Employee engagement is one of the tell-tale signs of employee satisfaction. Typically, it isn’t easy to do, as each team member comes from different background. To add to that, most of us work in a remote work setup today wherein we get to have little to no social interaction with our co-workers.
With this type of setup growing 173% since 2005, remote working has only contributed to this difficulty for management. As such, workers of all ranks and roles need a regular boost to feel motivated and feel a sense of belonging in the company, especially those who have yet to get used to a remote work setting.
However, workers aren’t the only ones who benefit from team engagement—businesses thrive with engaged and motivated employees.
Companies that emphasize team engagement found a 21% higher profitability and healthier employees. If you’re searching for ways to build or improve your team engagement initiatives, this article can provide you with a list of activities that can help you with that boost. Read on to learn more.
What is Team Engagement?
Team engagement, sometimes called employee engagement, is an act or process of making employees feel contented and loyal to their workplace. When companies started mandating the remote work setup due to the COVID-19 outbreak, team members became individuals in an isolated space in their homes.
Team engagement activities address the communication gap and low morale issues. These activities allow employees to feel appreciated and decompress as they participate in collaborative activities designed to boost team morale.
However, measuring team engagement in your workplace can be difficult, as it can widely differ from member to member. The best way to gauge all your employees’ engagement levels is by asking about their concerns on workload or passion levels, listening and responding to their feedback, and helping them get back in step with the company.
Why is Team Engagement Important?
- It boosts workplace productivity
Team engagement helps improve the productivity of employees. According to a Gallup report, engaged team members are 17% more productive than disengaged employees. With the management’s efforts to keep them included and involved, their enthusiasm to work increases, thus, making them more motivated.
In a workplace, managers need to get creative so that employees remain spirited. Creating challenges can help others stay diligent in performing their duties better. Remember to prioritize feedback and constructive criticism to develop new ideas and solutions to increase team productivity.
- It improves employee retention
According to Forb5es, engagement is a symptom of success. Employees who feel good about their contribution are more likely to be happy to report to work daily because they feel their inputs are valued. The feeling of accomplishment comes in acknowledgment, making them want to stay.
In a Glassdoor study, four in five employees say they’re motivated to work when they’re appreciated. A culture of appreciation shows your employees that they provide value to the company, which improves retention rates.
- It enhances company culture
Company culture determines the how and why of a company. This can reflect your business’s environment, behaviors, values, and even language. According to a Columbia University study, the likelihood of a job turnover is considerably lower with high company culture (13.9%) than with low company culture (48.4%)
Engaged employees are one with the company in improving their culture just from their mindsets. These conditions give a contagious feeling to other employees, exemplifying a culture of engaged employees.
- It increases customer satisfaction
Richard Branson, the founder of The Virgin Group, says, “Take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business.”
Engaged employees are fully attached to their work, which means they will go above and beyond their spheres of responsibility. Engaged and properly compensated employees will go the extra mile to resolve clients’ problems by working effectively and efficiently to deliver on time.
- It improves an employee’s home life
When employees are satisfied with what they do for a living, they’re more productive on the clock, giving them one less thing to stress about when it’s time to go home and call it a day at work.
Effective team engagement means fewer complaints about co-workers or company rules. When workplace issues are not brought up after hours, your employees will have a happier life at home.
In fact, according to a Kansas State Study co-researcher, Satoris Culbertson, “Individuals who were engaged in positive experiences at work and who shared those experiences with significant others perceived themselves as better able to deal with issues at home, became better companions, and became more effective overall in the home environment,”
8 Team Engagement Ideas Perfect for Remote Teams
- Organize regular check ins
Remote working can be unmotivating for some of your employees. Not everyone can sit eight hours a day without human interaction. As an employer, it’s essential to keep your remote workers in the loop on projects, team progress, and company news.
Moreover, it’s essential to check in with them on their current health or simply catch up to show that you’re concerned and want to see how they’re doing in a remote setup.
When remote workers are included in the conversation, they will feel more connected and engaged in their work. Check with your remote staff regularly so that everyone has an opportunity to touch base and have a pulse on the firm.
- Recognize and celebrate wins
Remote working doesn’t mean you should disregard your employees’ wins. If anything, this is the perfect time to celebrate your team’s wins, no matter how big or small. Since you’re not in the office to personally thank them or take them out to lunch for their milestones, find ways you can do so.
Recognition can range from a quick call with your team and commending them for their efforts or going as far as ordering take-outs for everyone in a team lunch. Though small and simple, these gestures will greatly help boost your team’s morale.
- Encourage feedback sharing
No matter the work setting, feedback is extremely important. Workplaces should cultivate an open-feedback environment because this is an effective communication tool that can help businesses succeed and thrive.
The feedback helps employers learn more about their teammates, including their strengths and weaknesses, behaviors, and decision-making patterns that directly affect others. Furthermore, effective two-way communication increases both employer and employee self-awareness and encourages personal development.
- Host virtual game nights
The way game nights are conducted significantly changed over the years. With remote teams, it’s difficult to play the classic games we know, but technology has found a way to allow team members to decompress from the stressful week through virtual games.
For your next team engagement, here are some virtual games you can try with your crew:
- Jackbox
This virtual game is easy to use. One person in the group must purchase the game, making them the host. Jackbox has many games to choose from, such as Drawful, Fibbage, and an adult version of Pictionary.
- Words With Friends 2
The goal of this game is simple. You only need to create words from the scrambled letters you’re given, and whoever gets the most points wins. This game is available on Google Play and App Store.
- Skribbl
Skribbl is a free virtual game you can play online. Each player is provided a word they have to draw on the board, and the first to get the correct answer receives the highest points. The player with the most points at the end of a round wins.
- Take an interest in their personal circumstances
Working at home brings both comfort and discomfort to an employee. Interacting with a remote team member can bring about family-related or personal issues in casual conversations.
As an employer, you know that your employee’s home experience can directly affect their output and overall motivation at work, so remember to check up on them from time to time without overstepping.
You show your employees that their team can offer support where needed and provide a safe space for them. It also builds trust and transparency, leading to higher employee confidence for you and your company.
- Offer different remote working options
Your remote team may consist of different people with diverse backgrounds. You might even have someone working from the other side of the world. As an employer, ensure that you provide your employees with ample options where they can fully exert their efforts to deliver.
These can include selections for different working times and locations. Everyone thrives differently at work, so provide choices where your employees will feel their most productive. Set clear expectations and regularly check in on them to ensure they’re not having difficulty.
- Use the appropriate software for your employees’ needs
One major factor of a successful remote working setup is the medium used. Remote working thrives on portable and reliable technology that will give your employees an edge to perform their best, despite not being in the office.
For example, when tech issues arise, your team should be equipped with the right communication tools to connect them to your IT support team. Provide your team with the appropriate hardware, such as laptops and tablets, and access to a fast internet connection to help them perform productively and communicate better with others.
- Encourage health and wellness
Employee wellness should be your top priority. If your staff becomes ill, they can’t perform their best–or even at all.
You can try incentivizing to get your team to go outside, cook a decent meal, work out, or develop a healthy habit. This will not only benefit your employees’ health, but it will also bring the team closer together as you demonstrate your concern for their general well-being.
Make Remote Work Fun
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed companies to take on remote work setups without guaranteeing if it will benefit their business and people. Regular team engagement activities can help your employees feel motivated, and this increase in morale can translate to the quality of their work and their overall outlook on the company they work for.
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