In this article, we will go over the 5 things every leader should do for employee engagement. Therefore, if you’re looking for a couple of tips to increase employee engagement, this is the article for you.
First of all, I would like to start by saying that every leader should strive for engaged employees. The reason being is that engaged employees perform better, more creative, produce more, and satisfied with their job and career development plans. Although this seems obvious, research shows that only 80% of the global workforce is engaged ( Gallup, 2021. State of Global workforce report).
That number is dramatically low, especially considering all the benefits that come with a workforce that is happy and engaged with their roles.
To jump right into it, here are the 5 things leaders should do to boost employee engagement in your organization.
5 leader tips for employee engagement.
1. Recognize and appreciate their efforts.
First, dedicate time, energy, and resources to recognize employees’ work. Think about the time a coworker or boss appreciated your work… Did that not feel great?
All efforts, intentions, and behaviours must be awarded. Moreover, recognise efforts that align with company culture and goals. By doing so, you encourage a repetition of the desired action. Additionally, remember that the small accomplishments make up the bigger picture.
The truth is, we all want to be recognized and feel purpose. For more information on the positive effect of appreciation on the workplace, click here.
2. Value their feedback.
Second, always listen and ask for feedback from coworkers, managers and employees. As a result, feedback becomes constructive and a tool for growth. Additionally, it allows managers to learn from different perspectives.
Moreover, by listening to employees, you give them confidence and trust that pushes them to further boost their performance and career development.
3. Communicate
Thirdly, allow employees to come up with questions, suggestions and ideas. By doing so, you build trust and make employees feel that they provide value to the company.
Dedicate time for employees to talk one to one. Listen to them, and act upon their ideas. Essentially, give employees the trust and confidence to bring up any issues or challenges they might face, and support them to tackle upcoming roadblocks.
4. Empower them
Every human on this planet is motivated by feeling self-fulfilled and happy. The same applies to employees. A motivated employee is one that is working towards a goal and has full support on their career development path.
Empower employees to continuously learn and apply knowledge. Moreover, if an employee asks for a change of direction or role, it is worth the conversation to understand their needs and career goals, and support them to achieve them. By doing so, you give the employees confidence and satisfaction in the steps they are taking to achieve their objective.
5. Involve.
Be clear and concise on how the efforts of their job are having an effect on the company. Recognise and appreciate their efforts. On the other hand, always be transparent on the ongoing issues and problems of the company, so that they can fully understand the scope of their responsibilities.
Now you know the 5 things leaders should do for engaged employees. If you are looking to find a solution for your workplace, have a read on Nais, and consider smart appreciation merged with analytics to understand and boost team performance.
