Employee engagement is now a phenomenon that HR leaders, managers, organizations, and recruitment consultants are working hard for. Workforce culture is changing, and people now grasp how much impact employee engagement has on a company’s success. Employees are now looking for a more positive and engaging work environment and culture.
It’s imperative to improve employee engagement to reap the benefits and eliminate the negative impact that disengagement brings. To determine how you can improve employee engagement, it’s important to understand the pillars of employee engagement.
Employee engagement shouldn’t just be addressed when a new hire begins working for your company, or when management starts seeing a decline in productivity. Employee engagement begins as early as the recruitment stage. These work values can be used to build an employee engagement strategy right from the moment you start the recruitment process.
We’ve outlined ways how you can improve engagement through the pillars of employee engagement.
Despite the significance of employee engagement in achieving long-term goals, studies show that 87% of employees around the world are disengaged. Another study conducted by Gallup discovered that 73% of actively disengaged employees are on the lookout for better opportunities or actively seeking for a new job.
The pillars of employee engagement help guide the HR team, managers, and employers to come up with effective strategies to improve engagement and motivation.
1. Organizational Alignment
During the first interview, you can already assess whether a candidate is a right fit for your company. Let your candidate know of the company’s vision, mission, and goals, and assess whether their goals are aligned with the company’s core values.
Their roles and responsibilities also need to be consistent with the core values. According to a recent study, 80% of employees felt more engaged when work is clearly consistent with the mission and core values of their organization.
Job postings do not always provide a clear outline of the roles and responsibilities. Make sure that you communicate this clearly to your candidate and let them know how this job contributes to the company’s long-term success.
2. Supportive and Collaborative Relationships
Employees are more confident and enthusiastic in starting new projects and tasks when they know they have the full support of their new co-workers and superiors.
Supportive relationships improve employee engagement. According to IBM, 83% of employees reported a positive work experience when they felt that they can trust their managers. Another study claims that a bad relationship with managers is the top reason why employees leave their jobs.
You can have the new hires and candidates meet the team, or give them a tour of the facilities so that they can see for themselves how people work closely together in your company.
This can also be reinforced during their onboarding training and orientation. Show them an organizational chart with photos of team members and critical members of the company so they can acquaint themselves with the “who’s who” of your organization.
3. Employee Recognition
The AttaCoin 2017 Employee Appreciation Study revealed that 47% of employees in the US feel under-appreciated and that 83% of employees agree on the importance of being rewarded for great work. Employees who feel appreciated are more motivated to do better, hence more engaged with the company.
Employee recognition does not always have to be in the form of money. Verbal recognition such as praising an employee for their hard work is also very encouraging and motivating.
Inform your new hire of any performance incentive program in the company, and how hard work is appreciated in your organization to encourage them to do their best from the very first day.
4. Personal Growth and Development
Professional training and development contribute to personal growth. When candidates apply for a job, they expect to enrich their knowledge and further their skills.
Orient your candidates to the training opportunities that await. Give them a clear picture of the professional growth they can attain in your company.Let them know what the job entails, and how they can grow in your company with the training and development opportunities.
5. Health and Wellness
Health is becoming increasingly expensive globally. For this reason, candidates and new hires consider health benefits as one of their top considerations when looking for jobs. Let your applicants know the health benefits included in their packagesuch as HMO insurance plans or a gym membership if your company has any.
Provide candidates clear instructions on how to complete their pre-employment physical exam and laboratory tests. Explain clearly why your organization requires this and stress that your company puts ahigh value on health and wellness.
6. Workplace Culture
Every organization has their own work culture, and it’s important to hire the candidate that best fits this culture. Therefore, hiring the right person for the right job and work culture improves employee engagement.
Give them a tour of the facility, as workspace and environment usually reflect the general company culture. This will show your new hires how the workers interact with each other and their environment.
You can also send them a welcome video or note before their first day to let them know that the company is also excited to have them on board.
7. Relevant Feedback
Few recruiters and HR personnel provide feedback after the interview, apart from the “you got the job” message or call. What usually comes after this is contract signing and explanation of rules and regulations, benefits, and all the paperwork that a new job entails. But, wouldn’t it be great if candidates are informed of how and why the decision to hire them was made?
According to a Gallup study, only one percent of employees who receive positive feedback are actively disengaged, while 40% of employees who receive no feedback are actively disengaged. Additionally, only 22% of employees who receive negative feedback are actively disengaged, which goes to show that negative feedback is even better than no feedback at all.
When you let new hires know how they did in the interview and what made you choose them, they get a clearer picture of what’s expected from them. Furthermore, this makes them feel valued and important. Take the time to provide feedback before sending off your new hire on their first day at work.
During the recruitment process, you can already improve employee engagement by ensuring that your new hire is well-prepared for their first day at work. Giving them welcome packets, showing them around their new workplace, and having them meet their future co-workers can get them excited about their new job.
Exhibit efficiency, professionalism, and respect during the hiring process to show your candidates that they can expect the same principles from the company.
Employee engagement starts at the very beginning. Don’t miss out on every opportunity where you can improve employee happiness and satisfaction through the 7 pillars of employee engagement.
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