded and given constructive criticism. Maybe they feel accomplished after closing that big deal with a client when given an email blast shout-out, or maybe they prefer the opportunity to wear jeans on a day other than Friday. Remember to communicate and stay transparent. Keeping your employees in the loop will show you respect and trust them. Sharing updates and prospective ideas could be a great tool your employees can use to stay ahead of the game and adapt successfully. To create a bond, say your employee's name as often as you can. Studies have proven everyone likes hearing their own name. Lastly, don’t micro-manage. Trust your Human Resource Managers; they likely used a sophisticated Applicant Tracking software to ensure that they have hired the right employee to get the job done effectively and efficiently. Give your employees space to work and see what they can accomplish. When an engaged employee feels the freedom and respect from you, they will impress you. Read “4 Team Building Strategies Every Leader Should Implement” to learn more on excelling as a leader.

Give Them the Tools to Succeed

Have you ever been told to call a specific client but weren’t given their contact information, including their name? How are you going to get their name and phone number? Stress and feelings of letting the company down due to not getting the task done efficiently take over. When given the right tools, an individual is prepared and the opportunity to succeed is limitless. You might not realize it, but proper tools can be as unique as a mouse pad, a comfortable chair appropriate for good posture, continued training, or even endless amounts of coffee. What are the tools needed for your employees to commendably get the job done?

Have the “Work Hard, Play Hard” Motto

I’m sure you’ve heard the motto, “work hard, play hard”, and this is believed to be true with the link between the desire for success in both work and play.  Permit your employees to enjoy a lifestyle outside of the work day and they will be more motivated to succeed at work. It’s all about balance. Allow them to attend their son’s first baseball game if they come into work early. Give your employees volunteer time off to show your company cares about the community and to give your employees the opportunity to feel good giving back. Enjoy networking at Happy Hour with coworkers. Do you have other ideas to keep the “work hard, play hard” motto alive? As long as your company follows the “work hard, play hard” motto, it will keep your employees engaged and more profit produced.