Building Engagement For Every Season Of The Employee Life Cycle

There are many stages throughout the duration of a person’s employment. Starting with the hiring process and stretching to exiting the company, the tenure of any given employee will have ups and downs. If little is done to keep employees engaged, their level of involvement — as well as enthusiasm for the job — will also fluctuate. Because of this, those in positions of leadership need to do what they can to build and sustain a high degree of engagement among employees.

Fortunately, there are numerous ways to do just that. Below, we’ll go over a few approaches to boosting employee engagement — whether it’s new hires in the springtime of their journeys or seasoned veterans experiencing a decline as burnout brings on wintery blues.

Get Started Off Right

The importance of building a strong, positive relationship from the get-go cannot go understated. Leaders need to plant the seed that the new hire is a valued member of the team. To achieve this, the onboarding process must be carefully considered. Guidance and support need to be provided and a healthy work-life balance instilled early on.

Then, as employees acclimate and deliver results, their contributions should be highlighted. This could be through a verbal shoutout, a special mention during team-wide meetings or even a handwritten note for a more personal touch. Recognition such as this should be incorporated within companywide culture, as it shows individuals that they are appreciated, which serves as a strong motivator.

Infographic created by

Insperity, an employee benefits outsourcing company

Continue to Help Them Flourish

Managers need to keep in mind that nurturing engagement as employees grow and develop into thriving team members is a daily practice. Of course, that doesn’t mean checking in too frequently, which can come off as micromanaging. Rather, it’s taking steps to invest in all the aspects of work that impact their daily lives.

For instance, companies choosing to focus on the overall wellbeing of their employees through wellness programs have stronger levels of engagement. This means caring for an employee’s whole wellbeing, including mentally, emotionally, socially, financially and physically. In other words, making life at work less stressful, more enjoyable and healthier can go a long way in driving engagement.

Leaders have various approaches at their disposal to help promote the health and growth of their employees. One recommended route is to create a culture that fosters continuous development. By offering training, coaching and other means to enhance skillsets, an organization can communicate how much employees are valued. This often results in higher engagement, since employees feel the company is invested in their future and seeing them succeed.

Provide the Tools Needed to Thrive

A final important yet often overlooked driver of employee engagement is company infrastructure. Encompassing all the tools and processes used to complete day-to-day tasks, organizational infrastructure ought to be continuously improving to keep pace with current technology and industry standards. Otherwise, there’s the risk of outmoded tools and antiquated procedures getting in the way of productivity.

When employees encounter such barriers, it can lead to frustration and, therefore, disengagement. Combine a crumbling infrastructure with a heavy workload and stringent expectations, and you have a recipe for discontent and eventual burnout. Companies can avoid such detrimental outcomes by prioritizing modernity and ensuring their employees are properly equipped to get the work done without any unnecessary difficulties.

These are just a few ways to help build engagement and, therefore, a stronger business. If you want to learn more about boosting engagement throughout the different phases of an employee’s lifecycle, please see the accompanying resource from Insperity for further information.