Are your employees coming in late and calling out sick more often than usual?

Do they appear withdrawn, stressed, or exhibiting a negative attitude?

Have you noticed a drop in productivity?

If so, your workforce may be disengaged. Employee engagement is critical to an organization’s success. High engagement levels are associated with a lower incidence of turnover and a higher level of productivity.

Fortunately, even if employee dissatisfaction is widespread, there are actions you can take today to energize your workforce.

The Maslow Connection

You may recall learning about Abraham Maslow in your high school psychology class. According to his Hierarchy of Needs, all people have needs that they instinctively seek to satisfy. He illustrated this through a pyramid with the most basic needs on the bottom level. His theory is often cited when it comes to motivating employees in the workplace, especially the top three levels: belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization.

This model supports what we have labeled the 4 Cs, four things that employees seek from their employers for engagement.

Communication

Employees value transparency. 70% of employees say they are most engaged when senior leadership updates them and communicates openly. Employees need to be informed to be motivated and fully engaged.

And they need to be heard. Listen to your employees; encourage them to speak freely about any job-related questions, concerns, and ideas. When their voices are heard and their contributions are valued, employees feel more connected to the company, enthusiastic about their job, and motivated to meet company goals.

Compensation

Beyond competitive salaries and benefits packages, employees need to feel valued. Provide feedback and recognition regularly. Discuss individual performance, and career goals, and set achievable milestones. Employees who feel accountable and appreciated are more productive.

Recognize your employees’ potential within the organization through training and development. Demonstrate your commitment by investing in a comprehensive learning management system. Knowing that an employer is willing to provide opportunities for growth builds loyalty and attracts top talent.

Collaboration

According to a Gallup Report, 75% of employers rate teamwork and collaboration as “very important” for success. Coworkers have a profound impact on each other’s job performance and job satisfaction. In productive organizations employees feed off each other’s desire to succeed.

With many employees working remotely, encouraging collaboration and camaraderie has become more challenging than ever. To help your team collaborate, provide them with the tools they need to share ideas and stay aligned across functions and locations.

Connection

Employees feel connected to an organization when they share the same vision. To encourage this, define your company through a mission statement, share department goals, and continually educate employees on your products and services. The more your employees know, the faster they will align with the objectives that you are all working towards.

Connect employees with your mission and goals by identifying where they fit in the process. Review job descriptions and evaluate performance regularly. Take the time to make sure each employee knows what they are doing, why they are doing it, and that their role matters.

From self-service tools to engagement platforms, technology can play an important role in engaging employees. To learn more, schedule an appointment with Counter Point HCM today.