How to build employee engagement

Thursday, 04 August 2011 02:41

How to build employee engagement

How to build employee engagement

It is often said that a happy workforce is a productive one, but achieving the kind of employee engagement that will make that come true in your company is not easy.

In an ideal world you would be able to offer all your workers huge salaries in return for doing jobs they love, while the business rakes in huge profits. Unfortunately, that option isn't realistic for many – or perhaps any – companies.

You will instead need to look at cheaper and more subtle ways to ensure your employees are fully engaged with their job roles and focused on helping the business to achieve its goals.

The benefits to an organisation of having a workforce who are all pulling in the same direction are clear. You can expect better productivity, more innovation and a higher level of service for customers – all things that can help to improve financial performance in the current tough economic conditions.

It can also help improve your staff turnover and avoid the disruption and expense of workers leaving on a regular basis.

There is no magic solution that will bring about employee engagement and it largely depends on the attitude of the staff members themselves and their suitability for their roles.

But you will find there are steps you can take to help your firm's workers get the most out of their jobs. Proper training and opportunities for career development are the basis on which employee engagement is built, but it is important to do more than that.

Among the ideas worth considering is opening up the communication channels to give workers the opportunity to discuss any issues they have and ensure everyone knows about the company's short and long-term plans. The rapport this builds is likely to lead to better morale.

Another affordable option that is often effective is a staff rewards scheme. This does not have to be anything extravagant, merely something that helps workers feel appreciated by the business.

The most effective employee schemes reward people who perform consistently well or who regularly do more than their job description requires of them. They can also be used to recognise long service, helping to persuade experienced staff to stay with the company.

Relatively inexpensive items can be used for the schemes, such as gift vouchers or electrical goods, or you may prefer to set up an online points system that allows staff members to save towards a larger reward.

 

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