Employee Engagement Solutions to Use in the Workplace

Two-thirds of employees (67%) are disengaged in the workplace. If that sounds like a big problem, it is. Globally, employees who weren’t actively engaged or who are disengaged cost about $8.8 billion in productivity in 2023. If your employees don’t have the drive they once did or appear distant and unenthusiastic, it’s time to think about employee engagement solutions for your workplace.

If your employees are disengaged, you’re at risk of increased turnover, reduced work output, and a potential hit to your bottom line. But to understand if this is a problem for you, you’ll need tools to measure employee engagement.

Employee engagement is a general measure of how employees interact in your workplace, and provides insight into how effective and tuned-in your workforce is. Employee engagement solutions encourage interaction and build enthusiasm. While there are certainly quick wins (everybody loves a pizza party!) long-term initiatives can benefit from collecting and analyzing employee insights.

In this guide, we’ll look at why employee engagement is so important, how to consistently engage employees and how BambooHR can help you get the most out of your staff.

employee-satisfaction-enps-1

Workplace Employee Insights

Employee engagement can be notoriously difficult to guess without the right tools. Not everyone arrives at work with a smile every day. On the flip side, even the most cheerful employees can feel disengaged from their role. Employee insights provide essential information on how your staff feel about their workplace, the work and more.

Historically, anonymous surveys have done a lot of the heavy lifting—employers ask open-ended questions, employees respond, and answers give a general sense of feeling. While surveys can work, they aren’t perfect. For a comprehensive approach to employee insights, you’ll need to employ a variety of methods.

When it comes to software tools for employee engagement, we recommend opting for an all-in-one HR solution (also known as an HRIS) that includes key features:

Employee insights can show you why your staff members are—or aren’t—engaged and can even offer actionable tasks. Improving employee engagement isn’t a definite science, but using the right tools and gathering smart insights can help make the intangible a whole lot clearer.

Why Are Employee Insights Important to a Business?

Workplaces that care about their employees tend to do better and have more loyal employees. But like many top-down initiatives, it’s easier said than done. People’s needs are often complex and highly individualized, and it can be difficult to know what’s best for everyone. While you can’t accommodate everyone at once, knowing your team’s needs is the first step to making improvements. We explore more benefits of gathering employee insights below.

Save Money in the Long Run

Employee insights help you better understand the health of your business and the stability of your workforce. The data is clear: happy employees are less likely to look elsewhere. And that’s even more significant than you might think.

Attrition is expensive. According to Gallup research, replacing an employee can cost anywhere from 40%–200% of their salary. While employee turnover is a natural part of any business, too much can put a strain on the employees who remain. The good news? That same research found that almost half (42%) of turnover is preventable if managers and leadership take the time to invest in employee performance, success, and satisfaction.

Make Informed Decisions

Whatever decisions you’re prepping to make, whether game-changers or small tweaks, it’s crucial to understand how your team will be affected. Employee insights are your crystal ball, revealing how your people are feeling about the shifts, the long-term targets, and the stuff that’s keeping them up at night. Because, let’s face it, once you roll with those major moves, it’s like a boulder in motion—tough to stop and even tougher to reverse.

But armed with employee insights, you can steer the ship, knowing you’re dialed into your people and ready to turn the winds of change into a positive breeze.

Improve Employee Engagement

One key benefit ofit’s employee insights is increased employee engagement. Acknowledging and addressing concerns, reducing pain points and even just listening to your employees can be enough to increase engagement. Engaged employees are more invested in company goals, are more likely to go above and beyond and will generally contribute to the workplace more than employees who aren’t engaged. Ultimately, engaged employees benefit businesses.

Types Of Workforce Engagement Solutions

HR software solutions aren’t the only way to improve employee engagement. At the heart of it, employee engagement is about relationship building, and there are a few key ways you can focus on the relationship between your employees and your org.

Onboarding

On average, new hires decide whether their new job is the right fit in just 44 days. In fact, nearly 70% of new hires know this within their first month. Considering the cost to bring these new hires on—between $7,500 to $28,000—a positive onboarding experience is crucial.

Recruiting new talent may seem more glamorous, but making sure they stay is a whole other story. The recruitment stage is a great opportunity to share your expectations about employee engagement, but the onboarding process is where you cement it. Comprehensive training, shadowing current employees and clear expectations can all set the stage for an engaged—or disinterested—employee.

Most HR pros agree onboarding should take at least three months, if not the first year of a new hire’s tenure.

onboarding-3

Routine Evaluations

Whether it’s coming from fellow employees, clients or customers, seeing how well you’re performing is a great motivator. Detailed and regular evaluations can show employees areas where they’re performing well, and areas that could be improved. Ultimately, the goal is to encourage them to develop their skills, so make sure to approach one-on-one meetings from a growth mindset.

Recognition and Rewards

It’s nice to be recognized for all your hard work, whether in a one-on-one, in an email, or in team a meeting. Some thrive with a public shout-out every once in a while, but not everyone loves the spotlight. Be sure to ask your employees how they like to be celebrated.

Want to take employee recognition to the next level? We suggest a recognition and rewards platform: a dedicated space where your team can tip their hats to each other, beyond the usual end-of-year roundups. You can also make the rewards go further with points employees can give to each other, which they can redeem for some cool rewards and gift cards.

Training and Professional Development

Your employees are often raring to grow, whether it's to tackle new challenges, amp up their performance, or get re-inspired in their current role. In fact, access to professional development is a main motivator for those looking to leave their job (22%).

A well-trained team isn’t just a lofty goal; it’s the lifeblood of a successful company. It’s time to invest in learning opportunities for your team. Think: online resources with videos, hands-on courses, and practice or training sessions to help your team hone their craft.

You’re no stranger to the term “employee engagement” by now. It’s been buzzing in HR circles for over a decade, and for good reason—it’s important. But there are a few recent workplace trends that seem to be here to stay, and it’s smart to leverage them to keep your team plugged in and engaged on the job.

A Shift Towards ‘Life’ In the Work-Life Balance

For many, the shift toward hybrid and remote work means better work-life balance—more time for life, less time commuting. But for others, the trip from couch to office is just a tad too close. Remote work doesn’t work for everyone, and employees’ preferred work mode depends on their individual needs. Whether your team is in-office, fully remote, or a little of both, focus on keeping everyone equally engaged.

First, let’s get real about staying in touch: more is more, but it’s about quality too. We’re talking quick chats, better video calls, and the occasional virtual happy hour. Then there’s the challenge of onboarding remote employees. Make it fun, make it memorable, and make it social. And when it comes to showing the love, a little goes a long way. Think personalized thanks and maybe a stipend for their home office setup, too. Oh, and don’t forget to check the vibe! There are tools that make it easy to measure engagement so you can see what’s working and what’s not.

The Rise of AI & Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have an undeniable grip on our imaginations, and AI tools are showing up to work in both highly-anticipated and unexpected ways.

According to a recent Slack survey of over 10,000 workers worldwide, AI use at work has risen by more than half (60% globally, and 72% in the US) since September 2023. While 26% of US employees report feeling apprehensive about AI, 82% report seeing productivity gains when they use it. What’s more, Slack’s research found employees who use AI seem to be more passionate about their work, more highly engaged, and have better work-life balance.

Focus on the Human

Most employees agree that empathetic leaders are essential to an effective workplace. But prioritizing employees’ wellbeing and work-life balance doesn’t mean letting poor performance slide. In fact, accountability is key to employee success. Work on getting to know your people by making time for routine one-on-one meetings, fostering a culture of transparency, and crafting employee development plans with your team.

Ongoing Employee Engagement Solutions

The key to understanding employee engagement is to ask for feedback early and often. Relying on bi-annual or monthly surveys as a measure for employee engagement can quickly turn stale, and less frequent check-ins mean you might not always get the data you need when you need it.

If you’re seeing a drop in quality feedback, or just want to keep things fresh, there are smarter ways to get the pulse on your team’s engagement.

Pulse Surveys

If your surveys suffer from being too lengthy or bloated, try introducing pulse surveys. They’re like the espresso shot of feedback—short, snappy, and to the point. Ask a couple of questions at a time when you need a quick read on the room, like after a team meeting or when you’re rolling out a new policy.

People Analytics

With BambooHR®, you can carry out a workforce analysis that helps you really dig down into the data about your staff. This treasure trove of data can shine a light on employee engagement, from productivity to loyalty. You’ll see which areas are acing engagement and which ones need a little TLC. Armed with this info, you can start making some smart moves for your business.

Open-Door Policy

Sometimes all that’s needed to boost employee engagement is building an environment where people feel safe voicing their concerns. Being able to share what’s on their mind can help relieve stress. Open communication can also be a great source of feedback, and can lead to new solutions.

Drive Positive Employee Engagement Solutions with BambooHR

By implementing the right employee engagement solutions, you can transform your workplace into a hub of productivity, enthusiasm, and loyalty. With tools like BambooHR®, you can gather valuable insights, foster open communication, and create a culture where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute their best.

company-culture-2
https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/guide-to-employee-engagement
https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/difference-reward-and-recognition
https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/5-ways-better-work-life-balance
https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/effective-onboarding-infographic