All employers want employees to come to work filled with passion and purpose. However, it is not enough to hire them and give them a salary. An employee must be motivated and committed to his position so that the company can have a good performance and profitable results. Employee engagement is a structured approach that companies have designed to keep employees committed to goals and values. Management should strive to get employees to commit to success and their individual goals, as well as the goals and success of the company.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Collaborate with Employees
Step 1. Let employees make small decisions
To get employees to commit, you must first allow them to make decisions so that they feel empowered, like the partners of the company. You could allow them to give some approvals, run small meetings, or organize sessions without having to ask for approval from management.
- Of course, as a manager, you need to present certain guidelines to them, but this will allow them to be part of the management process, so that everyone can make decisions together.
- If you treat all employees as valued team members, they will be motivated to consistently try their best.
Step 2. Encourage employees to provide solutions and ideas to solve company problems
For example, to talk about how to increase sales to exceed quarterly goals, you can organize a session where employees form teams to present some ideas and possible solutions to improve sales. The sales department manager can be the facilitator leading the discussion. In this way, employees will have the opportunity to give a unique opinion to solve the problems of the company.
Step 3. Get employees involved in different assignments, tasks, and projects
In this way, they will feel that you value their participation and contribution in an important debate, and will be able to demonstrate their expertise and talents.
Step 4. Implement employee ideas if possible
This will show them in a tangible way that their contributions and support are significant to the growth of the company and that, as a manager, you take their ideas seriously.
Step 5. Promise only what you can deliver
Just as you realize what employees do and say, they will also realize if you keep your promises or not and if you give importance to their ideas.
- Employees will feel more committed to you and the company if they see that you keep your promises, so keep them even if they seem small or minor.
- For example, if an employee approaches you for advice or support when you are busy and you promise to contact them when you have free time, follow up and help them later. If you forget what you promised and the employee reminds you, but you make the excuse again that you are busy or do not have time, this could affect their mood and their level of trust and respect for you.
Part 2 of 5: Communicate with employees
Step 1. Inform employees about the company's action plan
This plan should indicate where the company is going and what role each employee will play in getting there. You can't expect employees to work effectively if they don't know what they're doing it for.
By being transparent and open about the overall plan of the company, you will show employees that you trust them. They should not suspect or perceive confusion about the administration at all. If they don't trust or suspect that there are preferences, they will likely lose interest in the job and won't feel comfortable communicating their ideas
Step 2. Organize individual meetings to discuss your expectations
In a dynamic organization, employees need to be aware of their day-to-day responsibilities, but they will only perform well if they know and understand the role they play in the overall vision of the company.
- In individual meetings, they will also be informed if their performance exceeds or falls short of expectations. Otherwise, they will not know that they need to change their behavior. These meetings should be open and friendly, and you should express your expectations clearly.
- One-on-one meetings are also a way to publicize the challenges the employee might be facing that are hampering their ability to do daily tasks. These meetings should be frequent and focused on biweekly or monthly goals.
Step 3. Specify exactly what is expected of an employee in a group or project
Assign some specific tasks to each employee, but make sure they match their skills and job description.
- As a manager, it is not enough to assign tasks; employees must understand exactly what to do and have the training and tools necessary to commit to the task, rather than simply doing it to eliminate it from their list.
- For example, filing taxes seems like a simple task. However, to carry it out, it is necessary to collect information in all the departments of the company, consolidate the accounts and then ask someone to prepare the declarations according to the corresponding format. Clearly, multiple people and skill sets are needed to do this task.
Part 3 of 5: Setting Goals and Giving Constructive Criticism
Step 1. Set clear and realistic goals
A very broad, confusing, or unrealistic goal will demotivate employees, who at the end of the work day should feel like they have achieved small goals, rather than feeling like they will never be able to achieve a bigger, more intimidating goal.
For example, making a small, growing business one of the top ten distributors in a market where there are hundreds of competitors is not a realistic goal. It may be more effective to focus on improving your quarterly sales or dealer list for the year
Step 2. Establish a long-term mission and break it down into small goals
These "small goals" could be monthly or quarterly goals. Clearly relate these goals to a long-term mission. Employees will feel very engaged if they know that their effort contributes directly to the mission of the company.
Step 3. Make frequent performance reviews
In this way, employees will receive direct constructive criticism from management on progress on their goals. Set aside time to tell employees what they do well and what they need to improve.
- There is nothing better to getting an employee to commit than the possibility of a raise or recognition in an upcoming evaluation, so take advantage of these meetings to motivate employees to try harder. The assessment can function as a programmed “reward system”. You can even observe that employees work in a more serious and dedicated way when the evaluation approaches.
- When managers consistently give them constructive criticism, employees feel supportive. By creating a relationship of trust and honesty, employees will be able to speak freely about even their small and unusual mistakes, and will strive so that they do not become bigger problems.
- To encourage growth and development, make some suggestions or ask employees to offer solutions to current problems during or after the performance review.
Part 4 of 5: Support Employees
Step 1. Be grateful when employees do something right
This will make employees feel valued because a manager recognizes their success personally.
You can thank them via a quick email, text message, or a visit to their office or cubicle; This will recharge your energies
Step 2. Celebrate triumphs and small victories
Even if the sales goals were not met because they were unrealistic or some aspects were beyond the control of the employees, acknowledge their small successes. In this way, you will remind them that their efforts do not go unnoticed and you will prevent them from feeling unmotivated or undervalued.
Step 3. Recognize and reward employees who go the extra mile
If an employee works ordinary, follow the regular routine, but when an employee goes the extra mile, be sure to offer recognition and reward.
Reward employees who have achieved goals for one, two, or even five years in a row. She appreciates your long-term focus on company strategy and your continued contribution to meeting daily goals. In this way, you will reward employees for keeping their focus on the company overview while managing their daily tasks
Step 4. Give them the tools they need to do their job well
Whether they need to have the computer equipment properly configured in their cubicle or a practical guide to accomplish a task, employees must feel ready to succeed and not fail.
Step 5. Schedule some training for new or current employees
Employees may not have the skills or knowledge necessary to do the assigned job, especially if they are new or unfamiliar. The fear of not understanding a problem properly can cause them to lose interest and become unmotivated, so you should address that fear through training.
- These sessions should relate the different activities of the company to the specific skills that they must learn. Sometimes leadership and instruction count more than skills.
- For example, it is not enough to train an accountant to prepare tax returns. You should be instructed on the specific way to apply your skills in a given situation or procedure.
Step 6. Offer them competitive opportunities to learn and improve their skills
For example, you can create a schedule for the most efficient employee to travel abroad for paid training. In this way, employees will be motivated to try harder and improve their skills.
Step 7. Create some reward programs for referring other workers to the company
As an employer, you should encourage employee promotion to see how effectively they can serve customers. Take some steps to encourage promotion, as this will help your employees become representatives of the company.
Employees who frequently attend networking events or external industry meetings are the best advocates and representatives for the brand. They will spread the reputation and loyalty of the company and help you spread the brand
Step 8. Organize volunteer or community involvement programs
Today, young employees are interested in how the organization helps improve society. Compared to shareholders, they are less concerned about the financial performance of the company. Instead, they want to know the impact of the company on the environment.
If the company engages in the community in a positive way, employees will remain committed to their daily work and to the overall authority of the company
Part 5 of 5: Create a Social Work Environment
Step 1. Organize events, meetings and parties in the office
These events will allow employees to talk about their work, meet employees from other departments, and exchange their perspectives and views on their jobs.
- A study has shown that workplace relationships play a critical role in employee happiness, even greater than employee-boss relationships. Additionally, individual self-esteem will increase if employees listen to their colleagues and peers praise them in a positive and friendly environment.
- Keep in mind that many employees are more accepting of social events started by their peers and not by management.
Step 2. Encourage employees to carpool and promote weekly lunches in the office
This will help create working bonds between employees and allow them to get to know each other outside of the workplace.
Step 3. Begin each meeting with an informal conversation or small talk
You can take a few minutes, perhaps at the beginning of the meeting, to talk about something non-serious or listen to someone's personal experience. This will keep employees looking forward to meetings and staying engaged.
Step 4. Keep the office clean and in good repair
Sometimes minor issues, such as routine maintenance of common areas or even a coffee machine breakdown, can distract employees from concentrating and performing. Address these small issues and promote smooth office operations to reduce distractions and ensure that employees work in a well-groomed, well-managed, and interesting place.