The holidays have been over for a while now, but if you’ve only just begun to notice a lull in your workforce, you’re not alone. Now that January is more than half over, the glow of the holidays has finally dwindled and your employees are looking at a long line of months before the weather clears up and Memorial Day arrives.
This is also the time of year where your performance reviews are finally in one place, cataloged in alphabetical order. As you riffle through the list of employees you notice one thing is lacking: employee engagement. And as January trudges along, this engagement won’t get better without a little managerial intervention. In fact, a recent Gallup poll revealed that nearly 87% of employees worldwide lack professional engagement.
What about businesses in America? The statistics are better, but not by much. A 2015 Gallup poll showed that only 32% of American employees are engaged at work while more than 50% of not engaged. Worse yet? Over 17% of employees were actively disengaged.
If boosting employee engagement is one of your New Year’s resolutions, here’s how you can get your hive humming.
Share a Goal, Not a Job
One of the most important things you can do to improve your quality of work is to share a goal or vision with your employees as peers and fellow leaders. When an employee feels like a cog in the machine, employee engagement is sure to falter. By involving a diverse array of team members in decision-making meetings, brainstorming sessions, and goal-setting, you’re showing your team you care about a common goal, not just making money.
Incorporate New Technology
Did you know that electronics are among the three most-valuable commodities moved in the United States? Employee engagement might be faltering because your team doesn’t have the tools to perform their job properly. If you use outdated technology or slow modes of communication, your productivity will falter as a result. Making gradual improvements to tech can help employee engagement in the long run.
Bring in a Motivational Speaker
This sounds a little cheesy, but a professional speaker is a professional for a reason. They have the power to sway crowds, get the blood pumping, and inspire countless individuals. If you find your employees in a slump, think about holding an event with a motivational speaker with experience in your field. Just be sure the speaker uses visual representations as well, like how many people do in TED Talks. After all, studies show that within three days following an event such as a motivational speech, attendees only remember 10% of an oral presentation but 65% of a combination visual and oral presentation.
Give Them Something to Look Forward To
Even the most fun jobs can seem a little boring at times. Give your team something to look forward to by holding a special event once per month. This doesn’t need to be a big event, but a small happy hour outside of the workplace can do wonders for a disengaged team. Don’t be afraid to hold a more PG event like an ice cream party once in a while. After all, an estimated 90% of people indulge in the occasional sweet treat.
Besides, it’s estimated that socially-engaged employees are 20% more likely to stay at work in the long-run and 20% more likely to feel inspired on the job. When you want to boost employee engagement, don’t hesitate to try these helpful tips and tricks.