What Can Managers Do to Improve Employee Engagement?

Do you ever feel like your employees are just going through the motions? Like they're not really putting their all into their work? Unfortunately, this is a common issue faced by many managers. But don't worry, there are things you can do to improve employee engagement.

In this blog post, we'll discuss a few strategies that have been proven to boost employee motivation.

Employee engagement is one of the essential human resource functions in a company since it drives productivity.

According to Gallup, only 36% of employees are engaged in the U.S in the first half of 2021.

Do you consider putting effort into the engagement of your team members? In that case, it's definitely worth it because improvements in employee engagement strongly correlate with the advances in sales, productivity, employee retention and absenteeism, and revenue growth.

According to a report published by Watson Wyatt WorkUSA, highly engaged employees could yield 26% higher productivity, lower turnover rates, and attract more talent. They reported that their companies with highly engaged employees performed 13% greater total returns for the shareholders over the last five years.

Managers are at the forefront of a company's main production line. They can be the critical factor in driving their subordinates to become more engaged and boost productivity.

Understand what employee engagement is and why it matters

Managers must understand the importance of employee engagement. It's not simply something fancy that HR pushes to conduct some silly activities.

Employee engagement is the level of enthusiasm and commitment employees have towards their job and company. When employees are engaged, they're more likely to be productive, creative, and motivated. They're also less likely to leave their job or company so it will save you on the recruitment costs of new employees and your time.

The company's culture and values.

Employees want to feel like they're part of a team that shares common values and goals. If they don't feel like the company is living up to its values or disagree with them, they're likely to be less engaged.

To create a strong sense of culture and community, companies should create values that everyone can agree on and strive to live up to.

Some ways to do this include:

• Encouraging employees to share their ideas and feedback

• Making sure everyone feels like they're part of the team

• Fostering a sense of community through events and social gatherings

• Providing opportunities for employees to give back to their community

• Creating a company mission and vision that employees can get behind

Job satisfaction.

If employees aren't happy with their jobs, it will be hard for them to stay engaged. They need to feel like their work is meaningful and contributes to the company's overall success.

Some companies have started using "job crafting" to help employees find more satisfaction in their work. This involves making minor changes to how a job is done to suit the individual employee better. For example, if someone doesn't like doing paperwork, they might be given other, more creative tasks.

Employees who are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to be engaged and productive. So managers need to find ways to help their employees find happiness in their work.

The Boss.

The boss is the most crucial person in the office. As a manager of your team, you set the tone for the entire workplace, and employees look at you for guidance.

Employees are more likely to be engaged if they have a good relationship with their supervisors. They need to feel supported and encouraged and that their ideas are valued. It's important to maintain mutual respect with your subordinates, and you should assure them of being there for them to help them grow in their careers.

The work itself.

Employees need to be assigned challenging and exciting tasks and projects to stay engaged. If they're doing busy work all day, they'll get bored and lose interest.

Recognition and rewards.

Employees love getting recognition for their work, and they also appreciate being rewarded with bonuses, paid vacation time, work at home privileges, and free meals.

Recognition and rewards are essential elements in any employee motivation strategy. By providing employees with recognition and rewards for their efforts, you can create a positive work environment that encourages employees to perform at their best. There are several different ways to provide recognition and rewards, so it's essential to find the best approach for your organization.