According to recent studies mentioned by HR Technologist, a mere 15% of employees across the world are effectively engaged. In other words, a huge 85% of employees are inclined to do just the bare minimum with their work, even if they might be generally satisfied with it.
It’s a worrying statistic for businesses – not least because, if they turned the tide on employee engagement, they could slash employee turnover by 65%. As losing good staff can lead the costs of recruiting and training replacements to add up, you have a strong incentive to follow these tips.
Make your workplace a friendly, vibrant community
If your employees see their workplace as largely just a soulless building, it’s no wonder that their engagement can falter. However, fostering a stronger “community feel” and camaraderie among your staff can encourage them to look forward to turning up there every day.
Statistics show that nearly 90% of workers deem their relationship with co-workers vital to their job satisfaction. This is especially applicable in the case of women, as 63% of ladies with a best friend at work are engaged; of those women without one, just 29% are engaged.
Allow your staff to smash the glass ceiling
No-one wants to feel like they just keep hitting a brick wall instead of advancing, whether in life or work. For this reason, it should probably come as little surprise that, according to 86% of millennials, training and learning opportunities at work would keep them away from the exit door.
Of course, one risk of making such opportunities available is that staff taking advantage might “grow out” of your company. Still, it’s a risk worth taking – especially as, if you look after an employee to this extent, they could opt to return or refer other talented workers to your firm.
You’re not keeping on top of advances in workplace tech
Another tried-and-tested method of engaging workers is supplying them with the tools and tech they need to excel in their jobs. However, you could be inadvertently failing to do this if you haven’t updated your office’s tech infrastructure in a while, perhaps on the “if it ain’t broke…” principle.
Thankfully, updating the computer platforms in your workplace doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, the right tech’s beneficial influence can quickly permeate the ranks.
Consider the example of LifeWorks, which offers a comprehensive wellbeing platform capable of engaging with an entire workforce. LifeWorks’ UK website is at https://www.lifeworks.com/uk/.
You’re failing to provide regular feedback
Resist thinking that simply a once-a-year performance review would suffice; expert opinion suggests that you should be conducting reviews more frequently. This means providing constructive feedback, where necessary, to workers and discussing their career goals with them.
Such diligence can “give early warnings of dissatisfaction, allowing for an opportunity to change course if warranted,” explains David Stevens, executive vice president of corporate relations at Valor Global, in an article by CIO. He recommends twice-yearly check-ins with employees to provide “a sense of interest in the employee’s success”.
