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Employee Engagement: Tips to Maximize Their Happiness & Productivity

Employee turnover costs the U.S. 11 billion dollars annually, and it could be avoided with simple acts of engagement with employees.  A whopping 45 percent of employees are not engaged at work and 26 percent are actively disengaged, according to a study by Dale Carnegie. Employees that are emotionally invested can help a company become up to 202 percent more productive. A small investment, a little petty cash and a lot of consistency are all you need to maximize happiness and productivity for your employees.

Step One: Clearly Define Directives

Your company talent pool should be a balance of personality types and strengths and their tasks should be catered accordingly. Each employee will require a new approach, it’s worth it to learn them. Data suggests that engaged employees who clearly understand their roles score up to 20 percent higher performance scores (H Careers).

Step Two: Provide A Lot of Feedback

Timely feedback doesn’t just help you get to know your employees, it helps adds strength and value to every aspect of their work. Effective feedback, according to internet guru Seth Godin, means giving your analysis, not your opinion. If directives aren’t being met, it’s more likely a communication issue rather than an employee. Save the feedback for appropriate times, and when you have something nice to say, always say it.

Step Three: Identify and Meet Needs

The labor market is tight. That means employee needs must be clearly defined and well tailored. For maximum achievement, employees often require a lot more training time and materials than employers want to give. Companies that invest in training their employees find that employee training is directly tied to employee retainment and employee retainment is directly tied to success and survival of a company.

Step Four: Get Involved Outside of Work, Give

Employees that feel a connection to each other are also much more likely to produce more as a team. Encourage their passions and they will be passionate about your company. Team building activities, outings and charity work are all excellent ways to motivate employees and get them involved. Bill and Melinda Gates know the importance of this, as does the late wife of National Enquirer mogul, Lois Pope. Gates has donated 28 billion dollars to charity, effectively making him the biggest donor in the country, and yet his company flourishes. Pope has devoted her entire life to giving. She raised more than $100 million for charities and it has only served to strengthen the value of her brand. You don’t have to be a billionaire CEO to get your employees involved or to sponsor them. Simply organize and togetherness through giving.

Step Five: Celebrate, Recognize Performance

The most internally motivated person in the world still needs to feel like their efforts aren’t in vain. Forbes magazine reports that companies who spend time on employee recognition and reward programs have 31 percent less voluntary turnovers, something most CEOs would pay millions for. Recognition and rewards from superiors and peers don’t have to be huge and expensive, they can be as simple as a thank you note or a $5 gift card. Be consistently kind to your employees, give clear directives, get them involved, reward them and you will be surprised at how much potential will be unlocked.

Contributed by Amanda Davidson, a mother of four who runs a boutique marketing agency from her home.


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