“Keep yourself in the picture” - Employee Engagement and Employee Communications News

I’m passionate about employee engagement and communication in the workplace, and I keep a more-than-keen eye on news, current thinking, and future developments that affect the way we all work.

I’ve condensed the most provocative, insightful and interesting news and blogs that I’ve read from the past month into this article. You can find out:

• Why team building events have noble goals, but often fail in their mission. Can single events really help your team to gel, or would resources be better utilised in a more consistent and strategic manner?
• The need for start-ups to focus on culture in an article by the creator of Google Analytics, an entrepreneur who founded a successful business before selling it to Google.
• Tips to create a strategy of employee engagement that exists consistently and continuously.
• Why UK employees are being failed by a lack-of-learning culture, and why the performance review process is below par at many companies.
• How gamification utilises positive reinforcement to improve employee engagement and productivity

To access each story below, just click on the headline. I hope they help to inform and inspire, and perhaps provide discussion ideas for your next team huddle. If there’s anything I’ve missed, or a topic you’d like me to tackle for you, please get in touch.

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Why corporate team-building events can be terrible

Creator of Ask a Manager, Alison Green, discusses the value of team building events and what her readers have told her about their experiences. It’s eye-opening material for management teams who place their faith in one-off events and expect them to create collaboration and a cooperative culture. (Find out more)

How To Maintain Your Culture In A Rapid Growth Environment

Research shows that 75% of all start-ups fail, and half fail after just five years. Could the reason for this poor performance of new companies be the lack of attention to company culture? Entrepreneur Brett Crosby, who created Google Analytics, believes so, and offers five strategies to build a good culture in rapid growth environments. (Find out more)

Employee engagement – what it is and why it’s not optional

Employee engagement directly impacts business performance, so you’d think companies would be serious about engagement strategies. Yet, research has found that more workers are actively disengaged in Britain than are engaged. Where do you start to create a strategy of continuous and consistent employee engagement? (Find out more)

Lack of Learning Culture 'Failing UK Employees and Businesses'

Despite 98% of employees placing an emphasis on learning when deciding whether to stay with their employer, research shows that corporate culture is not conducive to creating a learning environment, with many companies not having the right learning tools in place. (Find out more)

Gamification can massively boost employee engagement and productivity

Could your processes benefit from gamification? Nicola Britovsek, Director of HR at Sodexo Engage, believes so. It may sound like a buzzword, but gamification is a game changer in employee engagement and productivity, benefitting staff through positive reinforcement. (Find out more)

I hope you find these stories informative and please feel free to share this article with your colleagues and wider network. Once again, if there’s anything I’ve missed, or a topic you’d like me to include in future digests, please get in touch.