6 Tips to Enhance Employee Engagement

1)Feeling Valued

1. Look employees in the eye and say “thank you.”

2. Start all staff meetings off with “thank you’s.”

3. Cover a wall with paper; let employees graffiti successes.

4. For one day, do a project or task an employee despises.

5. If an employee has an idea, actually listen and discuss it.

6. Encourage autonomy.

7. Discuss how employees contribute to the mission, goals and

bottom line – and do it often.

8. Ensure your onboarding program includes the company history

2)The Work

1. On Fridays, require the lights be turned off by 5 pm

2. Have dinner delivered for anyone working after 6 pm

3. Reward employees with a half-day off

4. Take company field trips

5. Offer the opportunity to work from home sometimes

6. Ensure employees are always focused on the mission

7. Create stretch goals every 90-days

8. Be careful who you acknowledge as corporate heroes

3)The Team & Relationships

1. Train everyone on giving feedback, and managers on

coaching

2. Schedule time to give positive feedback

3. Conduct a relationship audit (e.g., “What is your

relationship like with your manager?”)

4. Engage in projects together, in and outside of work

5. Be transparent

6. Have a “show and tell” meeting

7. Do something crazy with your onboarding

8. Get to know your employees – ask questions

4)The Environment

1. Redecorate

2. Offer gift certificates to the coffee house down the street

3. Create opportunities for people to “collide”

4. Visit a local “best place to work” winner in your area

5. Ask each employee to create a 20-second video about the

values

6. Hold open discussions about positive workplace topics

7. Create a culture committee focused on driving culture

8. If employees aren’t living the values, revamp them

5)Leadership

1. Train how to “do” performance management

2. Offer mentor/protégé programs

3. Have an employee council who meets monthly with executive

team

4. Blog about internal business issues

5. Ask employees what they need to do their job more effectively.

6. Communicate often, about everything

7. Include leadership in onboarding much, much more

8. Apologize when you make a mistake

6)Growth

1. Create a lunch n’ learn schedule for each department

2. Create a book club and meet once per month

3. Provide the opportunity for stretch goals

4. Partner with non-profit to help employees gain experience

5. Charge each department with a goal that is a little outrageous and

support them to meet it

6. Offer budget for professional associations and trainings

7. Offer budget for external, personal courses

8. Locate free webinars – they are everywhere!

9. Organize matrix-teams for problem-solving

7)Rewards

1. Ask your employees how they want to be rewarded

2. Make sure the connection between performance and rewards is

crystal clear

3. Use an example of employee work to highlight excellence

4. Provide advancement

5. Create a wall of great ideas

6. Increase recognition by inviting employees to executive meetings

7. Use social media to recognize employees

8. Take out an ad in the local newspaper to celebrate an employee

Remember…

Nothing I’ve shared with you today is theory.

Every single one of these steps comes from an

expert in engagement, personal experience

working with clients, or case studies from other

consultants and companies