We know how important it is to be engaged with our clients, but what about our fellow employees? What risks do we assume if we are not engaged with our employees? To be more engaged with employees, we need to talk more, listen more, help more, get to know each other better, etc. Does a typical work day for you include coming in, sitting down at your desk and starting to work and then leaving once the clock hits five? On the other hand, do you come into an environment where everyone interacts with one another throughout the day and before you know it, it’s 5 o'clock in the evening?
Nobody wants to sit day-in and day-out at the same desk with only work to focus on. Managers need to take on the challenge of engaging with their employees to promote positive attitudes as well as an upbeat atmosphere. Once managers become engaged with their employees, they need to encourage, nurture and allow this engagement to grow in the workplace. Here are a few suggestions for managers to consider implementing into their workday to increase engagement:
- Communicate with employees verbally when possible versus emailing or messaging.
- Hold weekly contests among employees.
- Have a company outing once a month or every couple months.
- Provide lunch and encourage employees to eat together.
- Encourage employees to work in teams. Give them each a task and have them work together toward a solution.
- Allow employees to explore their creative side and take initiative whenever possible.
In an environment where people can be themselves and continue to challenge themselves, they are more likely to enjoy the work they do. Therefore, if you want to see your employees improve their performance, you should give them the freedom to work while encouraging employee engagement.
