5 Innovative Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Even in the face of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty, the best companies in the world are still finding ways to motivate their employees.

Companies today know that if employees are dissatisfied at work, they will “quietly quit.” 

In the wave of The Great Resignation this year, a total of 4 million employees have quit their jobs in the United States, according to the Labor Turnover Survey, updated till October 2022. 

The quit rate is often used as an indicator of employee willingness to continue at a certain job. High volumes of resignations result in a loss of productivity at work, and if you are a business owner with employees on your payroll, it is time you have meaningful employee engagement policies to ensure people on your team are happy.

To ensure today’s millennial and Gen Z employees can be their best selves at work, you need to ensure your employee engagement policies are in line with the requirements of the modern employee. 

Here are five innovative ideas that have been proven to enhance workplace morale:

1. Have a Happy Hour Party

This is something that has been lost in the modern workplace. A party can bring a team together and also help boost morale and engagement among employees. 

Start with “Happy Hours.” There is nothing like a party with a few attractive cocktails and delicious finger food to get people to open up. We suggest you plan for an office happy hour by going through some useful online resources. Leaving the catering to an experienced service provider can help free up your bandwidth, allowing you to be more creative with the party. 

The food menu matters, even when you are serving alcohol during Happy Hour. This is because it is always recommended by medical experts to drink alcohol paired with food. A standard drink contains 14 ounces of pure alcohol. Ensure your cocktails do not contain more than this value. 

You can go with a theme, like Mexican or Chinese, and curate the drinks and food items around it. You can make it even more interesting by decorating the party room and by encouraging people to dress up in themed costumes. 

2. Create Social Occasions Outside of Work

Socializing with your coworkers is an excellent way to build rapport, strengthen team relationships and increase employee engagement. When it comes to workplace culture, the more you can encourage employees to socialize with each other outside of work, the better.

Have softball matches or friendly basketball tournaments to help build team spirit. Ensure all sports activities end with refreshments, encouraging people to stay on longer.

3. Have a Liberal Dress Code and Allow Pets

One of the ways to engage employees is to institute a more relaxed dress code. This not only helps people feel more comfortable in their work environment but also provides another opportunity for fun.

Dogs and cats have always been popular with workers because of their calming effect on people. They’re also great companions, providing comfort during stressful times or simply giving you something to talk about with co-workers who share your love for pets. If your company doesn’t already allow animals at work, now might be the time to reconsider that policy.

4. Ask Employees to Co-create Artwork

Encourage employees to get together and design a wall-mural or similar artwork in the common area. It can be something simple like hand-prints or something elaborate like intricate doodles showcasing the culture of the company.

This will show them that you care about their selves, which is an important part of creating a community at work where people feel like their ideas are welcome and respected.

5. Show Appreciation With Small Gestures

Be liberal with certificates of appreciation whenever someone goes “Above and Beyond” the call of duty. You can also take the engagement a level up by gifting personalized mugs, stationery items, or T-shirts to employees on important work milestones like “Completion of 1 year” or the now rare “Completion of 3 years” at work.

In his 1943 paper titled “A Theory of Motivation,” Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs places self-esteem and self-actualization at the top of the pyramid of needs once factors like food and financial security get taken care of. This means we need satisfaction that comes from deep within to stay motivated. 

Self Esteem comes from validation from our employers and colleagues. Acts of appreciation, both formal and informal, improves our self-esteem. Self-actualization happens when employees are free to express themselves on the right platform. Giving such opportunities in the form of a liberal environment helps talented employees bring their best selves to work. 

All the employee engagement policies suggested above require a high degree of effort and commitment from the employer. We suggest you choose the ones that you can deliver right now, from a feasibility and budget perspective.