Three Tips for Improving Employee Engagement

It’s no secret that there is an engagement epidemic facing offices across the United States. As mentioned in an earlier post, a GallupPoll conducted at the end of last year showed that only 13% of employees feel “engaged” at work. Engagement is clearly a integral component of excellence in the workplace. The same Gallup Poll showed that this low engagement is costing US organizations dearly, as productivity is 21% worse and profitability is 22% worse from the previous year. If you fear that your employees are disengaged, try to incorporate some suggestions for improving employee engagement from the list below into your office culture.

Change up the Work Environment

Many of your employees may spend more time in the office than at their own homes. A workplace plagued with repetitiveness and banality is more likely to house unmotivated, bored, and disengaged employees. Taking simple steps like rearranging seats, decorating for the holidays, and altering light fixtures can break up the monotony of the everyday grind. Incorporating an innovative corporate wellness program like UpJoy may be just the thing your office needs to improve engagement.

Avoid Technostress

Today’s employees and inundated with a never-ending stream of text messages, emails, and social media notifications. Trying to keep on top of all of these mediums can lead to “technostress.” Conversations with employees about work/life balance (see #3) and email etiquette (when to use “cc” and “reply all”) can help reduce this flux of messages. Some managers implement bans on after-hours emailing and website blockers that restrict social media distractions during work hours.

Respect the Work/Life Balance.

The American Management Association claims that productivity declines after 40 hours a week. Many of us work more than this cutoff, which makes us not only less productive and engaged, but more likely to get less sleep, exercise, and down time. Managers should reward excellent performance with vacation days, and encourage high performers to take time off. However, workers need time to unwind during the day to avoid burnout and disengagement. UpJoy, an employee engagement software, provides subscribers with limited access to handpicked images and videos specifically chosen for their uplifting qualities. Users of UpJoy report feeling less stressed and more engaged. Incorporating this system into your office may help to balance work with play.

For more information on how UpJoy can help improve employee engagement, make sure to visit www.upjoy.org for more information and a free trial.