It can be challenging to keep employees engaged, especially senior managers who may have years of experience and are used to a particular way of doing things. But keeping your team members engaged in their roles is essential to retaining their talent and expertise. And every leader knows that employee retention is much cheaper and simpler than acquisition.

Senior managers can be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed regarding employee engagement. After all, there are so many different ways to approach it, and no one strategy is guaranteed to work for everyone. But that's why it's essential to explore as many options as possible and find the ones that fit your team best.

Poised explains employee engagement in more detail and provides dynamic ideas that can help transform company culture below:

What Is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement is a term used to describe the level of an employee's motivation, commitment, and satisfaction with their job. It's often used interchangeably with the term "employee retention."

There are a few key components that contribute to employee engagement:

1. Communication: Employees need to feel like they're in the loop regarding company decisions that will affect them.
2. Recognition: Everyone likes to feel appreciated for a job well done. Acknowledging employees' efforts is a vital part of engagement.
3. Development: Employees want to know that there are opportunities for growth within the company. They'll be more engaged if they feel like they're progressing in their careers.
4. Fairness: Employees need to feel like they're being treated fairly, both in terms of compensation and workload.
5. Purpose: Employees must believe what they're doing is important and makes a difference.

Why Does Employee Engagement Matter?

The concept of employee engagement has been around for many years, but it's only recently that organizations have begun to really focus on it. Employee engagement is crucial because it directly impacts both the productivity and profitability of a company.

There are a few key reasons why employee engagement is so critical:

1. Increased Productivity: Engaged employees are more productive employees. They're also less likely to take sick days and are more likely to stay with the company for the long term.
2. Improved profitability: Engaged employees are more likely to create new ideas and innovate. They're also more likely to provide excellent customer service, which can lead to repeat business. Companies with engaged workers see profits 21% higher than companies with low morale and participation.
3. Lower turnover: Engaged employees are less likely to leave the company. This saves money on training and recruitment costs, and it ensures that experienced employees are sticking around. Voluntary turnover in the United States costs companies $1 trillion dollars nationwide annually. 
4. Better safety records: Engaged employees are more likely to follow safety procedures and take precautions to avoid accidents.
5. Improved public image: Engaged employees are proud to work for the company and will speak positively about it to others. This can attract new customers and talent.

How Can Employee Engagement Strengthen Your Team?

It's hard to overestimate the importance of employee engagement. When your team is engaged, they're more productive, innovative, and likely to stick around.

But what can you do to foster employee engagement? As a senior manager, you have a unique opportunity to lead by example and create an engaging work environment.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Communicate openly and frequently: Your team should never feel in the dark about what's happening in the company. Make a point to communicate regularly, whether it's through one-on-one meetings, team meetings, or company-wide announcements.
• Encourage feedback: Make it known that you're open to hearing feedback, both positive and negative. This will help create a culture of two-way communication and mutual respect.
• Recognize and celebrate successes: When your team achieves something great, let them know you noticed and appreciate their hard work. Public recognition is a powerful motivator, so don't be afraid to give it.
• Address problems head-on: If there are issues within the team or company, address them directly. Ignoring problems will only make them worse.
• Promote a healthy work/life balance: Encourage your team to take advantage of their vacation time and make it clear that you don't expect them to work 24/7. A healthy work/life balance is essential for job satisfaction and engagement.

How Can Employee Engagement Change Company Culture?

When it comes to employee engagement, company culture is everything. Positive company culture can engage employees and make them feel motivated to do their best work. On the other hand, a negative culture can lead to a team’s disengagement and make employees feel unmotivated and uninterested in their work.

Employee engagement has a lot of benefits for company culture. When employees are engaged, they feel more connected to their work and the company’s values as a whole. This can lead to a more positive culture, where employees are motivated to do their best work and are happy to be a part of the company.

Positive company culture can also improve employee retention rates, as employees feel more committed to a company that makes them happy and engaged. In other words, employee satisfaction and engagement spark productivity, creativity, and all the good stuff!

Employee Engagement Ideas That Make a Difference

Many companies have seen results from various approaches to increase employee engagement. Below are a few examples of how different organizations have succeeded in engaging their employees.

Google is known for its innovative and forward-thinking approach to business, and it's no surprise that the company also has a strong focus on employee engagement. One way it achieves this is by offering a variety of perks and benefits, such as free meals, on-site childcare, and generous vacation policies.

The company also encourages employees to be creative and innovative by giving them the freedom to work on their own projects. This helps team members to remain engaged in their work and feel like they're making a valuable contribution to the company.

Marriott International is a large hospitality company that understands the importance of employee engagement. The company offers a variety of training programs and development opportunities, which helps employees feel invested in the company's success. Marriott also hosts regular employee events like holiday parties and charity events, creating a sense of community and allowing employees to socialize with one another outside of work.

Team Speech Coaching

Giving a speech can be daunting for many people, especially if they're not used to public speaking. Team speech coaching can help your employees feel more comfortable giving speeches. Additionally, professional development programs help retain employees, with 53% of workers saying that would encourage them to stay at their current post. 

When you provide team speech coaching, you're essentially helping your employees practice and improve their public speaking skills. You can do this through one-on-one coaching sessions or group workshops. 

There are many benefits to team speech coaching, but one of the most important is that it can help boost employee engagement. When employees feel more confident in their ability to give speeches, they're more likely to be engaged with their work. They'll also be better equipped to take on leadership roles and contribute to company meetings and events. 

If you're looking for a way to help your team improve their speaking skills and overall communication performance, Poised's AI-powered communication coach may be just what you need.

Poised is designed to help employees of all levels of experience and expertise. Using artificial intelligence, the coach can provide personalized feedback and tips to help employees improve their communication skills during video calls. Plus, the coach is available 24/7, so employees can get help whenever they need it.

Virtual Coffee Breaks

Another way to increase engagement among your employees is through virtual coffee breaks. Set up a specific time and place for employees to gather online for coffee and conversation, and you might be amazed by how it helps to build relationships and satisfaction among employees.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting up virtual coffee breaks:

• Make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to participate. No one should feel left out or excluded from the conversation.
• Create ground rules for the conversation. This can help to ensure that the topics are respectful and constructive.
• Make sure that the conversation is focused on coffee. There should be no work talk during the break!

Establishing virtual coffee breaks can go a long way in fostering trust, communication, and collaboration, ultimately strengthening relationships in the workplace.

Collaborative Projects

If you're not already doing so as a senior manager, start encouraging collaborative projects. These projects can be anything from working on simple team-building activities to a company-wide initiative.

By doing so, you'll help boost employee engagement and morale. Keep these tips in mind to kickstart your collaborative projects:

• Implement an employee engagement strategy: Design a framework to increase collaboration, communication, and connection among employees. By doing so, you'll create a more positive work environment that employees will be more likely to enjoy coming to each day.
• Consistently encourage team collaboration: Create opportunities for employees to work together on projects, brainstorm ideas, and provide feedback to one another. Your team will feel more connected to one another and to the company as a whole.
• Consistently encourage team communication: Ensure all your employees have equal opportunity to share their ideas and thoughts with one another.
• Promote a positive work environment: Keep the workplace clean and organized, provide employees with the resources they need to be successful, and offer opportunities for employee development.
• Make each project an opportunity for employee development: Ensure that your collaboration projects foster your team members' development. Investing in your employees and helping them to grow in their careers will show that you value their contributions to the company. Employees who feel like they're constantly learning and growing are more likely to be engaged with their work.

Pulse Surveys

If you're looking for a way to increase employee engagement, pulse surveys may be the answer. Pulse surveys are a type of survey that is used to collect feedback on a regular basis (usually weekly or monthly). This allows you to collect feedback on a variety of topics and get a real-time view of what employees are thinking and feeling.

Peer-to-Peer Praise

Praise from a manager is great, but employees also value praise from their peers. In fact, studies have shown that peer-to-peer praise is more effective at increasing employee engagement than manager-to-employee praise.

One way to encourage peer-to-peer praise is to create a system where employees can give each other shout-outs for a job well done. This could be as simple as setting up a Google Form or using a tool like Slack. Giving employees the ability to give praise will not only make them feel good, but it will also increase the overall level of engagement in your organization.

Company Clubs

Do you have any company clubs or groups? If not, you may want to consider starting one. Company clubs and groups are an excellent way to promote team building and improve employee engagement.

Some examples of company clubs or groups are book clubs, sports teams, and volunteer groups. These clubs and groups give employees a chance to socialize with each other outside of work and build relationships. If you're not sure where to start, consider surveying your team to see what type of club or group they would be interested in joining.

Weekly All-Hands Meetings

All-hands meetings are great for keeping employees up-to-date on company news and announcements. These meetings also give team members the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback.

If you don't already have weekly all-hands meetings, consider starting them. You can use these meetings to provide updates on company progress, share upcoming plans, and address any concerns employees may have.

Become a Better Manager With Poised

There's no denying the importance of employee engagement for all companies. Following the tips in this article will help you to spark engagement among your team and boost productivity across your entire organization.

Keep in mind that Poised helps business leaders in a wide range of industries become more effective communicators and managers, ultimately improving employee engagement. Harness the power of our AI communication coach to create a more positive and productive work environment for your team.

Sources: 

Managing Employee Recognition Programs | SHRM

How Do Ben & Jerry’s, Google and Facebook Boost Employee Engagement and Happiness? They Know Why | Forbes

Is Manager or Peer Recognition More Impactful? | HRD Asia

Employee Engagement on the Rise in the U.S. | Gallup

Measuring the Real Cost of Employee Turnover | Midlands Technical College

The impact of professional development on employee retention | UMass Global