Improving Employee Engagement: Steps Leaders Can Take to Create a Positive Workplace Culture

Employee engagement is as meaningful as building a business plan to determine the future course of action. Suppose a business plan is a skeleton, and employees—or, more specifically, the team—function as its meat. Every organisation strives to retain its best talent and spends time and money training them to fit the organisational mould. There are all types of employees—some are smarter than others, but they all anchor to the organisation's goal of taking the company towards its defined mission statement.

I was appalled to read the latest Gallup research, which found that Just 15% of US employees "strongly agree" that their organisation's leadership makes them enthusiastic about the future.

This is a concerning statistic that highlights organisations' need to improve employee engagement and morale. As a leader, it is essential to take this statistic seriously and take proactive steps to improve the situation.

The US is one of the most highly civilised countries. If employee engagement is minimal there, we can imagine the conditions in Pakistan, where economic and political instability has compelled employers to make tough decisions.

However, we can do our best to prevent this situation from worsening. Even though we do not have any data to argue Pakistan's position, we can still take measures to enhance employee engagement.

One way to improve employee engagement is to rigorously and optimistically describe your plan. This means clearly explaining the organisation's vision, goals, and objectives and communicating this information upbeat.

When you describe your way forward, could you include specific details about how the organisation will achieve its goals? This will help employees understand how their contributions fit the bigger picture and give them a sense of purpose and meaning in their work.

It's also important to be transparent about the challenges and obstacles the organisation may face. Acknowledge these challenges and communicate a sense of confidence and optimism that the organisation can overcome them.

In addition to describing your way forward, creating a culture of open communication and collaboration is essential. Encourage employees to share their ideas and feedback and be receptive to their input. This will build employee trust and engagement, leading to a more enthusiastic and motivated workforce.

These steps can improve employee engagement and create a more positive and productive workplace culture. Remember, as a leader, it's your responsibility to inspire and motivate your employees, so take this role seriously and work to create a workplace that people are excited to work in.