It’s more important now than ever to attract and retain top talent with an engaged workplace culture and terrific benefits. To help you do that, we offer several tips and strategies for increasing engagement. We also explain how to connect employees to the amazing benefits you offer, so you can increase enrollment in employee benefit plans.
4 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement
Engaged employees are happier. Attract employees to your company and increase retention rates by facilitating workplace engagement. Several companies have successfully implemented the following tips and you can too!
1. Use “Enabling Infrastructure”
Providing employees with tools that make it easy to get work done is a top driver of engagement. Make sure your employees follow simple, efficient, and easily accessible processes and make sure the technology they use to do their jobs doesn’t complicate their jobs. If you’re unsure about the effects your technology, processes, and tools have on employees, ask them. And, ask them for their input when it comes to making changes.
2. Develop and Utilize Employee Strengths
Younger employees are looking for companies that make use of their talents. To truly engage your workforce, obtain information on employee strengths, preferences, and personalities. Then, use that information to manage employees more effectively. You’ll be able to place employees in roles where they will shine, and productivity and engagement will increase.
3. Offer Leadership Coaching
Most employees want to advance in their careers. However, few employers help them do so. Long Island-based company, Telephonics, recently created a leadership training program. Workers with potential were selected to receive additional leadership development training. The group meets regularly for lunch to develop their skills and network. The company also made a point to help employees participating in the program develop a long-term plan for career growth based on their leadership styles and personal preferences. The result? Younger employees who may have otherwise left the company to advance their career are staying longer because they feel recognized, appreciated, and supported.
4. Act When Your Employees Voice Their Needs and Opinions
Employee disengagement doesn’t happen overnight. If you listen to what your employees are saying, you’ll know what makes them happy and unhappy. To increase engagement, listen to what your employees have to say and act on their feedback. Aon’s 2016 Trends in Global Employee Engagement report supported this tactic, explaining that effective leaders listen and act on employee feedback.
If you’re looking for a model to mimic, look no further than Whole Foods. Teams at this leading grocery retailer have a say on whether the company hires new workers at the end of their probationary period. So, employees know their voice influences what happens to them and the company.
Increase Employee Enrollment in Benefit Plans
Several factors influence employee satisfaction, but workplace culture and benefits make up a significant portion of the most influential factors. In fact, according to the Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey (2015), conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, the three most influential factors when it comes to employee satisfaction are: respectful treatment of employees, trust between employees and senior management, and benefits.
So, providing excellent benefits is another way to increase engagement and satisfaction. However, if employees aren’t enrolling in the benefits you provide, the impact benefits have on employee satisfaction is lost. Therefore, increasing employee enrollment in benefit plans is essential.
Here, we explain two of the most powerful ways to increase enrollment:
1. Educate
To enroll in benefit options, employees must know about them. So, spread the word about benefit offerings using handouts, flyers, and social media. Tell employees about enrollment dates and explain the benefits of available plans. As word gets around in the office, more employees will enroll. To assist time-crunched benefits administrators, we provide all the materials you’ll need for education and promotion.
2. Self-Service Options
Employees prefer to research and select plans on their own, provided they can ask questions and receive personalized guidance during the selection process. Make healthcare plan enrollment self-serve by connecting employees to online enrollment portals, mobile apps, and decision support tools, so they’ll have the information they need and want at their fingertips.
To assist you, we provide online enrollment solutions and Ask Emma, a decision support tool used during healthcare plan selection and enrollment. With our tools, your employees will be able to get the support and guidance they need when they need it, alleviating your workload.
Be the Employer Employees Want to Work For
Make your organization an attractive place to work by offering employees an engaged workplace and sought-after benefits. Follow the tips we’ve laid out in this post to start. And, connect with us for additional help and resources—whether you’re looking for an HRA company who can help with health reimbursement account administration, a specific benefit plan, or guidance—we’re happy to be of service.
