What’s the secret behind successful companies’ higher customer loyalty, profits and revenue, and lower turnover? Engaged employees.
These employees create business value because they participate fully, feel passionate about their work and willingly “step up” to help their company succeed. Best of all, they tell the world their company’s stories as enthusiastic brand advocates.
Use these strategic communication tips to improve employee engagement at your company.
1. Connect: Show you value your employees, as employee engagement is a direct reflection of how employees feel about their relationship with the boss. Make time to get to know your employees, their goals, stressors, what excites them and how they each define success.
2. Share clear expectations: Clearly communicate what’s expected of employees, what the company values and vision are, and how the company defines success. Employees perform best productive when they clearly know what they need to do.
3. Provide performance feedback: Frequently give employees positive, constructive feedback on their performance in the organization. Help your staff master important tasks and achieve their goals.
4. Let them contribute: Show your employees their input matters and they are contributing to the organization’s success in a meaningful way. Help employees understand the connection between their work and the strategic objectives of the company had a positive impact on job performance.
5. Ask how you’re doing: Humility is an incredibly attractive quality in leaders. Solicit employees’ input by saying, “It’s one of my goals to constantly improve myself as a manager. What would you like to see me do differently?” Be sure to accept feedback graciously and express appreciation.
6. Thank them: A sincere thank-you for a job well done can be a powerful motivator for continued success. Thank your employees personally and promptly. Even a quick thank-you email or text message works when you’re unable to drop by their office to tell them in person.
7. Give them an outlet: Help your employees tell your company’s stories. Once you establish a communication and social media policy, encourage and empower employees share your company news and success stories using a blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and offline sources.
Since employees are your company’s greatest assets, let your staff know you appreciate them. Use their collective ideas and enthusiasm to help your business grow and succeed. Welcome their ideas, ask for feedback and generate enthusiasm to give employees a sense of purpose and energy at work.
How do you engage your employees?
Lisa Goller helps businesses tell their story. As a Toronto-based Strategic Freelance Writer & Editor, she helps executives and entrepreneurs stand out, look good and save time. Learn more at lisagoller.com
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Sources:
Alvino, Nicole. “Engage Your Employees or Lose Billions.” Forbes. September, 29, 2014.
Brandi, JoAnna. “9 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged.” Entrepreneur. April 12, 2005.
Crim, Dan and Gerard Seijts. “What Employees the Most or the Ten Cs of Employee Engagement.” Ivey Business Journal. March/April 2006.
Economy, Peter. “7 Steps to Engaged Employees.” Inc. Aug 29, 2013.
Oehker, Ken, Lorraine Stomski and Magdalena Kustra-Olszewska. “What Makes Someone an Engaging Leader.” Harvard Business Review. November 7, 2014.
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