7 Employee Engagement Hacks that Keep Everyone Happy

Employee engagement has a big impact on whether you're able to retain your most valuable talent. While many companies are aware of this link, it remains a difficult subject for most. It can seem complicated and expensive to get any worthwhile initiative in place, but this is far from the truth.

Here are seven employee engagement hacks that will make professionals feel more involved in the company without breaking the bank:

1. Encourage transparency

One of the most effective ways of getting people more engaged with the company is to encourage open communication between everyone. Of course, there may be certain things that you can't inform employees of, especially if it's tied into legal issues, but these should be very few and far between.

Everything else, even the financial performance of the business, should be shared with employees. Not only does this help them understand why you're making certain decisions but allows them to feel like they're part of it, rather than just a cog in a machine.

2. Job swap

Having employees on different teams swap jobs for a day or even an afternoon will enable people to better understand what their colleagues have to do each day. It will also give them more clarity about how internal processes work. This should not only encourage more respect for their colleagues but allow them to identify any areas where improvements could be made.

3. Celebrate all heroes

Okay, so finance may not be the most glamorous job, but could your company function without it? No. But everyone needs to feel as though they are valued and celebrated for their role. You need to make sure you are highlighting the contribution of every outstanding employee, even if they're not at the heart of the biggest, most impressive projects.

4. Drive creativity

Google has become famous for its 20% policy, which allows all of its employees to spend 20% of their time working on their own ideas. You may not need to be so regimented about it but encouraging employees to spend time developing their creativity can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both the company and individual employees. It shows people that you value the talents that made you hire them in the first place, as well as helping your business to innovate.

5. Reward performance

It costs nothing to congratulate an employee on a job well done but it can make a massive difference to how engaged they are with the company. You could also have an employee of the month scheme or a similar initiative that celebrates one standout professional every so often, where they may win a bottle of champagne or a meal out. The actual reward isn't that important but recognizing your employees is.

6. Prioritize non-work-related activities

If your employees feel connected to the people they work with, they're more likely to be invested in organizational goals. Put effort into nurturing these relationships outside of work through social events and different clubs. Allowing employees to spend time with colleagues who share similar interests is a great way to get them to foster loyalty between employees and the company.

7. Pick your leaders carefully

The management team of any company is massively important for employee engagement. You need leaders that care about professional development and the individuals on your team, as well as turning a profit or securing the big projects. Many businesses hire internally for management roles, which isn't always a bad thing, but if you don't have the right candidate, don't settle. You can bring considerable value into your organization by looking externally for someone who is passionate about people management and has the experience to prove it.