A global study conducted by Gallop found that only 15% of the employees that work full-time are dedicated and engaged with their roles. Another research revealed that disengaged employees are likely to cause 60% more errors and defaults in work performance.
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So, what do these numbers suggest?
Low employee engagement is the most critical problem for firms around the world. If it is not dealt with effectively, it could give way to a snowball effect- lack of proper motivation amongst employees to perform, leading to lower productivity in the workplace, ultimately leading to loss of revenue and higher absenteeism.
This is where HR teams, through the induction of effective HR strategies, can help leaders in improving their employee engagement rates. Here are three strategies which HR professionals can bring into action to motivate the employees and align their efforts with the overall organizational goals:
#1. Channeling Efforts into Wellbeing
According to Engage for Success, the forefront of the UK’s research into employee engagement, there is a plausible link between wellbeing and employee engagement. Employee wellbeing refers to the optimization of the health of the employees (both physical and mental health). When the HR of an organization takes several steps to improve the wellbeing of the employees, they are more likely to meet the expectations of their respective roles.
Through the creation of a healthy workplace, there would be a spike in employee engagement rates. It can be achieved through the introduction of employee assistance programs (EAP) and the promotion of healthy eating habits.
#2. Welcoming Feedback & Taking Action
Did you know that amongst the four enablers of employee engagement, employee voice is one of the most crucial ones? Employees want their voices to get heard- they want their views and feedback to be taken under consideration by senior managers and leaders.
The presence of technology (anonymous online surveys) has made seeking employee feedback easier for top management. However, inviting feedback and taking action go hand in hand. Just taking feedback and not doing anything about it would further result in lower employee engagement rate.
Apart from this, an organization could also take professional assistance from a talented employee engagement agency to effectively utilize communication channels within their organization.
#3. Recognizing Work Worth Appreciating
Recognition of good work not only gives a boost to the morale of the employees, but it also enhances the employee engagement rate. By following the practice of frequent recognition, such as introducing employee of the month awards, a sense of motivation would get cultivated in the employees.
However, the efforts must be consistent. If only a few leaders and managers follow the practice of giving recognition, a sense of partiality could get inculcated in the organization. HR professionals could try their hands at incentive-based schemes or awards to give recognition to those employees that performed above expectations.
Final Thoughts:
Engaged employees that get driven with proper motivation are the perfect recipe for the success of an organization. Not only do they follow a customer-oriented approach, but they also pave the way for higher profitability.
Highly engaged employees are more productive and are also less likely to leave their company to look for a new one. It is the duty of every organization to ensure that their employees remain actively engaged with their seniors, as well as be in sync with the overall corporate ideology of the company.
Research has proved that when organizational teams are highly engaged in their work, they show 17% higher productivity and 41% lower absenteeism. These three HR strategies would help any firm that is currently facing problems of low employee engagement rate.
