Employee engagement is extremely vital for any organization as it goes beyond simply work satisfaction. Employee engagement is about staff members feeling a sense of belongingness which then leads to dedication and commitment to both their work, to their positions in the company, and to the company itself. The commitment from staff members, in turn, results in increased creativity, productivity and retention.
There are tons of ideas companies can opt for to engage their staff members. What is important is to prioritize those which seek to place employees at the center. Here are some engagement employee activities companies can utilize:
1. Recognition Programs
These engagement employee activities are a great way to engage and inspire staff members. Recognition programs give employees the opportunity to be publicly recognized for their good work. While privately giving acknowledgement and praise to staff members certainly does a lot to boost their morale, publicly recognizing their achievements furthers their feeling of pride and belongings, and also allows other workers to be inspired by them.
2. Get-togethers and Parties
A good number of organizations now hold weekly or monthly get-togethers outside the office so that their staff members get to know each other in a more personal level. Get-togethers can be done on Fridays after work or during the end of the month. They can be held in restaurants or even bars so that employees are more comfortable and at ease to let loose and converse in a more casual manner.
On the other hand, most companies also throw annual parties to celebrate another year of business, or to celebrate special occasions such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. A lot of times, the families or significant others of employees are also invited to these engagement employee activities.
3. Trainings and Workshops
When companies hold trainings and workshops and promote these events with their staff members, employees feel that their employers and managers care about their careers and growth in the company. Trainings and workshops are great opportunities to not only enhance the current skills and knowledge of employees, they are also wonderful engagement employee activities to get workers more involved with the needs of the company and could potentially help them get ahead in their careers.
4. Team Building Activities
These activities are especially loves by employees – especially if they are held outside the office. Examples of activities that fall under this category are go-cart racing, bowling and even laser tag or winery tours. These activities give employees the opportunity to bond and to find common ground with each other outside the workplace.
5. Employee Games and Sports Events
Staff members love getting involved in tournaments and competitions. Not only do these activities build excitement within the organization, they also enhance camaraderie and inspiration. These engagement employee activities can range anywhere from simple table tennis competitions, to bake-offs, to company-wide office Olympics.
Sports events, on the other hand, are great activities to bring staff members and even their families together. Ideas that fall under this category include creating basketball teams within the company, hosting a marathon or even competing with other organizations as a minor league.
6. Learning Lunches
Learning lunches are excellent and effective engagement employee activities to hold as they bring teams together and support them in furthering their knowledge and skills. Promote learning lunches amongst different departments wherein team members meet up for lunch in order to celebrate birthdays, tackle important issues and share their thoughts about their current projects. These activities not only builds a sense of belongingness amongst team members, they also help foster learning and promote transparency within the group.
