Team engagement is one of the most important factors when it comes to achieving your organisation’s goals.
However, it’s not just about your employees being happy at their job. According to Gallup, it “includes emotional and social needs, like doing work that you are good at and connecting your work with a higher purpose.”
An engaged team has the ability to stay more focused. They are likely to invest more time and effort in their jobs which leads to improved productivity and high-quality work.
Benefits of team engagement
Engaged employees are key to a successful business. They can go above and beyond what is expected of them because they are intrinsically motivated. Meaning, your team cares about their work and is invested in the organisation’s long-term success.
Here are the top reasons why team engagement matters in every organisation:
- Boosts productivity
Workplace Research Foundation revealed that highly engaged employees are 38% more likely to have above-average productivity. When you’re able to do what you love, you’re more likely to do it well.
Employees who are treated well by the management are also more inspired to produce better outputs or high-quality work. If you want to have a more productive workforce, start by implementing employee engagement strategies designed to improve productivity and overall organisational performance.
- Increases customer satisfaction
Engaged employees = Happier customers
Improving team engagement leads to employees who are more attentive and passionate about building good customer relationships. Just like what business magnate Richard Branson said, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”
- Improves retention rates
Every employee joins an organisation with expectations. When you fail to meet those expectations, there’s a higher possibility for your employees to look for better options elsewhere. And most times it’s not about the salary. Often, it’s about the lack of recognition, collaboration and communication within the team.
This is why engaging employees is very important. Engaged team members are satisfied with what they do. Therefore, they are less likely to leave their job significantly improving retention and reducing the cost of turnover.
- Increased profitability
A research conducted by Gallup showed that highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability
Engaged teams do their tasks with purpose. When your employees feel engaged, they will go the extra mile to achieve short-term and long-term goals. They care about their work and they produce better results that will ultimately increase your company’s revenue.
- Promotes innovation
Innovation also plays a crucial role in the growth and survival of an organisation. Successful innovation relies on effective communication and motivated teams. In order to have an innovation-driven culture, it’s important to have a team that collaborates, supports each other and encourages idea-sharing.
Engaged teams pursue challenges and immerse themselves in work with great intensity. They are more than willing to offer creative insights and think of effective business solutions that will be beneficial to the company.
5 tips on how to effectively improve team engagement
There are a lot of employee engagement strategies you can implement, but you need to take more time and effort to determine the right strategy to keep your team engaged.
Some managers or leaders might think higher pay and better benefits generally improve an employee’s satisfaction. However, it’s not as simple as that. You need to pay attention to their needs and pain points, and act deliberately on their feedback.
So how can you improve team engagement in your company? Below are some tips you can implement immediately to increase employee engagement.
1. Make it as a part of your organisation’s strategy
A Deloittestudy in 2016 found that 85% of global executives believe that engagement is very important. It’s proven that team engagement has a significant impact on your company’s success. That’s why it’s necessary to be part of your core business strategy. It shouldn’t be an HR initiative alone, the management and the leaders in your organisation should collaborate and implement strategies that will improve and sustain team engagement.
2. Give them the proper training
According to a Gallup research, “changes in employee engagement are best attributed to changes in how organisations develop employees.” Creating a culture of development helps your employees enhance the skills they need to do their job and is also an indication that your company values its employees and believes in their potential.
3. Talk to your team and empower them
Always talk to your employees as a team or individually. Make it a habit to have regular check-ins to know how they’re feeling and if there are any hurdles that need to be actioned immediately. As a leader, it’s also your responsibility to empower them. Help them discover their potential and build their confidence.
4. Measure engagement
One of the most common and effective ways to measure team engagement is through surveys. Conducting weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual surveys will help you gain an understanding of your team’s engagement levels. You can also do one-on-one meetings and group discussions where you can determine what’s working well and there areas for improvement.
5. Act on feedback and set goals
Whenever you receive feedback from your team, make sure you take action if necessary. If there’s some feedback that you cannot act upon, be transparent and tell your employees why.
There’s no secret formula when it comes to improving team engagement in the workplace. However, as a leader you need to effectively communicate with your employees. Effective communication helps eliminate confusion, provides purpose and helps build a winning company culture.
If you need help with team engagement, just head to our Corporate Labs and we will ensure your success in achieving your employee engagement goals.
