Kent Ingle is president of Southeastern University, author of several leadership books and host of the Framework Leadership podcast.
The U.S. workforce is struggling to stay engaged. According to Gallup, two out of three employees in the U.S. are disengaged, and only 21% say they are extremely satisfied with their current company. And these trends are only continuing to worsen.
Recent data shows that 37% of employees say their level of engagement is lower than it was six months ago. Each month, around 3.5 million workers quit their jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But, as leaders, we can make a difference.
A study found that managers can impact their employees’ engagement by as much as 70%. It’s crucial that we address these trends and prioritize a positive employee experience in our companies. By doing so, we can increase retention, employee engagement and well-being, and ultimately, benefit our organizations as a whole.
But how?
Here are three proven strategies to increase employee engagement and retention in the workplace.
1. Prioritize mental health and well-being.
The Conference Board found that 34% of employees feel their mental health is declining, with as many as 70% of those workers also reporting decreased engagement at work. Yet, 38% of employees report not feeling comfortable speaking to their managers about their mental health.
On the flip side, Gallup found that employees who feel their employer cares about their well-being are 71% less likely to experience burnout—and are three times more engaged at work.
Make a point to prioritize your employees’ mental health as much as their physical health. Ensure there are resources available, like counseling and paid time off, and make sure your employees are taking advantage of them. Regularly check in with your team on how they’re doing, how their workload is affecting them and what you can do to help.
By showing your employees you care about them and their well-being, you encourage transparency and build trust among your team members.
2. Celebrate your employees as individuals.
Workhuman found that more than half of surveyed employees felt somewhat or not at all valued at work. Sadly, Gallup and Workhuman found that 40% of employees feel they are not receiving enough recognition—while 81% of senior leaders don’t see recognition as essential to their organization’s strategy.
And yet, in workplaces where appreciation and recognition are prioritized, employees are four times as likely to be engaged and 56% less likely to be looking for a new job. As a result, data shows that for a company of 10,000 employees, proper recognition can save the organization up to $16.1 million in turnover annually.
One way you can recognize your employees is by acknowledging and utilizing their strengths. Research shows that workplaces that do so experience six times more engagement and a 7.8% boost in productivity.
Another method is to celebrate your employees’ achievements and success on a regular basis. The Quantum Workplace has shown that employees who believe they will be recognized are nearly three times more likely to be engaged at work, demonstrating how recognition can make all the difference in your team’s happiness, satisfaction and productivity.
3. Protect your team’s work-life balance.
Employees who lack a healthy work-life balance are three times more likely (download required) than their peers to identify as being “checked out” or just “coasting” at work, according to a report by UKG. Additionally, employees who have a poor work-life balance are more likely to experience poor mental health—with more than half believing their job has a direct impact.
Start by creating strong boundaries between your employees’ time at work and their time off the clock. Avoid contacting them outside of working hours, and encourage them to unplug and get away as needed. Be sure to limit overtime and avoid requiring them to work on weekends as much as possible.
By helping your employees maintain a healthy work-life balance, you can help them achieve their fullest potential.
It’s often said that employees are a company’s largest asset. I like to think that our teams are a bit more than that: They are our organization. Without our employees’ buy-in and investment, our companies will suffer, and our teams will be unproductive and disengaged.
It’s up to us to take the lead in advocating for our employees and protecting their overall health and well-being. By doing so, we can encourage employees to think of themselves as more than just a part of our organization but as essential shareholders who can make a difference.
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