The rules of the modern workplace have changed. Flexible work schedules, remote work, and other new ideas for employee engagement continue to revolutionize workplaces. These are welcomed changes for the average employee, with 63% of workers favoring work-life balance over high salaries!
Still, if you want to adapt to the times as a manager, firing up and engaging your employees looks a little different now. Here’s what you can do to improve employee engagement in your workplace!
1. Be Flexible
Yes, we need an HR handbook so everyone knows expectations, but you can’t hide behind a policy when a situation calls for empathy and compassion rather than blind compliance. As a manager, allow yourself to lead with empathy and compassion when the situation calls for it.
2. Spend Time With Your Employees
Managers who schedule regular time with each employee (that is not about discussing their performance) as a priority will see the most engagement. This is not a checklist item; get out of the office and grab a coffee to build a relationship rather than only talking to employees when they’ve made a mistake.
Remember, 82% of employees consider leaving a job because of a manager. Building that relationship is essential for retention.
3. Spend Even More Time With New Employees
Onboarding employees goes beyond the first week and should continue for at least a year. Meet with your employees frequently, both formally and informally. They don’t only have to spend time with you, have employees spend time with other leaders in the organization, people from different departments, and other employees who can offer mentorship.
4. Learn Employee Strengths
To improve employee productivity, take the time to learn each employee’s unique strengths. The goal is to connect them to the work they can use their strengths daily. This will turn your enterprise into a well-oiled machine and boost engagement along the way!
This might include advocating for promotions or even lateral moves that help employees thrive. You may be “losing” a good employee on your team but the company will benefit and your employees will be happier.
5. Set Clear Expectations
Communication expectations and boundaries are essential in the workplace. Make sure to set these ahead of time, especially when trying to build closer relationships with employees.
Culture is even more than what the written rules and expectations are but also all the unwritten rules of the organization. Be clear on what is okay, what’s not okay, and why in order to skip past mis-communication and misunderstandings.
6. Bring People Together
When we’re only heads down focused on getting work done, people may not get the chance to interact. Employees that interact across different departments and build connections at work have a better understanding of the importance of their work to the success of the organization.
Find ways to schedule less-formal connection time where you can bring everyone together to help everyone build these critical relationships.
7. Lead By Example
If you take away any employee engagement tips from this list, let it be this; lead by example. Nothing breaks trust and employee morale than the realization that the leaders in the organization aren’t holding themselves accountable to the same standards they expect of their employees.
Set clear boundaries and expectations with your team and then hold yourself to a higher standard, otherwise nobody will follow you.
8. Invest in Ongoing Development
One of the best things you can do to improve employee engagement is to invest in the ongoing learning and development of your employees. Create opportunities and invest in programs that help your people learn and grow.
The more they can grow, the better your workplace transformation will be.
Improve Your Employee Engagement Today
Now is the time to take action and to implement these employee engagement tips to improve your company’s workplace culture. The role of managers continues to evolve, so it’s essential to continuously tend to the their leadership development in order to keep your employees engaged!
Stay up to date with our latest tips for your business, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!
