Secrets for engaging employees and keeping them happy

Employees are the backbone of any business. They are the people who show up everyday and do the work that makes or breaks the profitability of the business, and so it is important that they are engaged and feel like their contributions are appreciated. Employee engagement and recognition programs can be effective tools for saying “thank you” for a job well done, and communicates to employees how good work does not go unnoticed. When employees are rewarded for helping to create a productive workplace through the work they do, they will be more apt to repeat these same behaviors in the future and add to the overall success of the business.  A paycheck is not enough to keep an employee engaged and make them feel as though their work is valued. It is the extras – like a pat on the back from their supervisor, implementation of their ideas, and the occasional tangible reward; like a gift card, that drives motivation and keeps them wanting to show up to do the job day in and day out. If you are interested in deploying engagement and recognition programs at your workplace, check out these helpful tools and secrets:

Effective Communication

An informed employee is an empowered employee. Whether your employees are assembly workers at a large warehouse or work as a manager in a store, they often want to know what is going on at all levels of the organization so they can see how their work impacts the greater scope of things. Communicate with employees often and share the goals, challenges, and achievements the business with them. Employers should be prepared to hold regularly scheduled meetings with employees at all levels so employees do not feel like they are being left in the dark about what is going on around them. It can be difficult for employees to understand why changes are made and new processes are implemented if effective communication is not there. If meetings are not possible, explore other avenues of communication like workplace message boards, group texts, or company wide emails.

Open Door Policy

Leadership at all levels should adopt an open door policy for employees so that they feel empowered to share ideas that could benefit the organization or voice their concerns about things that are not going right. Allowing employees to feel like their voices are listed to and their concerns are taken seriously is a quick way to make them feel engaged.  Employees should feel safe discussing matters or sharing ideas with those in leadership roles within the organization. Create a judgment free zone for employees and actively listen to what they have to say.

Recognising Good Work and Loyalty

Just about everyone likes getting recognized for doing a good job, and your employees are no different. Come up with a recognition program at your workplace so that accomplishments can be celebrated and employees will have motivation to go beyond the call of duty. A good employee recognition program does not need to be complex in order to make employees happy. It can be as simple as giving them an achievement certificate and a gift card. Small gifts of gratitude go a long way in showing employees that you care about their successes within the organization. Keep your employees engaged and happy, and they will stick around for the long haul. Employee turnover is expensive and you never quite know what you are going to get with new employees until they step in the door and start working. Instead of spending countless hours and money recruiting new employees, make your current employees feel more engaged through good communication, leadership initiatives, and implementing a solid recognition program.