For your business to succeed and thrive, you need dedicated and hardworking employees working together in harmony. And to have that, you have to keep your staff engaged. The people you want to have on board are those who are enthusiastic and committed to doing their job.
However, according to a recent study, there are only about 13% of employees worldwide are engaged. This means that the majority of workers around the globe are unhappy, unfulfilled, and unproductive. Employees like these are the ones you should avoid having, as they can cause a string of negative effects on your business.
While these workers can be a source of frustration and can hurt company performance, an effort to improve your people management skills can turn the tide. Here are 7 tips that can help you keep your employees engaged and motivated:
- Communicate with your team
Most disengaged workers are those who don’t feel a strong connection to their company and co-workers, resulting in half-heartedness in doing tasks. To counter this trend of disengagement, don’t treat your employees like strangers. Make it a point to communicate with your workers often in order to build a strong bond with them.
For managers who see their staff every day, don’t hesitate to speak and communicate with your team. Aside from engaging in casual conversations, you should also frequently hold short meetings that encourage continuous exchange of thoughts and ideas. If you have home-based workers or non-desktop employees who work remotely, make sure to keep them engaged by using an efficient internal communication app. Such a tool should incorporate various functionalities like enterprise messaging, personalized updates, polls, scheduling, analytics, and integration with external content channels.
- Get to know your employees
You can develop stronger bonds with your employees by getting to know them better. Since you will most likely spend time with them several days a week at work, why not take the chance to know more about their life outside the workplace—within limits, of course. Ask them what their hobbies are, or if their family is doing well. Moreover, the simple act of remembering the information they share with you shows that you care about them as a person. When employees feel your sincere interest in their lives, they’ll be more motivated and happier working with you.
- Acknowledge successes
People feed on positive reinforcement and praise for confidence, so don’t hesitate to dole them out whenever it’s appropriate. If your team managed to accomplish a difficult project or if a particular employee does an exceptional job, don’t hesitate to offer your congratulations or sincere thanks for their efforts. A simple call or message saying “good job” will do. If the accomplishment is huge, you can invite your team to an impromptu celebratory lunch or dinner. By being an encouraging leader who recognizes others’ successes, you can promote positive behavior and motivate your employees to do even better.
- Train and develop your people
Offering critical training sessions can improve company performance and employee engagement. When an employee is struggling with a task, instead of scolding them, train them. You can be their coach, or you can pair them with a mentor (often a more experienced worker) to hone their skills. During the training period, make sure to track their progress and give positive and constructive feedback. When an employee is given this type of attention, they’ll feel like an essential part of the business.
Business owners also have the duty of providing employees with opportunities that can help them excel in their career. Since employees who feel stagnant in their jobs can lose interest in working, try offering more chances for growth. Try giving them different tasks or assign them to fill in a tough and exciting new job position.
- Don’t exclude your workers
Nothing can discourage employees more than excluding them from important meetings or from playing an active role in your business. Doing this can make your workers feel like their presence and their efforts are useless and unvalued. To prevent this, always keep them in the loop. Treat your employees like business partners who have vital responsibilities in your company. Let them know their significance to your company by including them in meetings and appointments, and by setting clear, challenging, and fulfilling goals for them. Give them opportunities to express ideas and suggestions. When a worker feels that they are an important member of the team that people rely on, they will feel inspired to perform at a higher level. Also offer excellent rewards to motivate your employees to strive harder.
- Listen to their feedback and take action
Hold monthly employee evaluation surveys to know the thoughts and feelings of your team. By doing this, you can yield insightful information about issues that are keeping them from being fully engaged. Pose questions about work satisfaction and effectiveness of policies and strategies. Also ask for suggestions and ideas. Listen to what your team has to say, and if you discover pressing issues, take immediate action. When your employees see that you care about their input and are willing to take appropriate action to solve problems, they’ll be more engaged in their jobs.
As your employees are your company’s greatest assets, it’s imperative that you take some steps to keep them motivated and engaged. By taking these tips into consideration, you can form a strong team of engaged and committed workers that can help your business grow and improve.
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