3 Effective Tips for Boosting Employee Engagement in 2017

If you made a business plan at the start of 2017, increasing employee engagement should have been part of your strategy. When you're able to successfully engage your employees, they'll be more productive in the workplace, leading to increased profitability. Also, engaged employees are less likely to leave your company for another job, helping your business to retain its top talent.

A critical aspect of human resources consulting is helping businesses to develop a strategy to foster employee engagement. Here are three proven tactics for boosting employee engagement in 2017:

1. Make it about them.
It's human nature for people to be self-focused, and it's important to remember this with your employees. Show your employees how each key decision the company makes is impacting them personally. For example, by streamlining invoicing workflows, your accounting department will be able to contribute to the company's overall goal of delivering superior customer service by ensuring accuracy and timeliness of handling invoices.

Your employees want to know that they are making a positive contribution to your company when they come to the office each day. By making company goals personal and relevant to employees, they'll feel that their work matters and will be motivated to perform their best.

2. Make them feel valued.
It's hard to make your employees feel valued and appreciated if you don't communicate with them. Talk to your employees to understand what motivates them to come to work each day. While a salary is certainly one motivator, employee benefits is another.

Some of the best human resources consulting advice that you'll hear is simply to ask your employees what they want or need in a benefits package. This knowledge will allow your company to offer benefits that are most appealing to your employee base. When your company can show that it took the time to offer a customized benefits package tailored to your employees' needs, your employees will feel valued and loyal to your company. Employees that feel valued are much more likely to be engaged in their work.

3. Increase communication.
Some employers only take the time to check in with employees during performance reviews, which only happen once or twice a year. These meaningful conversations need to happen more frequently to keep your employees engaged in their work. As a best practice, check in with your employees on a monthly or semi-monthly basis. These meetings don't need to be formal, but should address how the employee's progress is impacting your organization as a whole.

When you have engaged employees, your entire team will be on board with helping your company reach its goals and will go the extra mile to get there. You'll also be more successful with retaining your top talent.

Looking for more human resources consulting advice for your small business? Please contact us to learn how we can take your business to the next level by improving employee engagement and providing benefits solutions tailored to your company's needs and budget.