HR Hub: Increasing Employee Engagement

Article | Sian Ratcliffe, Human Resources Manager at Blue Stream Academy

You might have heard that we are currently in the midst of the ‘Great Resignation’. Simply put, more jobs are available, so more people are leaving for pastures new.

Employee turnover is inevitable; it happens to all organisations, and it can sometimes be a positive thing – it can bring in innovative ideas and lead to increased productivity. However, when turnover begins to have a negative impact on the workforce, it’s important for organisations to develop solid retention strategies in order to avoid disaster.

One way to improve retention is through employee engagement. Studies show that elevated levels of engagement and empowerment are linked to innovative working environments and increased loyalty and commitment to an organisation. [1]

With that in mind, in this issue we’ll look at some of the best ways to improve employee engagement in your organisation to reduce turnover and get the best out of your people.

Recognise Achievement

Recognising your employees’ achievements is a sure-fire way to ensure that your people are connected to their work and feel a sense of pride in what they do. As well as celebrating the big achievements, it’s important to recognise some of the smaller wins – for example, when someone goes above and beyond for a colleague or takes on a new task to support the team. Recognition can be shared in a number of ways, be it privately or publicly, from managers or from peers. Be sure to communicate with your teams to understand how they best respond to recognition – these extra touches can make the action all the more significant.

Empower Your People

Organisations can empower people by providing them with resources, training, opportunities and motivation. Avoid micro-managing your employees, as this will hinder their creativity and take control of their workday. Empowered people will feel equipped to do the best in their role, which will result in accomplished, satisfied and engaged employees.

Communicate

Research has found that internal communication is integral to maintaining high levels of engagement, whether that communication is organisation-wide or with a supervisor. [2] Two-way communication between managers and employees fosters an environment where employees can be heard and managers can be responsive. If people are being listened to, they will feel more appreciated and, in turn, more engaged with their workplace.

Encourage Wellbeing

Over the years, more focus has been placed on wellbeing, which is defined as ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy’. [3] In the workplace, employers can introduce initiatives that focus on areas such as financial, social, physical and mental wellbeing. Providing your employees with training on mental health awareness, mentoring and a healthy work-life balance all help to develop happy and healthy teams, who are more engaged and more productive.

Provide Clarity

If an employee feels lost or unsure of how their role fits in to the bigger picture, they can lose motivation and become disengaged. To avoid this, it’s important to clarify people’s goals and responsibilities as often as possible, so they know exactly what they are working towards and how they are contributing. Providing a strategic overview of the business goals for the next few years can also be a huge motivator that engages your people.

Promote Honesty

Having an open and honest workplace culture is integral to stronger engagement. People who feel comfortable to come forward with their thoughts and feelings are more likely to feel connected with their management and their wider team. Managers can play a key role in creating a positive and honest environment by ensuring their people know that being truthful is seen as a positive thing and that any issues raised will be addressed and resolved at an early stage

Sian Ratcliffe

Human Resources Manager at Blue Stream Academy

Sian has worked at Blue Stream Academy for the past 8 years and took on the role of HR Manager around 2 years ago.

After studying Psychology at University, Sian has always had a keen interest in human behaviour and now enjoys focusing on employee engagement and wellbeing.