Although managers hear and read about the importance of employee engagement and all of its benefits to the company, they are busy, employees are afraid to speak up, and the culture ends up taking a hit. And most of the times, they don’t know where to start.

Employee engagement is much more simple and inexpensive than people make it out to be. Unfortunately, most companies still get it wrong. But why exactly employee engagement is so important? It’s a topic Gallup explores in great depth and is discussed across the internet in many forms, but the benefits are hard to argue:

But don’t worry, we are here to help with simple, actionable ideas that you can use to motivate and engage with your team, and tips on how you can easily implement those ideas in your organization.

What Does Employee Employee Cost You? We’ve created an Employee Engagement calculator that will help you understand the real impact on your company.

8 Simple Employee Engagement Ideas

1. Remind people your company’s mission and values

It’s important that you emphasize what your company stands for. People need to be reminded of why they are doing what they’re doing.

Tips to implement this idea:

Hire for culture fit

Assign company values

Assign a buddy during the onboarding process

2. Celebrate achievements no matter how small they are

Big or small, they are the solid proof that the work people are putting in has meaning. No one can go through tasks and assignments for months, or even years without burning out. Refill their energy tanks with some recognition and celebrate their hard work. This is also a great way to glue together teams.

Tips to implement this idea:

Open and transparent communication

Peer recognition

Set up goals and objectives

3. Help with personal growth

In today’s world, the sky’s the limit, and many people put a great deal of effort into advancing their career as far as possible through education, workshops, and other enrichment tools.

A good manager is one who is there to help their employees reach their goals, even if that means they may someday leave the company.

If you want to improve engagement levels, you need to show your employees that you’re here to help.

Tips to implement this idea:

Offer courses and workshops during work hours

Offer coaching

4. Implement continuous feedback

Employees need feedback to know where they stand and how they’re doing.

What that means for you is, because organizations are moving at such a fast pace, you need to be giving feedback at an even faster pace. You can’t wait for an annual review or a monthly one-on-one.

You need to be giving employees feedback in as near real-time as possible.

Tips to implement this idea:

Give and receive weekly feedback

Create actions that helps you act on this feedback

View and share the results over time

5. Empower individuals

Nothing creates a greater sense of responsibility and ownership like having the decision power. They have smart ideas, and they know how to improve your business, culture, and team. You need to listen to them, and give them a way to express themselves. Don’t be afraid to let people be their own leader. It’s surely a great way to build trust, as opposed to micro-management.

Tips to implement this idea:

Have frequent One-on-One’s meetings

Don’t micro-manage

Recognize and reward for the job well done

6. Clarify goals and responsibilities

Every employee has a set of goals and responsibilities they need to work on. One of the biggest contributing factors to falling engagement levels, is the confusion over what one’s role actually is. Clarifying goals and responsibilities is essential if you intend to improve your employee engagement strategy. A staff member simply can’t be engaged in something they don’t understand.

Tips to implement this idea:

Coach every single individual

Clear roadblocks when needed

Measure and track the goals and the progress over time

7. Show respect

This should be the cornerstone for every office interaction. Especially when it comes to people in different hierarchies. All employees really want is to feel like they matter and that they’re treated like adults.

Tips to implement this idea:

Encourage work-life balance

Give autonomy

Be flexible and trust your team

8. Encourage Positive Health & Wellness

If you want to have a staff full of engaged employees, you’ve got to take steps yourself to help them remain happy and healthy.

Wellness is important for any professional, yet stress and other life factors can sometimes get in the way and cause people to neglect exercise and healthy eating habits. In the end, it stands to reason why so many businesses have issues with engagement — it’s a product of modern society.

Tips to implement this idea: