5 Winning Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement and Maximize Work Performance

Making sure 5-employees have all the resources they need to succeed in their professions is perhaps one of the most crucial factors in employee engagement, yet it is also one of the most undervalued. It is referred to as providing enabling infrastructure and ranked internationally as the top engagement driver?in Deloitte's Global Human Capital Trends 2016 report. Don MacPherson, a partner in the employee engagement business at Aon in Minneapolis, argues that a company's infrastructure encompasses the tools and procedures employees need to do their tasks as well as the organizational capabilities they have at their disposal. Employee productivity is hindered, especially in huge businesses, he claims. The level of employee engagement is impacted.

For instance, 5 employees may grow irritated if security standards mandate that they memorize four or five different passwords in order to access the software they need to perform their tasks. They probably stand to gain from easier procedures, andhe the business.

Business is becoming more complicated, according to MacPherson. However, in a world that is constantly changing, productive employees must be able to react swiftly. This is making sure that all employees have the proper tools and aren't working in a setting that is so ineffective or bureaucratic that they can't do anything. Companies are better positioned to survive disruptive market situations when their people have both the resources to adapt to a changing world and the psychological investment in their professions, according to him.

Finding the strategy that will work best in a multinational, multiethnic, and multigenerational workforce is a difficulty in increasing employee engagement. There's a chance that each person's response will be unique.

A people and culture specialist at Timberlane, a shutter manufacturer with 70 employees in the Philadelphia region, administers a test from The Predictive Index to prospective employees to assess their unique characteristics. She discusses the findings with the management so they are aware of things like which new hires crave public attention or who detests addressing large gatherings of people. The information is also used to match workers with the jobs they are most suited for. One salesman flourished when given the opportunity to educate new hires as a change of pace from his regular desk job.

According to Yanulavich, the survey results also assist the organization in making hiring decisions for certain positions that will result in increased engagement. Additionally, the outcomes support managers' understanding of their own communication preferences and team motivation.

However, some preferences seem to be practically universal. Increasing autonomy and responsibility at work can result in better levels of engagement for many people. The freedom to choose when and how they finish tasks frequently spurs people to produce their best work. Thankfully, a lot of employers seem to be doing that correctly.

More than just helping employees acquire the skills required for their jobs, cultivating a culture that encourages ongoing development benefits everyone. Additionally, it shows how much the company appreciates its workers and how much it believes in their potential. According to Brad Shuck, high levels of engagement levels correlated much with an employee feeling their employer is investing in their future.

Fortunately, developing a worthwhile development program doesn't require a huge training expense. Cross-training personnel is a priority at Timberlane Inc. so that staff members can learn not only their own occupations but also the jobs of others. For instance, to have a deeper grasp of the company and how it functions, office personnel occasionally spends a few hours on the factory floor sanding or putting together blinds.

Another essential component of involvement is coaching. That is the situation at Yum! Brands, situated in Louisville, Kentucky (the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, and other restaurants). To help the 130,000 corporate employees select talents to grow, midyear development plans and 360-degree appraisals are provided. A crucial part of the development process is played by managers. By advising managers to avoid cancelling one-on-one coaching meetings and, if necessary, to reschedule them as soon as possible rather than letting them slide, HR leaders assist enhance the efficacy of coaching. That demonstrates the company's dedication to its personnel.

Given that today's workforce is characterized by frequent job-hopping, several firm leaders are concerned that offering extensive training options no longer makes sense. However, according to, the CEO of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based consulting firm Results Thru Strategy, investing in employees can increase their engagement and loyalty as well as assist the company to attract fresh talent. For instance, The Container Store offers each employee more than 250 hours of training during their first year on the job. And not by chance,, Fortune magazine has consistently ranked the company as one of the finest places to work for the past 17 years.

According to Aon's 2016 Trends in Global Employee Engagement research, effective leaders actively listen to their teams' input before taking appropriate action. That's one of the reasons quarterly or monthly pulse surveys are increasingly taking the role of yearly staff surveys or supplementing them, and performance talks are happening more regularly. A thorough approach to listening not only helps a company identify and address issues quickly, but it also makes individuals feel appreciated.

According to Aon's 2016 Trends in Global Employee Engagement research, effective leaders listen carefully to their teams' input before acting on it. That's one of the reasons quarterly or monthly pulse surveys are increasingly taking the role of yearly staff surveys or supplementing them, and performance talks are happening more regularly. A thorough approach to listening not only helps a company identify and address issues quickly, but it also makes individuals feel appreciated.

Employees who are emotionally invested in their work are engaged. Creating stronger bonds amongst co-workers is a simple method to encourage employees to care more about their place of employment. Healthy interpersonal connections are a crucial component in a job where teams are becoming more and more crucial. Keep an open mind because there is practically no limit to the events HR can fund.

There are a lot of free or inexpensive choices available, and many of them entail asking staff members to donate their own time or skills. This method can make people feel valued and appreciated for what they provide to the firm, so long as it is implemented properly. For instance, at Timberlane, woodworkers created a beanbag toss game that staff members could play during business events.

Another chance to develop better relationships among employees is through service projects. And the cost of implementation is generally low. More importantly, they satisfy a fundamental need shared by workers: the drive to find meaning in their work. According to the Deloitte analysis, that is one of the main drivers of engagement.

Colleen Martin, SHRM-CP, previously worked at an oil field safety inspection firm before taking the position of director of benefits at the Galena Park, Texas, Independent School District. It hired a large number of seasonal workers for tiresome tasks like continuously watching machine dials.

Martin planned a number of charity initiatives to help break up the tedium. She claims that these activities made them feel like they weren't out there alone.

Employees gave to an orphanage, wrote handwritten cards to soldiers serving in the Middle East, and helped Habitat for Humanity build homes on the weekends. When asking employees to go above and above at work, Martin observed positive business outcomes: "They felt comfortable doing it because they knew you were a firm that cared,

It goes without saying that incentives and praise can raise participation. Argues that firms must make it obvious what their job means in order to help workers understand how they fit into the company's mission and the types of conduct that will be rewarded. Employees at Disney, for instance, are praised for fostering a wonderful environment and are aware that the client experience is crucial. He claims it does make individuals feel more connected to their employment.

But far too frequently, presents and bonuses are given out without any fuss. Not at main offices, though. The leaders there bring out cowbells, horns, kazoos, and tambourines. Every month, a different corporate executive leads a band of workers as they circle the building while playing "music" in celebration of the six or so recipients of special attention, drawing in dozens of more spectators.