Employee engagement is essential to creating a happy and productive workforce. It plays a critical role in avoiding the loss of valuable and good talent at the workplace. Employee engagement is also one of the most vital job satisfaction factors, so disengaged employees often leave their jobs. It is proven that employees who are engaged in their job end up being more motivated and loyal to the employer than the ones disengaged. Therefore, it is crucial to have an innovative employee engagement strategy and regularly develop new ideas for boosting engagement.
Employee engagement in the hybrid work era
The focus on employee engagement is on the rise in the hybrid work era. Companies are starting to realize that healthy workplace culture is key to retaining top talent and driving innovation. But, hybrid working has also brought challenges in creating the proper levels of engagement in the workforce. What worked for companies in the pre-covid era is not relevant anymore. The interventions that are required are more behavioral. It has become more difficult for managers and leaders to ensure their teams are engaged and productive.
So what are these behaviors that will encourage employees to stay loyal to and engaged in their workplace? We’ve put together this list of 10 innovative employee engagement ideas that will revolutionize your workplace. These methods will help your team work harder and be more productive, from incentivizing productivity to encouraging creativity and innovation. So without wasting any more time, let’s unfold upon them one by one.
10 innovative Employee Engagement ideas to revolutionize your workplace in 2022
1. Offer employees the opportunity to choose their work hours
The first and the most innovative employee engagement idea is to offer employees the opportunity to choose their work hours. Employees are more engaged and have a sense of ownership when controlling their work hours, especially in hybrid and work-from-home situations. Allowing employees to choose their hours can increase productivity and create a more positive work environment. It can lead to happier and more engaged employees reducing employee turnover. It is possible as choosing their working hours allows employees to manage their personal lives and work responsibilities better and achieve a work-life balance. Further, it also helps them make the best use of their time.
2. Encourage creativity and innovation
New ways of thinking are precious in the workplace. Encouraging creativity and innovation within your workforce will help ensure employees remain engaged in the work. It is a great way to discover better and more efficient ways of doing the work. It will also help with employee morale as they feel part of the solution and that their creativity is valued. Further, it is possible as creativity and innovation open the employees’ minds, and they can then address their work and its problems more openly and effectively. You can do it by offering the employees a chance to develop new ideas and solutions to issues regularly. You can also think about putting structured innovation processes and programs in place.
3. Encourage team building between different departments
Another highly innovative employee engagement idea is to encourage team building between different departments. All areas of an organization must know each other to accomplish the organizational goals. Socializing with other departments will also help build camaraderie and collaboration between them, boosting overall employee engagement levels on a corporate level. It is possible because, by encouraging cross-departmental teamwork, you’ll promote cross-department engagement, leading to better company culture. You can do it by engaging in conscious conversations amongst the different teams such as HR, IT, and Accounting. It also helps if management provides training to these departments to understand each others’ job functions better.
4. Make it easy for employees to find out about changes that are happening in their workplace
Employees will feel less connected to the workplace if they are not communicated about changes that are being made. Therefore the employees need to be rightly informed about these changes that will impact their work lives. It will positively impact employee engagement as they can learn more about the reason behind changes and will therefore feel much connected to their workplace. Further, by making it clear that when there are changes that affect how they work, employees will be able to prepare better for them and stay in tune with what’s happening at their workplace.
You can do it by being transparent about changes and improvements brought to the workplace. You should also provide the employees with the relevant information promptly. Tell employees in the memo, email, or bulletin boards what is happening and why. It can also be helpful to survey employees about the changes to put forward their perspectives on the same.
5. Encourage employee feedback
Employee feedback is one of the critical factors that determine employee engagement. Employee feedback can help employers identify areas where employees feel engaged and motivated. They can also point out and work upon areas where employees feel disengaged or demotivated. It is because feedback is the “Voice” of the employees. Nothing can be more accurate than their own opinions to decide what can keep them engaged.
Employers can encourage employee feedback in several ways. Some employers provide an online feedback form, while others encourage employees to offer input in meetings or emails verbally. Employers can also create an anonymous feedback system, where employees can give feedback without fear of retaliation. Employers should also make sure they act on the feedback they receive. Ignoring employee feedback can lead to a decrease in engagement.
6. Introduce productivity-based rewards and incentives
Employees are more productive when they engage more in their work. A recent study found that productivity-based rewards and incentives can be an effective way to improve employee engagement. The study found that employees who received productivity-based rewards and incentives for their hard work were more engaged in their work. They also exhibited higher levels of creativity and innovation. They were also more likely to recommend their company as an excellent place to work. The rewards and the feedback they got encouraged them to behave and engage in line with the expectations. Therefore, employers can use productivity-based rewards and incentives to improve employee engagement and productivity. It will also help employers with higher employee retention.
7. Foster more collaborative working styles among your team members
Employees are more engaged and productive when they feel like an essential part of the team. Creating a collaborative work environment is one way to encourage employee engagement. When employees collaborate more, they will be able to connect more with their co-workers. They will then be more engaged with their work and the people they work with.
There are several ways to foster a more collaborative working style among your team members. The best way is to break down the barriers between teams. Encourage employees to cross-pollinate and work on projects together. It will help them learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and make them more comfortable working together.
8. Develop employee training programs and support individual development
Employee training and development is a process by which employees are equipped with the necessary skills to do their jobs and grow within the company. It is an integral part of organizational life, as it can help improve employee productivity, satisfaction, and engagement. When employees feel that they can improve their skills and knowledge, they are more likely to be committed to and engaged in their work and the company.
There are many different ways to develop employee training programs and support individual development. The most important part is to ensure that the programs are relevant to the needs of the employees and the company.
9. Foster a work environment where employees feel comfortable voicing any concerns or complaints
Another innovative idea to effectively boost engagement is to create an environment where employees feel comfortable voicing any concerns or complaints they may have. It could be anything from feeling overwhelmed with their workload to not feeling like they are contributing to the company enough. It will help as creating an open channel of communication will help employees feel heard and appreciated, which will, in turn, encourage them to be more engaged in their work. You can do this through effective communication and transparency.
10. Take measures to reduce workplace stress
Employees are more engaged and productive when they feel comfortable in their work environment. which means that stress can harm employee engagement. This stress can occur due to lack of recognition, long hours of work, and even job insecurity. If measures are taken to reduce workplace stress, employees will be more engaged with their work. It is because employees who face lower amounts of stress at work will be able to provide better contributions to the job. Secondly, when employees see the management or leadership putting effort into reducing their anxiety, they will feel that the organization values them and cares for their wellness.
You can take many different measures for reducing stress in the workplace, some of which may include:
- Providing constant recognition
- Initiating and encouraging social activities
- Encouraging work-life balance
- Encouraging workplace wellness
- Allowing remote work
- Assigning the right people for the job
- Giving proper training to new employees
Conclusion
To conclude, Employee Engagement has always been a hot topic in recent years. Research shows that it has a positive impact on employee productivity and satisfaction. What’s more, employee engagement is one of the main factors determining whether a company will be successful. This blog introduces you to 10 innovative employee experience ideas that can revolutionize your workplace in 2022. We believe that by following these ideas, your organization can achieve significant levels of employee engagement very quickly. So, will you be one of the companies who try them out?