Engaging employees should be a top priority for all businesses. While there are many reasons why, the most compelling bottom-line argument is that engaged employees are more productive. In fact, according to one analysis, companies with high employee engagement have 22% higher productivity. That, of course, leads to increased revenue and more success overall.
The catch to all this is that it’s not always easy to engage employees. People get bored, restless, or otherwise dissatisfied all the time, and organizations need to be proactive in helping employees to stay engaged and productive. Here are 4 essentials your organization can use to help strike that balance.
Encourage Healthy Lifestyle Balance
Work-life balance is only a dream for many Americans, and our current work culture is burning people out at a terrifying rate—about 40-50% across all fields. Employers set the expectations for their employees, and if your employees feel that they’re expected to forgo sleep, time with their families, and other personal obligations, they won’t be as productive.
How can you help your employees take charge of their work-life balance? Stop rewarding overwork. Encourage your employees to head home at a reasonable hour, unplug from work devices, and get some rest. Disrupting sleep (or not getting enough) can reduce productivity, energy, and satisfaction, and can even influence mood disorders.
You can’t make your employees eat healthfully, but you can provide healthier options. If you offer your employees snacks in the office, make sure they’re healthy and will help to promote productivity and energy, rather than making employees sluggish and unfocused.
Improve Internal Communication By Diminishing Workplace Barriers
Poor communication is a problem for many organizations, and unfortunately, yours is probably no exception. Lack of communication puts up barriers for employees who want to solve problems or make things happen without having to get approval from layer upon layer of management. Employees are less engaged when they feel restricted, so removing these barriers provides employees with a sense of authority to do their job effectively. Removing barriers also communicates respect for your employees’ expertise. One important note, however, is that removing barriers can be more difficult when there is a regulatory limitation, such as for nurse practitioners, who only have full practice authority in 23 states.
Encourage Meditation
Meditation has gone mainstream—and for good reason. People crave the feeling of slowing down, focusing on breath, and carving out a few minutes to rest and clear their minds. Engineers at Google who were working on the self-driving car project used this tactic with great success when transitioning from work to personal time. This helped them avoid burnout and become more productive when they were at work. Meditation is free and can be done anywhere, but you might consider offering guided meditation at the end of the day to help employees wind down before they head home.
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Provide Economic Incentives
When you need a jolt of productivity, you can’t overlook the power of economic incentives. Everyone loves bonuses and payouts, and monetary incentives can be a great way to boost productivity and engagement—assuming they’re used correctly. Incentives shouldn’t just be used for senior-level employees, and they shouldn’t form the basis of your cultural productivity boosts. However, when you need that extra boost, a little cash can be just the ticket.
Never Stop Evolving
Employee engagement is an ongoing project that should be near the top of your company’s priority list at every stage. You’ll need to switch up your tactics from time to time, and always pay attention to what your employees need. Productivity and engagement evolves with your business—keep your eyes and ears open and adjust accordingly.
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