Use these four simple employee engagement ideas to increase motivation and ensure strong company commitment.
Company success directly depends on the engagement of its employees. Along with the company visionaries, employees make the magic happen but without full commitment to company values and goals, the magic slows to a halt.
Walt Disney always comes to mind when I’m thinking about employee engagement ideas because he has been so successful. Disney’s employees are a great example of committed and engaged employees. At the theme parks, all workers are called “cast members” because Disney World is a sort of production that requires the full engagement and excitement of everyone involved in making it happen.
Imagine if you took your child to Disney World for the first time and an employee was unpleasant and clearly unhappy doing their job. What if Cinderella was rude and seemed uninterested in meeting her guests? The magic would be shattered — all because of one employee who wasn’t engaged in the company mission. Keeping your employees engaged and motivated to uphold company values is important to success.
Here are four simple employee engagement ideas that may just help your company become as successful as Disney.
1. Emphasize Balance
Your work life and your life outside of work should be kept separate. Evidence suggests that spending too many hours on work can increase stress levels and is harmful to your personal health. Despite this knowledge, most of us enjoy being available 24/7 just in case something comes up. According to a recent survey conducted by Workfront, 37% of respondents have been deprived of important life events because of the belief that they are expected to be available all the time.
Leaving your work behind you as you walk out the office door every day allows employees to relax and enjoy life outside of work. Remember when you were in elementary school and you had that one teacher that didn’t give any homework? That was a great feeling because you knew that you only had the school day to do your best work and didn’t have to worry about what you accomplished once you got on the school bus.
Employees in workplaces with this same ‘no homework’ philosophy feel more energized and ready to work when they are in the office because they have a set time that they know everything must be finished before they leave. They can put their full effort into a project because they know there won’t be any surprise tasks later on.
2. Encourage Wellness
Healthy, happy employees are going to be more productive than those who are not. Exercise is proven to be a mood-booster and for most people can provide a feeling of accomplishment. In my office, we are encouraged to be healthy while we work. We all approach wellness in different ways, but as a whole we definitely see an increase in productivity.
Personally, I replaced my desk chair with a large yoga ball for core-strengthening and balance training. One of my co-workers has a stand-up desk converter so that she doesn’t spend so much time sitting. I feel more focused and engaged knowing I’m contributing to my health while I work.
The trend toward health is growing – 85% of large U.S. companies offer some kind of workplace wellness program according to a recent Gallup poll. When your body is healthy, your mind can remain focused on productive work.
3. Promote Positivity
Everyone is more productive when they are in a good mood. If employees feel positive about the work they are doing, and the company in which they are doing it, they are more likely to contribute to the success of the organization. Simple things like high-fives for jobs well done and inspirational quotes posted on desks are ways to promote a positive company culture.
Creating an environment where there’s employee enthusiasm for what they are contributing to the company makes everyone feel they are important and what they are doing matters. Going back to the Disney example, think about how important positivity is to that company’s success. If employees didn’t have positive attitudes about their contribution as cast members, the company would crumble. No one likes a grumpy princess!
4. Increase Responsibility
I worked as a student office assistant in college in an office dedicated to student engagement. When I started my job, I didn’t enjoy it very much because of the mindless tasks I was being given. I felt like I was being underutilized as an employee, and I asked for more responsibility. My employers started to give me larger responsibilities such as planning events, developing marketing, and writing the monthly newsletter. These tasks were much harder than answering phones and making copies but nevertheless, I enjoyed them more.
Having tasks that were more meaningful gave me a renewed sense of dedication to my job. I was more engaged, which in turn made me a more productive member of the team.
Sometimes, it’s the simple things that can make the most impact on your employees. Keep these employee engagement ideas in mind when working to increase motivation and productivity in the workplace.
Make sure you connect with your employees on a regular basis in order to stay informed on their productivity, commitment, and level of engagement. Ving is an innovative way to communicate with employees on their engagement.
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