Employee Engagement Tips for Business Managers

Written by: Wilson College • Aug 19, 2024

A group of happy co-workers take a selfie in an office.

Employee engagement is critical to a company’s business culture, productivity, and success. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report, unfortunately, only 33% of U.S. employees and 23% of global employees considered themselves engaged in the workplace. The report also estimates that a lack of employee engagement costs the global economy around $8.9 trillion.

Aspiring business managers need to know how to motivate and support their employees so that they succeed in their roles and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Earning a degree in business can provide the foundation that professionals need to promote engagement and improve operations.

What’s Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement describes the emotional connection that employees develop with their peers, their daily tasks and roles, and their employers’ missions. The term is broad, measuring several indicators that can vary significantly based on company culture, geographic location, and size. Individuals’ roles and personal characteristics can all influence these factors.

Employee engagement encompasses an individual’s ability to do the following:

Stay motivated to do their work to the best of their ability
Show enthusiasm for working on their own and as part of a team
Invest in achieving their company’s goals
Commit to their company’s mission and values
Connect with their co-workers and colleagues

9 Reasons That Employee Engagement Is Important

Due to shifts in a company’s business culture, employee engagement fluctuates. When the culture is booming and engagement rises, the company’s productivity soars and individuals’ enthusiasm becomes infectious. When the culture falters, productivity slows and employees may be unhappy. Implementing employee engagement tips and best practices is beneficial for the following reasons:

Productivity: Employees who are engaged in their work are more motivated and committed. As they continue to commit more energy and focus on their roles, their productivity increases.
Job Performance: Individuals who feel passionate about their roles are driven to achieve their objectives. If employees perform well, the organization will be poised for success.
Creativity: Happy and engaged employees are far more likely to contribute innovative ideas to their companies; this can help organizations overcome challenges or develop new products and services.
Customer Satisfaction: Engaged employees’ commitment to their roles is often highlighted in their interactions with clients and customers. As a result, the organization’s customer base feels more satisfied and loyal to the brand.
Employee Satisfaction: Employees who are happier in their workplaces—and happier with their work—feel accomplished and fulfilled. As a result, they’re more satisfied with their jobs overall, and they participate in creating a positive business culture conducive to productivity.
Higher Retention Rates: Employees are far less likely to look for another job if they’re happy where they are. Additionally, companies with high retention rates spend less time and resources on recruitment and training.
Lower Absenteeism: Employees who feel engaged miss fewer workdays, show up on time, and commit themselves to being present.
Talent Acquisition: Engaged employees drive a positive work culture, making employment with the company more desirable. This makes it easier for companies to attract and retain employees who excel in their roles.
Adaptability and Agility: As the business or organization changes, engaged employees are more likely to adapt easily in the wake of challenges. In fact, many embrace change and see it as an opportunity to further improve their bonds with their organizations and co-workers.

7 Employee Engagement Tips

Organizations that haven’t actively implemented employee engagement best practices or that have noticed a change in their employees’ engagement can benefit significantly from the employee engagement tips below.

1. Promote Company Values

Creating a mission statement and a list of values is the first step toward building an engaged workforce. By clarifying the organization’s goals and purpose, employees can better understand how their work contributes to the overall success of the company. Business management degree programs help students build the skills to promote the company’s values and lead by example.

2. Ask For, Prioritize, and Reward Feedback

Conducting regular employee engagement surveys is vital to any business culture, and doing so shows employees that their opinions matter. Allowing employees to voice their concerns with transparency and honesty builds trust and shows that the organization truly cares about its employees.

3. Offer Flexible Work Schedules

A flexible work schedule, or even the opportunity to work remotely, can increase employee engagement. This shows that the organization cares about prioritizing its employees’ work-life balance, which is often equally or more important to employees than their careers.

4. Find Relevant Volunteer Opportunities to Make a Difference

People feel a sense of pride about positively contributing to their communities. Coordinating volunteer opportunities, such as an optional after-work event, is an excellent team building activity that can help employees connect on a deeper, more heartfelt level.

5. Commit to Caring For Employees’ Physical and Mental Health

Organizations offering wellness initiatives have the most engaged employees. Ideas include company workout classes, fitness membership subsidies, meditation classes, and yoga classes. Rather than offering donuts and pizza, stock break rooms with healthy snacks.

6. Recognize and Reward Excellent Performance

Employees who demonstrate above-and-beyond performance deserve to be acknowledged. Doing so shows appreciation and drives others to perform at a high level. Consider celebrating achievements and milestones, such as work anniversaries, and implementing incentive programs.

7. Offer Professional Development Opportunities

In 2023, 27% of workers across the U.S. quit their jobs due to a lack of work-life balance and career development, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Companies that offer professional development opportunities retain more of their staff and keep their staff more engaged.

Improve Employee Engagement With a Business Management Degree

Employee engagement can improve company culture, increase productivity, and drive profits as long as business and operations managers actively model the company’s core values and mission. The process of improving engagement is fluid and ongoing, and it requires frequent feedback from employees.

If you want to become a well-rounded business professional, Wilson College Online’s business programs offer various degrees to meet your career needs. Students can choose from the following programs: