5 steps to improve employee engagement by HR Decision Makers

The working environment as we know it has changed post-pandemic. The employee and the organization both have undergone tremendous changes. In the midst of these changes, the role of the Human Resources department has gained more prominence. One of the biggest challenges that has emerged for the HR personnel is to keep their employees engaged and motivated. In this blog, we suggest five steps they can take to help improve employee engagement in these uncertain times.

1. Transparent Communication

Employees are going through uncertain times. There will be times when they are emotionally drained. They might have queries, doubts, and issues that require urgent attention. The HR team should ensure that they are accessible and provide satisfactory responses to all the employee doubts. A clear, precise, and transparent communication strategy will help calm employees and reduce their anxiety.

2. Make Remote Work Hassle Free

The pandemic has forced the workforce to work from home. They are distributed across different geographies. As an HR, make sure that all their needs are taken care of. If required, implement solutions that will assist them in doing their work effectively. Invest in technology like video conferencing platforms, HRMS software, employee engagement platforms, etc.

A simple way for employees working remotely to communicate with each other will bridge the gap between them. This platform can allow employees to interact with each other in areas other than work as well. It may include creating hobby-based or interest-based groups. The HRs can set up gamify platforms that introduce competition, rewards, levels, etc. and add more fun to their work life.

It is essential that as a business, you look at these initiatives as an investment and not a cost to the company.

3. Take Regular Feedback From Employees

HR can conduct regular surveys or one on one discussions with the employees to understand the challenges they are facing. It can also give the HR personnel an insight into the well-being of the employees. The HR team can also get feedback from the employees on various aspects related to their jobs and amenities.

The HR team can use HRMS platforms to track employee activities. Let us consider an example in which a new employee is undergoing training. Using the new-age software, the HR team can track the learning path and understand whether the employee is on the right track or not.

Previously, when everyone came to offices, it was easier for HR teams to interact with them, establish a connection, and address their concerns. However, with that not being the case now, these HRMS platforms provide a way for the HR team to have consistent conversations with employees and build a rapport with them.

4. Employee Recognition

Most companies had notice boards wherein they used to put information about employee rewards like employee of the month, client testimonials and appreciation for the work done by employees, upcoming employee birthdays, etc. It worked as a way to appreciate the efforts of the employees and reward them for their good work and achievements. They can continue doing so with the help of virtual dashboards, company-wide emails, etc.

There are various gamified platforms that award points to the employees as per their good behaviour. The employees can later redeem these points while shopping online to avail gifts, vouchers, special discount offers, etc. It acts as a way to recognize and promote desired behaviour by providing rewards and recognition.

5. Virtual Sessions

Keep conducting training sessions for your employees and help them improve their skill set. You may need to arrange them virtually. These training sessions will help you keep the employees stay motivated as they are learning new skills.

The HR department can conduct multiple team-building sessions online. They can plan certain group activities wherein the employees can participate as a team from the confines of their home office.

In offices, the HR team often celebrated festivals and organized fun activities around these major festivals. They can continue doing so virtually. A lot of companies are conducting DIY workshops like making diyas during Diwali, baking cakes during Christmas, and other such hobby-based training sessions exclusively for the employees.

These workshops act as a stress buster for the employees, wherein they can learn new things and pick up new hobbies.