What is that one aspect that can make or break an organisation’s substratum? Undeniably, it is employee engagement. Disengaged and less motivated employees compromise productivity and can hamper an organisation’s reputation. But it’s on you to create an environment that engages employees as they look to you for cues.
“When leaders throughout an organization take an active, genuine interest in the people they manage, when they invest real time to understand employees at a fundamental level, they create a climate for greater morale, loyalty, and yes, growth.”- Patrick Lencioni.
The tip is to exhibit strong leadership and focus on employee engagement and motivation. A host of activities can engage employees and boost their motivation.
Here is our list of eight incredible employee engagement activities known for bettering workplace culture.
8 Incredible Employee Engagement Activities
1. Workplace Parties
Work becomes fun when employers throw parties to celebrate accomplishments or other occasions. Some workplace party ideas to bring everyone together are:
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Halloween parties
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Thanksgiving dinners
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Potluck meals
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Christmas party
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New Year’s Eve party
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Prefer choosing quality over quantity and making sure the celebrations count.
2. Games, Tournaments & Competitions
Games let the teams come together and have fun at work. The main objective of conducting games, tournaments & competitions is to:
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Inculcate team spirit among employees
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Let them meet other teams
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Acquire skills like problem-solving, communication & collaboration
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Maintain a fun-filled workplace culture to help your people work in a stress-free environment.
3. Special Days
By mentioning ‘special day,’ we do not indicate celebrating some days with great pomp and show. Instead, we mean to have your employees enjoy special days such as “Pajama Day,” “Ethnic Outfit Day,” or “Bring Your Child To Work Day.”
The benefits of special days are:
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They refresh the employees’ minds.
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They excite the employees.
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They change the pace and instill the work environment with positivity.
4. Lunch & Learns
Better known as learning lunches, it is the best way to bring your employees together and make them learn. Instead of having alien speakers, ask a team member to present on a topic.
One thing you need to bear in mind is to keep them short and sweet. Why? Because no one loves to have a long lunch meeting.
5. Employee Training
The employee retention process shall remain incomplete if you miss training your employees timely. Whether it’s a baby boomer or an experienced employee, every person expects to receive learning opportunities. Therefore, strategise to allow employees to learn at work and upskill themselves.
You can have a weekly coaching session or provide your employees with online learning resources. Another profitable way is to invite a special speaker and teach your employees something new.
6. Recognition Programs
Be an exception and live by the core values. Create an employee recognition program that syncs with your organisation’s core values. However, the creation of such a program won’t be enough, and you have to ensure everyone on your team knows about it. Moreover, the program should make more sense, with you pointing to specific behaviours that exemplify them.
7. Create a Local To-Do Things Guide
Get your team together and ask them to pen down their favourite local places and things to do. The list can be kept as a reference for future team outings while allowing your employees to bond with each other.
Talking about non-work matters gives them better chances to break the ice and bond with each other.
8. Send out an Employee Survey
The best way to make employees feel valued and engaged is by seeking honest feedback about their work. And the most appropriate way to seek feedback is by sending out an employee survey. It’s easier for employees to tell what they feel about work anonymously.
You can ask questions like:
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How’s your day going?
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What changes/improvements would you like to bring to the existing work environment or within your team?
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How happy are you with your current role?
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Do you feel you are getting enough learning opportunities?
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Are you satisfied with your compensation?
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Why do Employee Engagement Activities Matter?
Employee engagement is about improving the workplace culture and aligning employees’ aims with organisational goals. For those running businesses, employee engagement activities keep their people hooked to the organisation for a long time. For those working every day, employee engagement activities play a crucial role in boosting their motivation.
The benefits that can be reaped from employee engagement activities are:
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Increased productivity
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Better customer service
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Higher profitability
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Higher employee satisfaction
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Active participation of employees in company initiatives
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Brand Advocacy
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Conclusion
Employee engagement is an organisation’s investment to enjoy the privilege of staying in business. If you take time to appreciate and engage employees, they will reciprocate in a thousand ways. Connect the dots between individual roles and organisational goals. That’s the new talent contract to improve employee retention.
Over time, you will find that engaged employees believe in the cause of the organisation and are in the game for the game’s sake. After all, the current volatile and uncertain environment demands engaged employees for success and survival.
FAQs
1. What are employee engagement activities?
Employee engagement activities are exercises that increase employee motivation and positive feelings about the work environment. These activities are also known as team engagement activities, resulting in lower absenteeism and turnover. Moreover, these are fun and enriching, urging the employees to take a more active role in the organisation.
2. What are some employee engagement ideas?
The most common employee engagement ideas are:
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Workplace parties
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Offer mentorship opportunities
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Host happy hours
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Establish culture committees
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Have theme days or weeks
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Help employees network
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Implement diversity and inclusion
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Host a game show
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On-demand learning
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3. What is employee engagement, and why does it matter?
Employee engagement is the term that describes the exercises that employers undertake to keep employees engaged. It increases employee motivation and lowers absenteeism and turnover. Employee engagement is necessary for an organisation as they help keep the employees engaged and boost their morale.
