Six Tips to Keep Employees Engaged

Your employees are critical to your company’s success. Ultimately, you want engaged employees who help customers in the same way you would. And while you may hire people with this in mind, how do you maintain that same focus each day? Plus, with many employees working remotely, how do you keep them engaged and excited about your company?

Here are six tips to reward and recognize your employees — an essential way to keep them engaged:

1. Recognize employees at in-person or virtual meetings. Whether in person or at a remote staff meeting, take time to celebrate wins together. Point out significant accomplishments and be specific with your reasons for the recognition. You should also allow time for employees to socialize with one another.
2. Give employees gift cards to local businesses (if possible). Support other local businesses that may be struggling by purchasing gift cards and use them as rewards for your employees. It’s a great way to support your community as a team. And if you can find a way to automate the gift card, that’s even better. Timeliness matters, so try to get any reward to an employee as soon as possible.
3. Write a personal message for a job well done. Everyone likes to feel appreciated. When you notice an employee going the extra mile or giving the type of service you would give to a customer, send him or her a note. You can send a card or an email — either way, it is the thought that counts.
4. Recognize employees on public channels. It’s always a great idea to highlight employees making a difference or accomplishing significant milestones on your company’s Intranet or social media channels. Not only will other employees see their contribution to the company, but customers may as well. Just be aware of what is and isn’t appropriate to share publicly and ask employees for permission to share personal milestones (even by asking you’re bringing recognition to the employee).
5. Offer opportunities for professional development. Give employees ways to hone their skills or enhance their education through online or in-person (if available) courses. You may even want to register your entire team for specific classes. The more committed you are to your team’s education and advancement, the more they will work tirelessly to reach your company’s goals.
6. Buy lunch just “because.” Sometimes it’s just a good idea to buy your team lunch as a thank you for their hard work. Whether you have a team working at an office, store, or remotely, you can get creative and find a way to make it happen. And as a bonus, you can even eat together no matter where your team works.

As you continue to manage your business through difficult economic times, it’s critical to keep your eye on your employees. People are social creatures by design, so find ways to connect with your employees by leveraging the resources and opportunities all around you. Take the time to recognize and reward your employees and you’ll be sure to see engagement increase and potentially a more robust bottom line.