10 unique employee engagement ideas to try

Employees often lose interest in the feedback process when you ask them to share their thoughts and feelings about the organization and their jobs and then nothing happens.

When it comes to employee engagement, just conducting surveys is far from sufficient. A survey is just the initial phase. Leaders must share survey results, not just report findings. The most important thing is for a leader to take action on the feedback. That's how your team knows that you were genuine in conducting the survey. Shortly after the survey, analyze the data and prioritize and implement targeted employee engagement ideas and initiatives that respond directly to your employees' feedback. If nothing is done, it is an exercise in futility and your team knows that you don't really care for their input. You're just looking to "tick a box".

Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start, so here are a few employee engagement ideas to think about.

We'll be focusing on engagement programs that align with the four main elements that influence employee engagement:

1. Leadership

2. Enablement

3. Alignment

4. Development

Leadership-focused employee engagement ideas

Employees want to be motivated and inspired by their leaders, and they also want to feel confident in them. They also want their leaders to understand how important their staff members are.

Organizations can take the following two actions to enhance leadership:

1. Hold synthesis sessions

Every month, during "synthesis sessions," a department leader talks about the accomplishments, difficulties, and shifts in the market position. The leader should take charge of the first fifteen minutes of the meeting, sharing opportunities for the present and discussing prospects for the future. The remaining time is used for an open discussion of any queries staff members may have regarding the company and worries they may have about obstacles preventing them from supporting the organization in achieving its objectives.

2. Bring company values to life

A national casual dining organization created a "Book of Signs" to bring their values to life while onboarding new employees. It’s a simple thing – a small paper booklet with the name and description of a single value on each page and two or three lines for employee signatures under each value.

To "earn" an employee’s signature on a value, the new hire has to ask what that value means to that employee. Then, the newcomer paraphrases the response to ensure they understand its meaning and relevance. If they do, the incumbent signs it off.

A "Book of Signs" is a beneficial tool for both extending the newcomer's internal network and demonstrating the company's ideals.

Enablement-focused employee engagement ideas

Enabled workers believe they have all the resources necessary to complete their tasks. Employees want to know that their time and resources are being used effectively. At a higher level, staff members want to see innovation taking place and the business maintaining its leading position in the industry.

The following two programs focus on enablement.

3. Create a transparency report

Consider drafting a resource transparency report, including ROI, where possible. A transparency report helps guide constructive discussions about whether the resources allocated to each initiative are appropriate. Employees are often surprised by how much money is spent on salaries and employee benefits.

4. Host a customer panel

Nothing makes it easier for employees to see the big picture than including the customer's perspective. Bring in a panel of customers to participate in your all-hands meetings to establish this voice as a regular presence. During the session, each customer explains how using your product or service has positively impacted their business and shares what they wish the product or service could do (or ways the product or service failed them). A similar approach can be used with internal customers.

Alignment-focused employee engagement ideas

Employees want to feel that their work is meaningful, that they are a part of their team, and that they are involved in the operations of the company. They also want to feel that their abilities are well-matched to their role, so setting realistic expectations about the role (e.g., when recruiting) is essential. When the day-to-day experience within a role doesn’t stack up against expectations, it significantly impacts engagement.

The following three programs aid in creating alignment:

5. Ask employees to write their role description

Starting on the first day of work, it is important to ensure that job expectations are aligned. On their first day of work, employees at one organization write down what they understand to be expected of them in their employment. This is set aside for review around one month later, at which point staff members are invited to rewrite their perceptions of their job descriptions. "If we were to hire someone like you in this role in the future, how would you describe the activities?" is the question that is asked of them in this second instance.

The original job description and the more recently written job description are reviewed by and with the manager. The management and employee are urged to talk about any possible adjustments in the event of a misalignment. Additionally, in order to make any necessary changes to the hiring procedure or job descriptions, the manager is encouraged to share learnings with HR.

6. Create an online communication channel for leaders

One organization helps build employees’ involvement with leaders via a channel in their internal communication software where leaders are present and available to answer questions. They also encourage leaders to post questions and updates in the channel to keep employees engaged with the discussion. For example, many organization have a Slack channel dedicated exclusively to CEO communications (#ceo).

7. Recognize employee behavior

While it's simple to become mired in the daily grind, the most effective leaders are able to notice both huge and small acts of quality work. Three ways our clients recognize their people are as follows:

● Thank you cards: One client offers thank-you cards that recipients can fill out and deliver by hand. The HR department develops templates that connect to the existing organizational goals and the company's values. This is a fantastic method to recognize excellent conduct and reaffirm your company's vision and beliefs. A copy can be given to the manager and HR so it can be kept as a part of the recipients annual appraisal.

● Events: A schedule of events where employees are recognized for their work ensures intentionality and follow-through. One organization has monthly recognition events. They recognize good work and highlight what people are working on and how it's helping the organization deliver on its mission and work toward its vision

● The Wow! Wall: We work with a company where employees have a "Wow! wall" where they can share stories of their co-workers going above and beyond. Since the wall is in a common area, anyone may pass and read about the amazing work that their coworkers have done.

Development-focused employee engagement ideas

In every industry, staff development is frequently mentioned as a vital component of employee engagement. In actuality, a main cause of an employee's decision to leave their employer is lack of development. Ensuring that employees have access to both formal and informal growth opportunities is crucial if you want to boost engagement.

The following three development programs aim to increase employee engagement:

8. Offer personal coaching

At some organizations, every worker receives individualized coaching. The employee chooses the coach they want to work with for their career or personal growth as well as the topic for the coaching sessions. All sessions are kept confidential between the employee and the coach.

9. Hold stay interviews

"Stay interviews" are a tactic used by one organization to reconnect with departing staff. Employees are encouraged to discuss their career development needs and any blockers to their long-term success at the organization.

In departments with higher turnover rates, it can be helpful to have a skip-level meeting with someone more senior in the organization, rather than a direct manager, intermittently throughout the employee lifecycle.

At the team level, managers might wish to schedule stay interviews with employees when they hit their one-year mark, so they know what is essential to people and most likely to influence their decision to stay.

Good questions to ask include:

• What do you want to be doing that you aren't currently doing?

• What are the three most important things you want to accomplish now?

• What do you need that's preventing you from reaching those goals?

• How can I best support you in achieving those goals?

10. Create a system for employee-led teaching programs

Encourage employees to learn from each other. One organization's learning and development programs are taught by employees. These employees teach classes and workshops ranging from extracurricular skills to those essential to their roles. The community aspect fosters collaboration and team support.

These employee engagement initiatives are the ultimate in active listening. By taking intentional action that responds to employee feedback, your organization can show they have both (figurative) ears open. This is the key to creating a great place to work.