How to Improve Employee Engagement: 13 Proven Ways

Employees are the lifeblood of an organization. How they interact within your company and with your customers directly correlates to a company’s success. Therefore, when organizations improve employee engagement, their business thrives. 

Employee engagement, or the enthusiasm and dedication employees feel toward their employer, is crucial in creating a positive and productive work environment. When employees are involved and participate in the work, they are more likely to contribute their best efforts, stay committed to their roles, and positively impact the organization’s overall success. 

Even though engagement directly affects corporate success, most employees are disengaged.  A Gallup survey reveals that 36% of workers in the U.S. are engaged, and 13% are actively disengaged, or “those who have miserable work experiences and spread their unhappiness to their colleagues.” But what about the other 51%? These workers are “psychologically unattached to their work or company.” In other words, they are not engaged. 

While engagement numbers have slightly improved over the years, a significant need remains for improvement. In this article, we provide 13 ideas for how to improve employee engagement and cost-effective strategies to enhance retention across the organization. 

Why Employee Engagement Matters

Simply put, a disengaged workforce will work less, decreasing performance,  customer satisfaction, and overall profitability. A study on employee engagement found that U.S. Companies lose between $450-550 billion yearly due to disengaged workers. When employee engagement is low, there is a direct link to increased absenteeism, employee turnover, and safety incidents.

In contrast, greater employee engagement will improve: 

• Productivity and profitability
• Customer service
• Employee turnover
• Innovation
• Employee Happiness and satisfaction
• Quality of work  
• Workplace culture
• Attendance
• Motivation 

Factors that Affect Employee Engagement

Before you are able to implement strategies to improve engagement within your organization effectively, you need to understand what might be causing employees to disengage. Various factors might be influencing engagement within your company. Here are a few:

• Sense of Purpose: Do your employees feel they have a purpose within your organization? Employees who feel like their work is not valuable or they are replaceable will be more likely to disengage. 
• Company Culture: A positive work culture can make all the difference in commitment and motivation for a worker. Workers will have greater happiness when they feel supported, connected, and safe within a group.
• Advancement Opportunities: Employees who feel they can improve their standing within the organization will avoid stagnancy, which can fester and lead to discontentment.
• Transparency: One of the greatest ways to disengage someone is by making them feel you are hiding something. While they may be unintentional, communication barriers may make teams feel like the organization lacks transparency.
• Organizational Confusion: Employees can become detached when a company’s organizational structure is unclear, or responsibilities are not clearly stated or shared. 
• Distrust of Leaders: The company leaders develop the rules, enforce changes, and directly impact the daily work experience of their teams. When employees distrust that leadership, they may struggle to buy into company objectives. 
• Discontent Among Colleagues: According to various employee retention models, connection with coworkers is vital to keeping employees. When a work environment is contentious, your teams will begin to separate themselves from one another and, therefore, become detached from the organization. 

In addition, your company will likely have unique factors and characteristics that impact employee engagement. It is essential to identify these unique stumbling blocks and address them head-on. One way to accomplish this is to conduct an anonymous employee engagement survey. 

As you better understand what is deterring your employees from being fully involved in the organization, you will be more informed of which of the following ideas will actually make a difference among your employees. 

13 Proven Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Finding ways to get employees involved and excited about their work can seem complex and perhaps hopeless. However, for most people, engagement depends on connection and mutual respect, which can be simple to improve. 

So, whether you find yourself in an overhaul of your company culture or just looking for some new ways to involve your employees, we’ve compiled a list of proven strategies that can make a positive impact on employee engagement. 

1. Foster a Positive Work Environment

Creating a positive workplace culture is foundational to improving employee engagement. A positive work culture encourages open communication, collaboration, and employee appreciation. It is also a workplace that celebrates the achievements of its team members to build a supportive atmosphere. 

To identify how employees experience their work environment, start by first noticing the organization’s company culture or a shared set of company goals, practices, and general attitudes. A company can accomplish this through exit surveys, stay interviews, and identifying how the various indicators of company culture affect the work environment. 

Once there is a plan for the company culture, leaders can implement improvements in the work environment through hiring practices, meetings, and various forms of documentation and training provided by human resources. 

2. Provide Clear and Honest Communication and Expectations

Ambiguity can lead to frustration and disengagement. Ensure that employees clearly understand their roles, responsibilities, and the organization’s goals. Doing this will ensure that employees clearly understand the company’s expectations of them and the goals they should aim to achieve. 

In addition, regularly communicate updates, changes, and even struggles. As a corporation is honest about the shifts and potential challenges, there will be greater trust between employer and employee. One way to accomplish this is to encourage communication at all levels of the organization by removing barriers that may prevent employees from communicating with their leaders.

3. Invest in Employee Development

Most of your organization’s employees seek to advance their careers through learning and development. If they begin to feel like there is no advancement within their position or that development is becoming difficult to obtain, they will be more likely to disengage. 

Offering professional growth and development opportunities demonstrates a commitment to your employees’ success. It also helps remove the feeling of being stagnant by empowering team members to obtain the skills they need to advance their careers and improve their skills.

Ways to invest in employee development: 

• Implement training programs
• Provide mentorship
• Host a workshop
• Provide a stipend for job-related training
• Provide feedback 

4. Recognition and Appreciation Programs

Acknowledging employees for their hard work and achievements is crucial for boosting morale. Establish recognition programs highlighting outstanding performance through awards, shout-outs during team meetings, or a simple thank-you note. 

As leadership members seek to acknowledge their employees’ successes, they will find more significant commitment, productivity, and engagement. Recognizing and valuing employees’ contributions can also significantly improve job satisfaction and foster a sense of value and belonging.

However, employee appreciation should not be limited to remarks given between managers and employees. Another type of recognition is peer-to-peer recognition. A workplace that encourages colleagues to point out one another’s successes, small or large, will find itself with more connected and engaged employees.

5. Encourage Work-Life Balance

Someone who is unable to truly take a break will eventually burnout from any activity. The same is true for work. If employees are continually pulled into work matters outside of the working day, be that emails, calls, or various preparations, they will struggle to relax. If this continues day after day, they will not find true respite and will burn out. These feelings of burnout will lead to lower productivity, quality of work, job satisfaction, employee happiness, and engagement. 

Striking a balance between work and personal life is essential for employee well-being. Promote flexible working arrangements, offer remote work options, and encourage employees to take advantage of vacation days. Additionally, limit unnecessary communication outside of work hours. A healthy work-life balance among employees will exist as the company sets clear expectations for work communications and work-related activities.

6. Empower Leadership at All Levels

Effective leadership is key to employee engagement. Develop leadership skills at all levels of the organization through trainings, meetings, and evaluations. Be sure to expect leaders to lead their teams per the company’s vision and foster an environment where employees feel supported and motivated. 

Moreover, leaders must lead by example, promoting a positive and inclusive workplace culture. The heads of the company should follow the same core values and expectations as those they lead. As they seek to uphold the same work standards among all employees, there will be less room for discontentment between employees and managers. 

7. Encourage Feedback

Establish a continuous feedback loop between employees and management. Regular performance reviews, one-on-one meetings, and anonymous surveys can provide valuable insights into employee concerns and satisfaction levels. As you do this, employees will clearly understand your expectations and ways they can improve. They will also feel like their insight on organizational improvements is valued. 

Be sure to not only receive feedback but also provide systems where the organization receives employee feedback as well. These implementations can be employee action plans or making important changes suggested by your teams. Acting on feedback will demonstrate a commitment to improvement.

8. Promote Team Building Activities

Building strong team dynamics enhances collaboration and employee engagement. Organize team-building activities, both in and out of the office, to strengthen relationships and create a sense of camaraderie. Team-building exercises foster a positive and collaborative work environment.

The great thing about team building activities is that there are activities that fit any budget. From a corporate team retreat to simply celebrating employee milestones together, your teams can build trust and unity in a way that fits your company’s unique needs. Here are some inexpensive team-building activities:

• Book club
• Movie night or break
• Board games in the break room
• Trivia games
• Potluck lunch
• Shout out wall
• Peer-to-Peer recognition activities

The activity selected doesn’t matter as much as the goal it accomplishes, which is to get teams talking and engaging with the people around them. So have some fun and plan various activities to pique your people’s interests. 

9. Prioritize Health

In the same spirit of fostering a culture that values a healthy work-life balance, be a workplace that demonstrates they value their employees’ emotional and physical health. It is easy for work to become all-consuming to the point where someone might neglect their health. If their physical and emotional health remains neglected, then eventually, they will find it harder and harder to engage in their work fully.  

As an effort to invest in your people and their well-being, offer benefits that encourage employees to take care of themselves. The benefits can include a high-quality health insurance plan, flexible spending accounts, company-wide fitness events and classes, company-paid gym memberships, counseling services, meditation classes, and more. 

Efforts such as these will show employees their well-being is a priority of the organization. Therefore, they will be more likely to remain engaged and committed. 

10. Create a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

When someone feels safe, included, and an equal team member, they will be more likely to participate in its goals and values. Ensure all employees are treated fairly and equally by promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Focusing on incorporating DEI efforts to create a more inclusive workplace will ensure that all employees feel valued and respected. These efforts can include diverse hiring practices, training on unconscious bias, accommodations for unique needs, and celebrating a wide range of holidays like Juneteenth. 

The workplace will be more positive, united, and engaged as the company creates an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. 

11. Social Responsibility and Community Involvement

Engage employees in meaningful corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Employees want to know that the company values them and their community. Participating in community service projects or environmental initiatives can create a sense of purpose and pride among employees, contributing to a positive workplace culture.

A survey conducted by Deloitte found that “millennials who frequently participated in workplace volunteer activities are more likely to be proud, loyal, and satisfied employees as compared to those who rarely or never volunteer.”

Not only are service projects rarely expensive to implement, but they are also valuable team-building activities that can add variety to break up the work week. This can make employees feel refreshed, innovative, and creative. Most importantly, serving together provides a sense of purpose, which is a top indicator of whether or not an employee is engaged.  

12. Encourage Passion Projects 

As mentioned, employees are more likely to engage in their work if they feel they have a purpose. Combine that with passion and ownership, and you will find a fully involved employee. Passion projects are the perfect way to accomplish this level of engagement. 

When employees can innovate, create, and solve problems that tap into their passion, they will be more excited to participate in their daily work. Not only does this help employee satisfaction, but the company as a whole will benefit through the added collaboration across departments to streamline processes and improve products.

13. Flexible Work Schedules

Offer employees the flexibility to create personalized work schedules that align with their individual preferences and responsibilities. This could include options such as compressed workweeks, flexible start and end times, or even job-sharing arrangements. Allowing employees greater control over their work hours promotes a healthier work-life balance, reducing stress and increasing job satisfaction. 

Flexibility options also demonstrate trust in your team, recognizing that they can deliver results while managing their personal commitments. While this approach may require adjustments to existing policies, the positive impact on employee engagement and retention can be significant.

8 Inexpensive Employee Engagement Activities

It might seem like implementing many of the mentioned strategies above will be time-consuming and costly. The truth is most employee engagement activities can get people involved without too many associated costs.

Here is a list of inexpensive activities that demonstrate improving employee engagement doesn’t need to be expensive and is accessible to businesses without breaking the bank:

1. Employee Recognition Wall: Create a physical or digital space where employees can recognize their peers for outstanding contributions. This low-cost idea promotes a positive culture of appreciation within the organization.
2. Casual Fridays or Dress-Up Themes: Introduce themed dress-up days or casual Fridays to add a touch of fun to the workplace. This simple, cost-effective measure can boost morale and create a more relaxed atmosphere.
3. Wellness Challenges: Implement wellness challenges that encourage employees to prioritize their health. Whether a step-count competition or a mindfulness challenge, these initiatives promote well-being without a significant financial investment. For bonus points, create an office competition board to hold photos and memories from the contest.
4. Monthly Team Lunches or Potlucks: Organize monthly team lunches or potlucks where employees can share a meal. This fosters a sense of community and provides a break from the routine, promoting social connections.
5. Book Club or Learning Circles: Start a book club or learning circle within the organization. Employees can choose a book or topic of interest, promoting continuous learning and creating a space for intellectual discussions.
6. Employee-led Workshops: Leverage the expertise within your organization by allowing employees to lead workshops on topics they are passionate about. This fosters knowledge-sharing and empowers employees to take on leadership roles.
7. Employee-led Hobby Classes: Undoubtedly, your workplace is filled with people with various skills and talents. Instead of hiring someone to come and teach a class for a team-building activity, have your employees teach. This low-cost idea fosters a sense of community. It allows individuals to discover and appreciate the diverse talents within the organization, ultimately contributing to a more engaged and interconnected workforce.
8. Gratitude Wall: Create a designated physical or digital space where employees can express gratitude for their colleagues. Provide sticky notes or an online platform where team members can write short messages of appreciation for their coworkers’ assistance, collaboration, or positive attitudes. This low-cost initiative fosters a culture of gratitude and reinforces positive interactions among team members, contributing to a more harmonious workplace environment. Regularly showcase and celebrate these notes during team meetings to emphasize the importance of recognizing and appreciating each other’s efforts.

Employee Engagement Benefits Everyone

Employee engagement is a multifaceted effort that requires continuous attention and investment. By implementing the proven strategies discussed in this article, organizations can create a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and committed to contributing their best. Ultimately, a positive and engaging work environment benefits both employees and the organization as a whole, leading to increased productivity, higher morale, and long-term success.

As you seek out tools to help with your employee engagement strategy, consider Kudoboard. Whether it be a gratitude wall, quote board, recognition shoutouts, or a digital group birthday card, Kudoboard can assist you in boosting engagement. Our boards provide adaptability in occasion and function, making it the perfect tool to spearhead DEI education, employee milestone celebrations, and employee recognition. So, let us help you implement some of these proven strategies on how to improve employee engagement and create a board today.