1 in 4 UK employees are looking to quit this year, with 13% of workers not wanting to stay at their current company long term. On top of this, only 20% of UK employees feel engaged at work, which can lead to lower levels of productivity and negatively impact  business operations. As a result, employers could be facing anxiety around staff retention and losing talented team members, which can affect their bottom line. 

Now more than ever, it’s vital for businesses to take a look at their employees’ well being and satisfaction, and assess their engagement strategies. Employee engagement will never be a one-size-fits-all approach, and it’s crucial for employers to take the time to understand their employees’ likes, dislikes and preferences. Research has found that higher rates of employee engagement lead to improved employee retention rates, with nine out of ten engaged employees intending to stay with their organisation, alongside a 41% reduction in absenteeism. 

The Engagement Planning Process 

Creating impactful employee engagement activities requires planning and execution. It doesn’t have to be complicated, however it does require time and thought, in order to ensure the needs of all employees are met. There are a few steps that businesses can take when planning their employee engagement strategy that will help them in showing appreciation and ensuring employees feel well looked after. 

Step 1: Set your goal 

What is the aim of your employee engagement strategy? It’s important to understand what value a business is going to get out of boosting employee engagement and increasing recognition. The best approach is to set out goals that are specific, measurable, achievable and relevant,before planning any activities or events. As well as being less likely to switch jobs, engaged employees are 57% more effective and productive at work, compared to those with low engagement levels, which demonstrates the importance of having the right strategies in place. 

Step 2: What do your employees want? 

The aim is to make employees feel valued and listened to, so it’s best to begin by asking employees what their preferences are. How would they like to be shown appreciation and what engages them most?  

Employers can gain a lot of insight into their employees through anonymous surveys that specifically ask  what employees are looking for with regards to benefits, rewards and recognition. This can help them in evaluating their current employee engagement levels, what’s working well and what might need some more improvement in order to set a baseline from which to work. More importantly, however, this will show employees that the business cares about what they have to say.  

Common initiatives that employers could choose to implement include: 

• Employee Recognition Programmes: Service awards, performance incentives or peer-to-peer recognition platforms 

• Training and Development: Workshops, seminars, courses to enhance skills and career growth 

• Wellness Programmes: Health and wellness initiatives such as gym memberships, mental health resources or work-life balance programmes 

• Team Building Activities: Events, outings or retreats that foster collaboration and camaraderie 

Once the goal of the employee engagement strategy is clear and employees have shared their input as to how they would like to proceed, business leaders are able to look at budgets and where to allocate funds based on priorities.  

Step 3: Budget realistically  

Once the answers of the survey have been compiled, and an employer has a clearly painted picture of their employees’ expectations, it’s time to set the budget. Here, it’s vital to regularly review the effectiveness of any existing engagement activities and then use metrics and feedback to assess their impact to make any adjustments. This ensures that budgets remain aligned with goals and deliver the desired outcomes.  

For instance, if team building activities are proving to create cohesion amongst different groups in the office, and in return, boosting productivity and collaboration, businesses might find they should be allocating more resources toward these types of initiatives.  

Metrics to track this can include employee retention rates, productivity levels, and overall job satisfaction. Once these are determined, businesses can look at how these are leading to financial benefits in order to justify budgets and secure future funding.  

Step 4: Plan the logistics  

Decide on the date, time and location of your activity. For employee engagement to work, it’s crucial that as many members of the team attend any planned activity or training session. This is why it’s vital to plan ahead and share any timelines with employees, so they can coordinate their diaries and ensure attendance.  

Again, employees feel more valued if they’re involved in these processes, so, leaders could put together a short survey with different ideas to allow for a general vote on what activity would be preferred.  

For employee recognition, businesses could choose to give out multichoice gift cards, which give their employees the power to choose an activity or a small gift at their own convenience. This also allows for gifting on a budget, as gifts don’t have to break the bank.  

Step 5: Communicate, communicate, communicate  

Make this fun and exciting for employees. Everyone enjoys having something to look forward to and work toward. If someone on the team has time to create a small poster or announcement video, this could really boost excitement and inject some fun into the office ahead of whichever activity has been planned. Make it clear to employees what they can expect in return for their hard work and dedication to the company.  

What does employee engagement look like? 

Employee engagement will look different across every business, as it should be tailored to demographics and preferences. Employee engagement can hugely benefit a business’s operations and reduce employee turnover. From ensuring employees feel well looked after and appreciated, to improving overall business operations, clearly, there are various benefits to having an employee engagement strategy in place.