In today’s business environment, keeping your employees engaged and productive is more important than ever. SMBs have a limited budget and can’t afford to waste resources on unmotivated workers. The key is finding ways to motivate and engage your staff members, so they’re willing to work harder for you, making them more efficient.
In 2021, around 90% of business leaders believed that an employee engagement policy could positively impact their business, but only 25% have one.
Here are some tips that can help:
Throw in Some Office Happy Hours or Fun Fridays
It’s no secret that happy employees are more productive. Thus, one way to help your team stay happy and engaged is to plan an office happy hour or fun Fridays regularly. These events can be as simple as ordering pizza and watching a movie, but they can also be a little more elaborate. For example, consider hosting a potluck if your company has a cafeteria. Or, if you want something more active, plan an activity like bowling, laser tag, or pool night.
Happy hours and office parties are great ways to build team spirit. These events are excellent because they help build relationships between employees and create a more relaxed atmosphere in the workplace. It also helps reduce stress levels which in turn leads to fewer mistakes.
You can plan an office happy hour or request that your company’s favorite local bar host an event for you. If this is too much for you to handle on your own, consider hiring a caterer or bartender.
Make Your Business Goals Clear
A good business owner will have goals for their company, but they should also make sure that their employees know what those goals are. If employees don’t understand why they’re doing what they’re doing or how it fits into the greater scheme of things, they won’t be as productive in their work.
Define the problem before starting on a solution. Before you even think about what steps to take to reach a defined goal, make sure there’s a problem worth addressing in the first place. If you jump straight into trying to find solutions without knowing what needs solving, then there are chances that your plan is going to end up being ineffective.
Make Yourself Available
As a business owner, you’re the leader of your company. Thus, it makes sense that your employees would look to you for guidance and leadership. But what happens when they don’t know where to find you? Do they need more training or tools? Do they need to speak with someone else in the office about a matter? If employees don’t know where to go with their questions or concerns, how can they be expected to perform at peak capacity?
For employees to feel included in their work environment, there must be open communication between everyone involved in the company, which goes both ways. As a business owner, it’s beneficial if everyone knows how accessible and approachable you are whenever needed. It could mean getting involved with small tasks such as taking out the trash or cleaning up after meetings alongside new hires.
Develop an Open-Door Policy
It’s too easy for SMB entrepreneurs to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of running their businesses, leaving little time for reflection or improvement.
It is where an open-door policy can help. A good policy encourages your employees to come and talk with you when they have ideas or problems they want to discuss. Speaking up for an issue will help to get a solution rather than keeping those issues bottled up inside them until they’ve become so big that they’re no longer manageable. Being available and approachable is important for staff morale and productivity.
Set up the Right Incentives and Rewards
Incentives and rewards can be powerful motivators for employees. They’re so important that some companies devote entire departments to them. Of course, you don’t have to go that far to motivate your team, but incentives and rewards need to be considered when it comes time to determine how you’ll keep everyone engaged.
A perfect incentive and reward system keeps the employees happy and motivated and also helps SMB entrepreneurs to retain the employees for a longer period. It is necessary to retain employees because a company invests a lot of money in its training programs. The company must start the process again if the employee switches jobs for any reason. According to a report in 2021, replacing an existing employee can cost a company around one-half to twice the employee’s annual salary. This heavy amount of loss is something that needs to be covered up by any possible means.
Always Look To Improve the Work Environment
To increase employee engagement, looking for ways to improve the work environment and make your employees feel more comfortable is crucial. According to reports, more than 15% of working adults live with a mental disorder that could be reduced by providing a healthy working environment. The mental health conditions related to the workplace are preventable, and it’s the employer’s responsibility to provide good work employment and improve them. Improvements in the work environment include lighting, temperature, furniture, or general decor. Finally, it could involve using tech tools like videoconferencing or email alerts so everyone is on board with what’s happening.
Encourage Creativity
The best way to encourage creative thinking is to allow staff members the time and space to develop their ideas. Set aside a room where they can develop new products or services and provide them with supplies they may need. Staff should feel comfortable sharing their ideas in this environment, so you might want to ensure there are no cameras or other recording devices. If you find that some of the employees’ suggestions are not practical, be sure to give them feedback so they can learn from their mistakes and identify how they could improve next time.
Have Some Brainstorming Sessions
Brainstorming sessions are a great way to get people involved. You can use them as an opportunity to develop creative ideas and solutions together, or you can allow employees to think independently and share the results. Brainstorming sessions are beneficial if you’re looking for ways to improve the workplace and make your employees happier. They’re also easy to plan as you can have them anytime, whether during lunch or after hours at night.
You Must Do Certain Things to Make Your Staff More Engaged
As a small business owner, you may find yourself in more of a hands-on role than the average entrepreneur. It is especially true if you’re running your operation and don’t have many employees to delegate tasks. It is beneficial when it comes to getting things done quickly and efficiently. However, it also means that you need to make sure that your team members are engaged and motivated while they’re working so that they’re able to give their best effort.
Remember that you don’t have to implement them all at once; a few small changes can impact you. And remember, if you adopt some or all of these suggestions, staying consistent with them over time is necessary so they don’t become useless rituals. If your employees see that the company truly values their input, they will feel like part of something special and stay long-term instead of jumping ship when things get tough.
