Employee engagement is not just a buzz phrase. The level of engagement of employees at work directly impacts your organization's bottom line. A recent Gallup workplace study estimates that the lack of employee engagement has cost the global economy around $7 trillion in lost productivity.
Engaged employees are happier with their jobs, more excited to be in the workplace, more invested in the company's success that hired them, and more likely to show up and put in 100% effort. So, it is no wonder more organizations are prioritizing strategies and activities that enhance employee engagement.
Despite this increased attention, 85% of employees reported they were not engaged or were actively disengaged at work, according to the same Gallup study. Which leaves many companies asking themselves: What can we do to encourage our employees to be more excited about, invested in, and fulfilled at work? Here is an excellent place to start.
Support Their Growth
People are naturally curious and enjoy learning. The same is true of your employees. Provide your staff members with a range of opportunities to develop their skills and acquire new ones, learn more about different topics relevant to work and beyond, and advance their careers. These could include workshops, seminars, webinars, certification courses, training, and even assistance with college tuition.
By encouraging your employees to continue learning, you are demonstrating that you genuinely care about their futures and their fulfillment. What is more, the new skills they learn can contribute to your organization's success.
Give Them Credit
Employees want to know that their hard work and effort are noticed. Make sure you recognize, acknowledge, and reward employees for doing a good job or going the extra mile. A simple compliment such as "great work" can go a long way but consider implementing formal employee recognition programs that provide more than encouraging words.
It's not just praise they want, either. Your employees value constructive feedback. Let them know what they are doing right and where their strengths lie. But also let them know how they might improve their performance by providing specific and practical guidance. This shows them that you believe in their potential and want them to succeed in your company for the long term.
Let Them Have Fun
All work and no play are enough to disengage any employee. Create opportunities for your staff members to have fun, relax, blow off some steam, and enjoy each other's company. There are several ways to up the fun level at work.
Create employee challenges and let teams compete for prizes. Organize community service days where employees can get together to clean up a beach or volunteer for a local charity. Host movie nights, weekend hikes, bowling after work, or other activities where employees can unwind and destress. Have theme days at work during which employees can dress up as their favorite Star Wars character or wear their pajamas. Get creative and keep it fun.
Help Them Stay Healthy
A healthy employee is a happy and productive one. So, create a wellness-focused work environment. Offer healthy snack options and onsite fitness classes. Bring in massage therapists to help employees relieve stress, tension, and pain. Start wellness programs that encourage employees to be active and eat better. And make sure you are paying attention to your staff members' mental well-being as well.
Health and wellness programs are an effective way to engage employees. But health insurance is one of the top priorities influencing employee engagement. According to a Clutch survey, 73% of employees who participated said they received at least some employer benefits. And 55% of those employees said that health coverage was the most critical factor in job satisfaction.
Also, it is critical that the health insurance process is as simple as possible. It's important to give your employees more choice and control over their health plan options. For these reasons, a growing number of companies are turning to SureCo.
The key to improving employee satisfaction is making sure that the health insurance enrollment process is as simple as possible. SureCo's Enrollment Platform makes it easy for every employee to shop for and purchase a health plan that fits their specific needs and budget. What is more, our platform connects employees to a host of user-friendly tools and resources that help them stay on top of their healthcare coverage as well as their health. Employees feel more empowered and control their healthcare journey. Which in turn promotes more satisfaction and engagement during work hours.
See how SureCo's Enrollment Platform helps improve the health insurance and workplace experience for employees.
