Yes, we all say “Wow! That sounds great!” …. “How can we accomplish this?”
You can increase engagement and retention – in 3 easy steps!
1. Career Mobility
When recruiting for a new employee, look internally first. Match the skills and passions of your current employees with tasks of the vacant position. The Manager can post a project and encourage internal employees from every area to contribute to the project. This will help employees dabble in other areas of the business, learn something new, and perhaps find a new passion or area of strength. This program can offer career mobility to help further training within an organization – instead of your employee’s looking elsewhere. By taking additional projects that otherwise would not be offered to them, employees can gain skills and experience. After the project has completed, sit down with the employee for one-on-one Career Planning – foster their engagement further by asking them to play a role in their vision for the future within the company, based on what they learned during the project.
Ask: Did they enjoy this new challenge? What did they learn? What did they like or dislike? Is there an area they would like to focus on or receive additional training?
2. Walk It Out
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that walking meetings lead to better employee engagement by breaking down the barrier between managers and subordinates or between coworkers. The bonding achieved through a walking meeting can be seen as “micro-bonding”. Walking side-by-side helps the conversation become more peer-to-peer, rather than across a desk which enforces the hierarchy of the office. This research also found that the positive effects of walking outside increases creativity and productivity.
3. Flex Time
An astounding 91% of HR Professionals agree that flexible work arrangements increase engagement, job satisfaction, positivity, and retention. What is workplace flexibility? This can be defined in a variety of ways including using technology to communicate outside of the office, mobile working outside of the office such as home or a client’s office, using flexible time such as coming in late or leaving early, teleworking, leave or sabbaticals, and part-time work. Some Managers still see this as an employee perk only, but the business perks go far deeper. Flexibility has been linked to decreased stress, reduced turnover, improved employee health and wellness, lower rates of absenteeism, and lowered health care costs. Employees who are offered flexible working have showed higher employee engagement and higher performance at work.
What are your ideas to increase employee engagement and retention?
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