How Can I Improve Employee Engagement Today?
Being a manager is no easy task. Your organization is depending on you to accomplish big things, often using minimal resources. Your day is usually filled with “fire drills,” large amounts of email, paperwork, project deliverables, budgets, stakeholder meetings, customers, and…. I’m forgetting something…. Oh, that’s right – managing your employees!
It’s hard to keep your eye on what matters most when you get stuck on the management treadmill. As a manager, you are judged by the strength of your team and the work they deliver – so shouldn’t we pay more attention to our employees? According to a recent Gallup study, “only 13% of employees worldwide are highly engaged.”* Clearly there is a HUGE opportunity for almost every manager to improve this area!
Employee engagement isn’t something that you can drastically change overnight. There are many components that affect engagement over time, some of which are in your control while others are not. Using Bersin’s model*, the areas affecting engagement are: meaningful work, hands-on management, incredible work environment, growth opportunity, and trust in leadership. In an ideal world, we would all take the time to build a thoughtful, comprehensive plan to address each and every point within these areas – but that’s just not realistic for everyone. So what can you do today to improve employee engagement?
Here are a few things you can do to focus on your employees today and ultimately improve their engagement:
- Be more human
How well do you know each of your team members? Take time to learn a bit more about them personally. Do they have kids? Where did they grow up? What are their hobbies? Where was their favorite vacation of all time? It’s ok to chat about things that aren’t work related. Just make sure to take cues from the employee: be genuine with the discussion and make sure not to get too personal. - Find their inner spark
What drives your team members? What type of work do they prefer? Are they working on the right things, given their skill set, strengths, and interests? Seek to understand what motivates and drives each employee and adjust their workload to fit accordingly. - Get out of the office
When is the last time you took an employee out for coffee or for a walk in a nearby park? A change of scenery can do wonders and help relax conversation. Get out of the office, get some fresh air, and see what happens! - Look to the future
Do you have a 1-year and a 3-year plan for each employee? Do they have these plans as well? If not, use this as a brainstorming activity with them. Dream big and roll with any ideas they have. Don’t critique and don’t judge; use this as time to get to know your employees and how they see their future. - Remember the little things
Do you celebrate employee birthdays and work anniversaries? This is a simple, yet effective way to recognize each person as an individual and to let them know that you care! You don’t have to get elaborate presents – even a card and a cupcake is enough to say “thanks” and “congratulations!” - Offer to help
In your weekly meetings with each employee, always ask how you can help them. Do they need guidance on a difficult project? Do they need your subject matter expertise? Do they need you to exert some management “muscle” to help with an internal stakeholder or customer? Let each team member know that you’ve got their back! - Recognize and reward
When is the last time you spoke up in a department meeting to recognize one of your team members for a job well done? And consider small, frequent tokens of recognition – whether it’s a $5 Starbucks gift card or a pair of movie tickets. Emphasize how much you appreciate their contribution to the team!
Engaging your employees isn’t rocket science. Most of the time employee engagement is related to caring for them and understanding their needs. Using a simple, consistent approach can help you connect with your team and ultimately provide them with what they need. To make things easier, do yourself a favor and automate as much of this as possible. For example, set calendar reminders to remind you about employee birthdays, work anniversaries, and other coaching/engagement activities. No matter how you do it, try something new today!
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B.J. Schone is the founder of Awesome Boss, which provides managers with a unique suite of tools to help them engage, recognize, and reward their employees. Learn more at http://www.awesomeboss.com.
References:
* Simply Irresistible – Engaging the 21st century workforce
http://www.slideshare.net/hrtecheurope/josh-bersin-simplyirresistible2014
