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Joan Walters

8 Powerful Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement



Employee engagement is the key to a happy, productive workforce. Engaged employees are more motivated, more creative, and stay longer. But fostering real engagement isn't easy—it takes strategy and effort from your HR team.


You need to take action to unlock the benefits of high engagement, like lower turnover and higher profitability. Let’s walk you through 8 powerful strategies for creating a more engaged workforce from day one.


Employee engagement concerns your team's emotional commitment and connection to their work and your company. Engaged employees genuinely care about their jobs and go the extra mile.


As an HR professional, you are important in promoting organizational engagement. Implementing the right policies and initiatives creates an environment where employees can thrive.


Ready to get started?


Here are 8 engagement strategies HR must prioritize:


Create an Effective Onboarding Process

Importance of Onboarding


Your new hire's first days and weeks are critical for shaping their perceptions and setting them up for success. A great onboarding process drives higher engagement from the start by:


  • Ensuring new employees feel valued and seamlessly integrated into the team.

  • Aligning expectations around their role, responsibilities, and success metrics

  • Instilling your company values and desired behaviors


You only get one chance to make a solid first impression, so invest in onboarding.


Steps to Create a Stellar Onboarding


  • Plan with a detailed agenda for the first days/weeks

  • Assign an onboarding buddy to help new hires get up to speed

  • Cover company policies, benefits, and culture in an engaging way

  • Set clear performance goals and have new hires present back learnings


Long-Term Benefits


Robust onboarding pays off over time by improving retention, performance, and engagement. New hires hit the ground running and are less likely to become disengaged or leave within the first year—a huge cost savings.


Promote Clear and Open Communication

Benefits of Transparent Communication


Open communication fosters trust and keeps your workforce aligned and engaged. When employees understand what's happening and why, they feel:


  • More valued and respected

  • More connected to your company's mission and progress

  • Motivated to voice ideas and take ownership


Strategies for Improving Communication

  • Encourage leadership to practice transparency and share regular company updates

  • Leverage internal communication platforms and messaging tools

  • Gather employee questions/feedback and address them honestly

  • Celebrate wins and milestones as a team


Tools to Facilitate Communication

Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Email Analytics can centralize messaging and collaboration. Video tools like Zoom are also helpful for virtual meetings.


Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development

Professional Development Programs


Giving employees a chance to upskill and advance their careers is a major driver of engagement. Everyone wants to feel like they are growing and progressing.


You should invest in:


  • Job training programs to close skill gaps

  • Leadership development programs for high-potential employees

  • Funding professional certifications and continuing education

  • One-on-one mentoring/coaching from seasoned team members


Importance of Continuous Learning


The job market moves fast - continuous learning keeps your workforce current. If you fail to offer growth opportunities, top talent will disengage and flee to companies that do invest in development.


Recognize and Reward Employees

Impact of Recognition on Engagement


Recognizing hard work and achievements, big or small, is crucial for boosting engagement:


  • Employees feel valued for their contributions

  • Their motivations are intrinsic vs. just collecting a paycheck

  • Positive reinforcement inspires them to maintain high performance


Don't underestimate the power of appreciation and celebration!

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Types of Recognition Programs


  • Employee of the Month award for standout performance

  • Peer recognition, where coworkers call out great work

  • Public shout-outs in team meetings or internal channels

  • Small bonuses or gifts as a tangible "thank you."


Examples of Effective Rewards


  • Bonuses tied to goals achieved or company milestones hit

  • Extra paid time off for top annual contributors

  • Advancement opportunities like promotions or stretch assignments

  • Meaningful, personalized rewards like work anniversary gifts


Promote Work-Life Balance

Importance of Work-Life Balance


We're all humans first - finding the right balance between work and personal lives is key to well-being and sustainability. Companies that take work-life balance seriously see significant benefits like:


  • Reduced stress and burnout from overwork

  • Higher energy levels and productivity

  • Stronger loyalty from employees

  • Healthier company culture overall


Flexible Working Arrangements


Accommodating employees' personal needs can pay off hugely for engagement. Get creative with:


  • Flexible scheduling (ex. 4-day work weeks)

  • Remote work options, either full or partial

  • Unlimited paid time off policies

  • Job-sharing arrangements for parents and caregivers


Supportive Workplace Policies


Beyond flexibility, implement family-friendly policies like:


  • Paid parental leave

  • Childcare subsidies or on-site nursery services

  • Employee Assistance Programs for mental health, financial wellness, etc.

  • Company outings and events that include families


Encourage Employee Feedback

Gathering and Acting on Feedback


You can only make improvements with input from your workforce. Establish channels for continuous, candid feedback via methods like:


  • Anonymous employee satisfaction surveys

  • Focus groups segmented by role or team

  • Open-door manager meetings or HR skip levels

  • Suggestion boxes (physical or digital)


Then, actively review the feedback and put the most popular, actionable items into your engagement plans.


Using Feedback to Make Improvements


When employees see their voiced concerns addressed, it builds trust and shows you're genuinely listening. Be transparent by:


  • Sharing back what you heard and your planned actions

  • Following up on progress and completed initiatives

  • Closing the loop to show the impact of their input


Develop Strong Company Values and Culture

Building a Positive Culture


Beyond perks and benefits, employees crave a sense of purpose and shared values. A solid cultural foundation sets the tone and connects people to something bigger:


  • Make your company values transparent and authentic (not fluffy)

  • Ensure leadership lives those values day-to-day

  • Recognize/reward employees embodying company values

  • Build traditions around values (charity work, team events, etc.)


Examples of Strong Company Cultures


  • Zappos is famous for its culture book, parade, and "zany" traditions

  • HubSpot has a robust culture code that aligns high autonomy and accountability

  • Patagonia's environmentally conscious, family-first values attract like-minded talent

  • Southwest Airlines embodies a fun, hardworking spirit with their warrior spirit and servant's heart


Create a Safe and Inclusive Workplace

Safety and Inclusivity in the Workplace


More than ever, employees demand physically and psychologically safe work environments. An unsafe, unwelcoming culture breeds disengagement and turnover.


Focus on:


  • Zero-tolerance policies and training to prevent workplace harassment, discrimination, or violence

  • Promoting diversity by hiring underrepresented groups and providing equal opportunities

  • Fostering inclusion by recognizing cultural holidays and providing spaces for employee resource groups


Policies and Practices for a Safe Environment


  • Comprehensive codes of conduct and enforcement procedures

  • Secure facilities with proper safety equipment/training

  • Clear procedures for reporting issues without retaliation

  • Mental health resources and trauma support services

  • Regular training on harassment, diversity, and inclusive practices


Conclusion


Driving real employee engagement takes a well-rounded HR strategy. By implementing these 8 key practices, you create an environment where people can do their best work:


1.      Nail the onboarding experience

2.      Practice open and transparent communication

3.      Invest in continuous growth and development

4.      Recognize and reward achievements

5.      Promote healthy work-life balance

6.      Listen to and act on employee feedback

7.      Foster a strong, clearly defined company culture

8.      Keep your workplace safe and inclusive for all


The payoff is huge - engaged teams are happier, more productive, and stick around longer. 


What are you waiting for? 

Rally your HR crew to prioritize engagement strategies this year.


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