Employee engagement in the workplace is a great indicator of whether they are satisfied. High levels of employee engagement will increase retention of talent, customer loyalty and improve overall organization performance.

What exactly is employee engagement?

Employee engagement means that the employee does not just come to work to collect their paycheck or get the next promotion, but they work towards meeting the organization’s goals. 

It’s important to keep in mind that employee engagement does not mean employee happiness. For example, a company game room or happy hours are fun and can make employees happy, they may not be engaged and productive to help support the organization’s goals and success. 

According to a Gallup study, organizations with a high level of engagement reported 22% higher productivity.

What are engaged vs. disengaged employee behaviors? 

How to cultivate employee engagement

1. Communicate with your team

Make sure that employees are up to date with all of the latest company policies, procedures, technology, etc. Currently, there are ever-changing covid safety policies and rehiring strategies. Communicate with your employees, including those who are furloughed, so that they don’t waste their time or the company time. This will also help employees feel more comfortable and safer and help them inform guests when they are asked questions. 

Let them know ahead of time f the organization has budgeted promotions, raises, professional development, or new benefits. This will help employees know what they are working towards and align their career paths or goals with the information provided. You may lose some employees but those that stay are the truly engaged employees.

2. Ask for feedback and actually listen

Survey your employees or give them the opportunity to open give feedback for new ideas or improving the workplace environment. When employees feel like they are truly being listened to and they matter to the organization, they will want to stay there and continue to the organization.

3. Allow employees to try new roles and properly train them

Giving your employees the opportunity to move around departments and see what role better aligns with their skills, career aspirations and goals will motivate them to stay with the organization and perform better. 

Training each employee properly for their role will set that employee and the team up for success. If employees are comfortable in their role, they are going to feel better coming to work every day and have a more positive attitude when interacting with other team members and guests.