Introduction
A recent poll conducted by Gallup surveyed 67,000 employees and found that only 32% of respondents felt engaged in the workplace. This represents a 4% decrease from the 36% reported in 2020.
This could be due, in part, to a number of different factors such as the increase in remote working conditions available. Many workplace organizations fail to identify and properly address the key elements of employee engagement.
It may also be attributed to a lack of interest in employee well-being on the part of the company. Another reason for this could be because of poor or inadequate employee recognition programs. 78% of employees cited that being recognized makes them feel more motivated in their job.
It’s important to understand the key elements of employee engagement. This can help you identify the best ways to keep employees happy and improve employee retention rates. It also allows you to create and maintain a better work-life balance for your employees.
Interested in learning more about the 6 key elements of employee engagement? If so, keep reading below for valuable information.
Also Read:
What Does Employee Engagement Look Like in Practice?
6 Key Elements of Employee Engagement
1. Good Communication
Communication is one of the most vital elements of employee engagement. Employees don’t want to work in an environment where they are forced to play “Guess What I’m Thinking” with the management and their other co-workers. This can create stress for employees who think they are always messing up and lead to higher turnover rates.
Having a clear system of communication ensures that employees are always up to speed on the progress of current projects. It also serves to keep employees updated on current policies, as well as any upcoming events. Communication should always be done in a timely manner so employees aren’t left to wonder and assume.
Employees also want to know that they play an important role in the organization. So, it is crucial that any business organization communicates to them often how valued they are.
It is especially important to share any relevant manager feedback. This can be accomplished in person or through an employee chat portal or work email setup.
You must be sure to clearly communicate the core values and expectations of your organization. This will go along with the mission and overall vision of your company. In doing this, you are helping the employee to better connect themselves to your organization.
Employees who feel more engaged through effective communication practices are more productive. They produce higher-quality work and make fewer mistakes as a result.
2. Strong Leadership
Often in workplace environments, there is a clearcut hierarchy of workers, managers, and other personnel. Employees look to those above them as a source of inspiration and wisdom. That is why leadership is another part of the fundamental elements of employee engagement.
Leading by example is one of the most powerful and impactful things you can do for your employees. A strong leader embodies all of the best traits employees themselves should strive to have in their day-to-day working lives.
Strong leadership encompasses many positive characteristics such as:
- Confidence
- Humility
- Integrity
- Accountability
- Good listening skills
- Decisiveness
Managers who are wishy-washy or frequently indecisive in their actions can hurt workplace cohesiveness. It can make employees question their leadership abilities.
Employees can quickly become disengaged in the workplace. This is particularly true if they don’t believe they have adequate management support. Those who display strong leadership traits will earn the respect of their employees.
However, a manager or other leader should not have to resort to drill sergeant tendencies and yell and scream at their employees either. This can put them off and make them want to disconnect even further. Rather, someone who displays strong leadership must also possess a high emotional IQ.
An emotional IQ refers to one’s ability to connect with others and manage their own emotions effectively. Someone with a high emotional intelligence handles emotional connections empathetically and fairly. They are able to problem-solve and remain cool under pressure.
3. Focus on Employee Well-Being
These days, you hear a lot about the importance of employee health and well-being. This involves both the physical and the mental aspects. Maybe you yourself have needed to take a personal day or mental health day of your own.
These aren’t just trendy buzzwords. The days of employees burning out left and right because of an unhealthy and unrealistic work-life balance are over. It is part of a growing movement with a focus on improving how organizations handle the needs of their employees.
Businesses must no longer treat their employees as expendable workhorses. Those that do will suffer the consequences of high employee turnover rates. They will also encounter unproductive and unhealthy employees who will cost them in missed work days due to an increase in health issues.
A focus on employee well-being is another one of the key elements of employee engagement for good reason. A happier and healthier employee is a more engaged one and that leads to better levels of employee retention.
That is why many organizations are now using corporate wellness platforms. These platforms allow employees to engage in activity challenges by themselves or as a team.
They can also engage and take part in health and wellness categories such as:
- Nutritious Recipes
- Fitness Videos
- Wellness Education
- Behavior Challenges
- Group Wellness Events
Building healthier habits leads to more engaged employees in the workplace and creates accountability. The ability to customize challenges and hold team wellness events helps bond co-workers together. It also shows employees that you’re a company that cares.
4. Employee Recognition
Employee recognition is one of the elements of employee engagement that often goes unacknowledged the most. Employees work hard and must juggle a lot to maintain an appropriate work-life balance.
There are many companies and organizations that believe an employee’s paycheck alone is acknowledgment enough for their work. But employee recognition doesn’t need to be an extravagant song and dance number or an all-expenses-paid European vacation.
In fact, 85% of workers surveyed claimed that a simple “thank you” was enough. This could entail the act of sending out a message of thanks or congratulations to a team after completing a large project. Employee recognition could also be wishing an employee a happy birthday or remembering their milestone work anniversary.
The most important form of employee recognition comes from manager feedback. Unfortunately, many organizations either do not engage in employee recognition frequently enough or don’t have an employee recognition system at all.
By managing this oversight with proper employee recognition, you’ll make employees feel more valued and strengthen employee retention.
5. Employee Rewards
Of course, that’s not to say that you can still reward your employees in other ways from time to time. A tangible reward system gives employees a set goal or objective to strive for. It is also one of the top elements of employee engagement.
When there is a promise of earning potential rewards, employees will become more engaged in their job. This can take the form of a gift card or other special prize. It could be for recognizing employee collaborations and achievements on a special project or as a part of a company-wide health and wellness challenge.
For example, if your organization holds regular fitness events, you can incorporate a rewards program for extra motivation. For each fitness challenge an individual or team completes, points are awarded and logged into a system that tracks their progress. The top-scoring participants can then redeem those points for a reward of their choice or for a custom one that the organization sets up ahead of time.
A built-in employee rewards platform makes it easy to track and acknowledge employee performance. It builds up a more positive work environment and establishes a better work culture overall.
Employee rewards go hand-in-hand with other forms of employee recognition. With both elements working in tandem, you can bolster employee retention and engagement.
6. Trust in the Workplace
Trust goes a long way toward improving employee retention as well. Along with all of the other elements of employee engagement, trust is essential for building up a workplace culture based on mutual respect and cooperation.
Employees need to feel safe in their workplace environment. The changing workplace culture is one that is centered around diversity and inclusivity. Employees who don’t feel like they are in an organization they can trust and feel comfortable working in will easily become disengaged.
They also need to feel that they have consistent management support, should any issues arise. Employees should be able to freely voice their opinions and share feedback without the fear of losing their job as a consequence.
Communication and trust are joint elements of employee engagement. It’s a two-way channel of manager feedback and employee feedback that makes a successful company thrive. Management and their employees are a team that works together in a symbiotic relationship.
Employees who have trust in their workplace will be more engaged and productive. They will also show more company loyalty. This bodes well not only for your employees themselves but also for your organization as a whole.
Read Further:
How is employee engagement measured?
Final Thoughts
Now, more than ever, employee recognition and engagement have become integral components of the workplace. Companies need to cultivate a better employee work-life balance. By focusing on these key elements of employee engagement, you can create a workplace environment that is welcoming and supportive.
Woliba is your all-in-one well-being, recognition, and employee engagement platform. With Woliba, you can easily boost employee retention and engagement with our interactive and customized hub. Create custom challenges, share goals, connect teams, send reminders, and recognize employees all from a central dashboard.
Contact us today to request your free demo of the Woliba platform today.
