Businesses go to considerable lengths to recruit “the finest and brightest.” But, beyond the thrill of the hunt, what is your retention and employee engagement strategy? Will top personnel just move on to the next firm that can give them better pay, responsibility, and benefits? Will top personnel just move on to the next firm that can give them better pay, responsibility, and benefits? Should this force employers shake in their boots? If you don’t do something about it, then yes. If you’re still not sure that interaction is necessary, examine the following three factors:
When employees are engaged, they are less likely to be absent. Employers who take steps to engage their staff see a drop in absenteeism by 41%. Employees who are actively engaged outperform those who are not. In general, organizations with high employee satisfaction are 21% more efficient and profitable.
Low engagement will cost your firm a lot of money. The average cost of hiring new employees is $4,329, with onboarding costing an additional $1,058. By involving your current staff, you may simply save money. To be successful, you must get the best out of every person and keep them on board. What method are you intending to use? Regardless matter where your teams are situated, you can commit to winning strategies.
What can you do to encourage remote workers to be more engaged?
Frederic Linfjärd, Director of Growth Marketing of Planday, outlines why this should be a top priority for you. But how can you keep everyone on your team interested, happy, and productive daily? “Participation, communication, and appreciation are the three most critical components.”
Participation:
If remote employees participate, they will not feel isolated. Encourage cross-team communication, give virtual ‘office’ refreshments, and establish a virtual shared atmosphere so employees from different locations may participate in leisure activities. If you can generate social contacts between your employees, you should see an increase in engagement during the workweek!
Communication:
It’s critical to keep in touch with workers who work from home. Chat programs make it simple to communicate with coworkers or to schedule frequent video meetings so that everyone is on the same page about the tasks at hand. Remote workers benefit from these online face-to-face meetings because they can see their coworkers, albeit through a screen, and so feel more connected to the team.
Appreciation:
Many companies overlook gratitude when it comes to remote workers, even though it’s the simplest way to show you care about them, which is a key driver of engagement. Could you make them personalized gifts for their birthdays or anniversaries at work? Do you set aside monies to assist them in improving their working conditions at home? These three fundamental pillars of remote engagement build the bond between a firm and its remote personnel. Participation, communication, and praise all impact employees’ emotions of value.” Fred adds.
The key to a motivated workforce is “Feeling Appreciated”:
Employees who sense they are respected are considerably more inclined to put up their best effort for their company. Customers and employees should be handled with the same respect. Your customer retention strategy should involve coworkers and collaborators. Here are a few ideas for increasing staff motivation and productivity.
1. Start by showing genuine interest in who they are outside of what they can do for you:
“Customers and workers are more than simply “assets,” says Elliot Ledley, Director of Media Relations CASPIAN STUDIOS. “They’re individuals who want to be valued and communicated with regularly.” To stay in contact with colleagues who work remotely, schedule frequent video conferences.”
2. Deliver a terrific product experience by equipping people with the tools they require to do their jobs well:
“You make certain that your service or product solves a pressing problem for your customers and delivers on its promise while remaining easy and straightforward to use.” Make the same effort with your employees as you do with your customers. Customers are greeted by customer service professionals, salesmen, and store clerks as though they are important people,” said Robert Johansson, CEO & Tech Expert at imgkits. “The great product experience you deliver is the firm itself: a beautiful corporate culture, a pleasant work environment, and the feeling of being able to do a decent job without being limited by bothersome obstructions,” said UNAGI Scooters’ Nely Mihaylova.
A crucial component of engagement is doing what you like in a relevant environment. Spending time studying a topic that people enjoy and can apply in the workplace may dramatically boost people’s engagement and retention. Create a professional development model with your team and encourage them to keep learning. New workers aren’t the only ones who need to be educated. It might be anything from taking online e-learning classes to enrolling in a professional degree program.
3. React quickly to issues:
“Employees are unlikely to bash the company on social media in the same way that a frustrated consumer could through sites that now offer them a forum to do so!” says Mathew Bowley, Director of Marketing at Solmar Villas. Responding quickly to issues, on the other hand, demonstrates that individuals are valued. Listen to each individual and try to address their problems, just like you would with client complaints. People want to do important work, move the needle, and achieve outcomes for their companies, so giving them what they need is a big gain.”
4. Express your gratitude for their employees in a significant way:
Do you reward your consumers with incentives and gifts? Could you do the same with your team members?
Robin Antill, the Director at Leisure Buildings says, “By celebrating triumphs and milestones, presents, especially tiny ones, tend to consolidate positive sentiments.” Recognize personal milestones (birthdays, marriages, etc.) as well as team achievements (a large scale, a new customer, or a finished project).” Dominick DeJoy, Director at WINDOW. “Employees are healthier and less irritated, and they are thankful because they feel appreciated,” Dominick continues, “therefore company-wide initiatives like providing nutritious food options and conducting (virtual) fitness sessions have been proved to improve wellness, morale, and productivity.”
5. Examine the big picture for significance:
“Employees aspire to make a positive effect in the world, just as customers are growing increasingly concerned about a company’s consequences on the human and natural environment,” says Daniel Foley, SEO Manager at MCS Rental Software. It’s vital to stress how their effort affects the company, the local community, and the entire planet.” Is there a certain amount of money that each employee may donate to a charity of their choice? Is it feasible for the company to provide a defined amount of volunteer days for the employee? Could your staff, on the other hand, contribute their excess sick time to a coworker who is experiencing difficulties?
6. Recognize your staff using a tool:
“Recognition not only boosts individual employee engagement but has also been proven to have improved productivity and commitment to the business, leading to higher retention,” says Jameson Carr, CEO of Choice Wineries. While it may not look tough to say “excellent work,” technology may make it easier and even more pleasant in today’s digital world. “Gamification elements (badges, leaderboards, and prizes) are typically included in employee recognition software, which encourages employees to use the program more frequently. “With this sort of platform, employees may send cards, “high-fives,” personalized greetings, and, in many cases, public praises to everyone in the business,” explains Zenzero‘s Adam Crossling.
7. Encourage attendees to bring their technology:
Employee happiness and overall workplace morale are two critical aspects of employee engagement. Employees who are forced to use outdated, inconvenient computers or a company-issued Blackberry phone are likely to be dissatisfied. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) comes into play here. “At the end of the day,” says Charlie Garcia, Chief Editor at WP DEV SHED, “BYOD can make work life a whole lot more enjoyable for employees.” “They’ll be able to break free from the confines of Excel and other such programs and enjoy the work they’re doing.”
Finally, make sure that the rest of the world knows about these improvements by applying for the “Great Place to Work” awards and the Investing in People Quality Standard, so that your efforts are recognized both internally and outside.