When your staff are engaged they are usually happy – and perhaps more importantly, they are likely to be productive and motivated to deliver their best for your company.
There is a large amount of data supporting the business benefits of fostering engagement among your workers. It really pays to make engagement a priority, and this has been highlighted in a recent survey from KPMG, where they reported that most organisations are placing employee engagement as their second highest priority post Covid.
Gallup have repeatedly reported that organisations who ranked in the top quartile for engaged employees had a 22% higher profitability and 10% higher customer service rating than those in the bottom quartile.
Conversely, the negative impact of disengaged staff on business is high. Apart from reduced productivity and lower customer experience, it is estimated that the cost of replacing staff is around 150% of their annual salary depending upon their role in the organisation. (see the Employee Retention Calculator on the Brownie Points web site to calculate how much employee turnover is costing you).
Certain industries such as hospitality, by their nature attract more transient employees, which can make engagement even more complex to achieve. All the more reason to make every moment count, so it is important to start with the end in mind when planning your engagement strategy so it is certainly worth considering the following:
Onboarding
First impressions count. Employees who experience a positive introduction to their new employer are more likely to remain motivated and stay in their role longer. Research shows that a strong onboarding program can boost new hire productivity by 70%. Remember to:
• Outline expectations clearly and be positive in your approach.
• Resist the urge to cut corners on training and orientation and keep processes simple.
• Provide a “buddy”, a “go to” colleague or mentor to support your onboarding efforts.
Share clear goals. Reward success
Research suggests that workers who are given autonomy to make decisions, and are encouraged to provide suggestions to improve the business and suggest changes are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
Be transparent with what you want to achieve and collaborate with staff at all levels to solve problems. Letting staff know your corporate vision and values is key to this.
Whilst money is undoubtedly a motivator for employees, many studies have confirmed that if workers are paid correctly recognition for contribution and positive feedback becomes important to foster overall engagement.
Rewards for a job well done don’t have to be expensive but should recognise the worker and suit the business ethos e.g. paid time off, a meal voucher or a movie ticket. In many cases, the act of recognition and positive feedback is sufficient.
Programs such as Brownie Points that are able automate processes and recognise across the organisation can make the employee reward system easier for businesses to manage, and cost effective to maintain.
Communicate Regularly
Timely, sincere and regular communication from you and your Managers will make or break your staff’s engagement.
Gallup suggest that immediate Managers account for 70% variance in employee engagement scores so it’s vital that your Supervisors and Managers understand the significance of driving an informed, positive workforce who receive constructive feedback often. Employees who take part in regular meetings have been shown to be twice as engaged as those who don’t.
Foster diversity and inclusion in your workplace environment through your recruitment practices and create opportunities to bring team members together socially (even remote social interaction works). Volunteering for a shared cause is an excellent way of providing a sense of belonging.
Create strong organisational values
A workplace with integrity lives and breathes a culture where respect prevails.
Leaders should “walk the talk” to embed identified values throughout the workplace and state their importance to the business.
Remind staff of these values often and tie rewards to those who demonstrate these. As a result, you will engender trust and create a more meaningful engaged environment.
Choosing to invest in your people is choosing to invest in your business. Your staff are your only competitive advantage, and motivated, engaged employees will deliver higher levels of customer or guest experience.
Engaged employees supported by leaders who communicate positively and openly can be the key to move your business performance from ordinary to exceptional, so plan your strategy carefully.
Brownie Points works with thought leading organisations to ensure that the entire workforce in focused, appreciated, valued, and included.
To discuss how we can help you to maximise the potential in your employees in your business, call us today on +61 (0)3 9909 7411 or email us at info@browniepoints.com.au
