Gallup defines employee engagement as “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace.” The global analytics firm recently released its findings on employee engagement in the U.S., and engagement is lower than ever across both full and part-time employees. According to Gallup’s reporting, only 32% of employees are engaged.
With employee appreciation buzzing as a hot topic this month, and more pressure than ever before to improve engagement, many organizations are looking at what they can do. Some chose to do something kind and recognize employees on Employee Appreciation Day earlier this month, but in order to move the happiness needle, it shouldn’t be a “one and done” exercise.
Your workforce should be made to feel appreciated all year round, not just when the calendar suggests it’s the right time to do so.
There are several programs that Corporate America can implement for the hybrid workforce that has strengthened two of the critical drivers of employee engagement: employee development and employee appreciation.
Walk the Employee Appreciation Talk
Showing employees your gratitude and appreciation is about more than a gift or verbal recognition. It’s about showing them gratitude through your policies, programs, and how you show up as a leader each day. Leverage these ideas to help energize your employee engagement planning:
Lights, No Camera, Action!
Hybrid and remote employees are suffering from major Zoom fatigue. You can show gratitude to your employees for all they have committed to the organization and support them by recognizing this challenge. Implement times and encourage employees to take meetings by phone instead of video.
The norms of day-to-day work are changing and addressing video fatigue head-on will make your employees feel appreciated. Remember, employees have gone to great lengths in the last few years. Providing flexibility and understanding is critical.
Personalize Rewards
Showing gratitude both formally and informally is crucial.
Informally leaders can show appreciation for a milestone, the completion of a project, or even a small success can be incredibly meaningful to employees. The key to showing gratitude is that it must be tailored and personal. A generic message from an executive leader to every employee may fall flat. Alternatively a personalized message, specific to a project team or an individual, thanking them for their contributions helps employees feel valued and seen.
Put a gratitude tool in place for your employees—a platform or mechanism they can use to send moments of gratitude quickly and easily to one another. That could be as simple as a gratitude channel in your messaging platform or a commitment to sharing kudos on Fridays. It could also be more robust, with a specific partner or tool to enable gratitude across your business, or sharing small gift cards or tokens of appreciation when milestones are met.
Implement Culture Swap Days
Creating a culture of belonging is also a crucial component of engagement. For example, try implementing a flex program that includes things like a hybrid work model, well-being days, the option to spend 30 calendar days working anywhere in the world, and the ability to use “culture swap” days where employees can swap public holidays for alternative days off that are more aligned with the culture or values of an individual. By offering your employees flexibility and the opportunity for personal balance, you can not only drive higher engagement but better business outcomes.
Prioritize Growth and Development Opportunities
According to a recent Qualtrics study, only 53% of individual contributors are satisfied with their growth and development opportunities yet data show that employees who are satisfied with their development options are more engaged and have a higher likelihood of staying with the organization for three or more years.
If having stronger development and learning opportunities for employees increases retention during challenging hiring times, this is a meaningful opportunity.
Shake Things Up
Short-term assignments or secondment programs offer employees the opportunity to experience a new job, project, part of their business, or even a new geography. This is an incredible hands-on learning opportunity, with a relatively low cost to your organization. So, develop a program that allows your employees to bring value to new parts of your business, with an opportunity for development in return.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Josh Berwitz
North American President and Global Chief Growth Officer at Prezzee
Josh Berwitz is the Chief Growth Officer & President, North America, at Prezzee, a rapidly expanding global digital gifting company. Josh has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and leads Prezzee in developing and delivering the company’s growth strategy. Josh is also passionate about community philanthropy and serves on the board of Counseling in Schools (CIS) in New York City. CIS brings quality counseling to the students and families of New York City Public Schools.