By Jo Kansagra Head of People Virgin Incentives
1 in 4 UK workers are considering quitting their jobs this year. 13% of employees do not want to remain with their company for the long-term. Only 20% of UK workers are engaged at work. This can negatively affect business operations and lead to lower productivity. Employers may be worried about losing their talented employees and staff retention, which could affect their bottom line.
It’s more important than ever for companies to assess the engagement strategies of their employees and their well-being. It’s important for employers to spend time understanding their employees’ preferences, likes and dislikes. Employee engagement is not a one size fits all approach. According to research, higher levels of employee engagement result in improved retention rates. Nine out of 10 engaged employees plan to remain with their organization, and 41% less absenteeism.
The Engagement Planning Process
Planning is required to create impactful employee engagement programs
Execution. It does not have to be complex, but it requires time and thought to meet the needs of every employee. Businesses can plan their employee engagement strategies in a way that shows appreciation for employees and ensures they feel taken care of.
Step 1: Determine your goal
What is the goal of your employee engagement plan? Understanding the value that a company will receive from increasing employee recognition and boosting engagement is important. Before planning any events or activities, it is best to establish goals that are specific and measurable. Engaged employees are also 57% more productive and effective at work than those who have low levels of engagement. This shows the importance of putting the right strategies into place.
Step 2. What do your employees want to know?
Asking employees about their preferences is the best way to start. What would they prefer to receive as an expression of appreciation?
Employers can learn a great deal about their employees by conducting anonymous surveys. These surveys ask employees what they want in terms of benefits, rewards and recognition. It can be used to evaluate their employee engagement levels and determine what is working well, as well as what may need improvement. This will help set a baseline for future work. This will also show the employees that their opinions are valued.
Employers can choose from a variety of initiatives, including:
- Employee Recognition Programmes – Service Awards, Performance Incentives or Peer-to-Peer Recognition Platforms
- Workshops, seminars and courses that enhance career development and skills
- Wellness Programmes include initiatives to promote health and wellbeing, such as gym memberships or mental health resources.
- Team Building Activities: Events or outings that promote collaboration and camaraderie
Business leaders can then look at their budgets to determine where funds should be allocated based on the priorities.
Step 3: Budget realistically
After the results of the survey are compiled and the employer has a clear picture of what their employees expect, it is time to establish the budget. It is important to review regularly the effectiveness of existing engagement activities, and to use metrics and feedback in order to evaluate their impact. It is important to align budgets with goals in order to achieve the desired results.
If team building activities create cohesion between different groups at the office and, in turn, boost productivity and collaboration, then businesses may find that they should allocate more resources to these initiatives.
This can be measured by a variety of metrics, including employee retention rates and productivity levels. Businesses can then look at the financial benefits that these metrics are bringing to their business to justify budgets or secure future funding.
Step 4: Plan your logistics
Decide the date, location and time of your event. It is important that all members of your team attend planned activities or training sessions in order to ensure employee engagement. It’s important to share the schedule with your employees so that they can plan their calendars and make sure attendance.
Leaders could create a survey that includes different activities and allow employees to vote on their preference.
Businesses could give multichoice gift certificates to employees as a way to show their appreciation. This allows them to select an activity or small gift of their choice at their convenience. Gifts can be given on a budget as they don’t need to cost a fortune.
Step 5: Communicate!
This should be fun for the employees. It’s great to have something to work towards and look forward to. It can be a great way to get the office excited and have some fun before the planned activity.
Employees should know what to expect from the company in return for their dedication and hard work.
How does employee engagement look?
Every business will have a different employee engagement strategy, because it should be tailored according to the demographics and preferences of employees.
Gift cards for experiences, such as those offered by Experiences, are a great way to give employees something personal. Employers that know their employees well could give them a family day out, dinner for two or a race track day. These gifts show that the employer cares about their employees outside of work. Coffee or other small gifts are good choices.
Experiences are more memorable than vouchers, alcohol, and snacks.
Employers can plan fun days with their staff to engage them in engaging activities. It could be an escape room, a painting or pottery workshop, a city-scavenger search, or a wine tasting. There are many activities that can be arranged for employees, depending on their preferences.
Virgin Incentives took its team to Legoland for a fun day away from the office.
Employee engagement is a powerful tool that can benefit the operations of a company and reduce turnover. Employee engagement strategies have many benefits, from ensuring that employees feel valued and cared for to improving business operations.
The original version of this article Can employee involvement help retain staff? appeared first on Human Resources News.
