Why you should plan a year’s worth of employee engagement?

There’s employee satisfaction and then there’s employee engagement. Engagement comes as a result of employee satisfaction. It’s when staff go above and beyond because they are committed to the organisation and its goals, and they believe in the work they do.

As Forbes sums up, employee engagement is when staff use discretionary effort.

Why is employee engagement important?

Engaged employees lead to a more successful - and profitable - organisation. In fact, businesses with engaged employees have 6% higher net profit margins.

So, what’s the problem?

In a word, time. Well, it’s the perceived problem at least. Team building, staff days out, and even meetings can seem like a luxury when the ‘real’ work must take priority. But, arguably, staff engagement is just as - if not more - important as the day-to-day work.

Another problem is that of responsibility. It’s not always that managers don’t want to organise activities, it’s that they don’t know how. They don’t have a clear idea of what they should be doing or when.

How do you solve these issues? By planning. We recommend creating a calendar of internal staff events / activities for the upcoming year and sharing it with the team. This way, not only does everything become clearer, but the events become more important too - people will make time.

What to add to the calendar:

1)   Regular meetings

Weekly, monthly, bi-monthy… How regular depends on you and your staff, so ask them what’s preferred. Have the conversation. Nobody likes to be micromanaged, but conversely, nobody likes to be abandoned.

A friend of mine recently mentioned that she’s thinking of quitting her job because her boss ‘has zero interest’. She explained that her boss didn’t seem to be aware of what she was working on because they never had meetings, adding that it felt ‘very isolating.’

Regular meetings not only give structure but help employees feel that what they’re doing matters.

2)   Team building activities / small social events

To be a cohesive team, employees need to know one another. Encourage social interaction and bonding through team building activities.

These don’t have to be anything huge. A board game evening, for example, is a good morale booster and helps colleagues get to know one another in a low-pressure environment.

3)   Launches or company updates

Celebrate launches of new products, services or company milestones with the team. Staff are much more engaged when they feel they better understand the business and its goals.

This could be as simple as a potluck lunch in the boardroom

4)   People celebrations

No, we’re not talking birthdays (though, you could do that too). Award ceremonies show you recognise and appreciate the work being done (rather than simply expecting it). This, in turn, will help staff appreciate you and the business overall.

Having an awards ceremony firmly in the calendar for each year gives staff a goal to work towards. It’s also simply a fun event to look forward to that punctuates the annual working year.  

5)   CSR activities

Make things meaningful. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business concept that helps organisations be more socially and environmentally accountable.

According to research firm Emerald, running an effective CSR programme significantly influences work engagement and task performance among employees.

Your CSR activities could include volunteering days or fundraising events for chosen charities.

We’ve organised several CSR events for businesses here at TAG, from sporting competitions to black tie events.

And if it is a black tie, corporate dinner you’re after, check out our article here on how to make it the very best!

A year of planned activity that’s not just about the day job goes a long way to creating a committed workforce and successful organisation.

As well as large corporate parties, we organise and run an array of small events and activities from regular clients throughout the year. Many businesses use our services as a way to continuously boost morale throughout the year and maintain a happy and engaged workforce. Book now with Team Activity Group to ensure the same!