3 Ways HR Can Increase Employee Engagement

Organizations with engaged employees report higher productivity, lower turnover, and fewer safety incidents. (Harvard Business Review, 2013) Is your company interested? Here are three ways your HR department can help to increase employee engagement. 

Hire the Right People 


As the old saying goes, “One bad apple can spoil the bunch.” And regrettably, a single bad hire often causes a domino effect of disengagement, turnover and lower productivity. After all, dealing with a lazy or negative coworker day in and day out will drain anyone’s resolve. As Patty McCord, the former chief talent officer at Netflix, writes, “… the best thing you can do for employees is to hire only high performers to work alongside them.” Take some time to reexamine your organization’s hiring process. Do you have structured procedures in place, or are you relying on gut instinct? Are you tracking the quality of hires or simply assuming people work out? And do you know which hiring procedures produce the best results?
 

Create an Engagement Culture 


Ultimately, people will be more motivated when they know their work is making a difference. In his famous TED Talk, author Simon Sinek challenges companies to define themselves not by WHAT they do but rather by WHY they do it. In other words, “Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?” Not only should your team members be able to answer these questions, but also, they should understand their specific purpose in contributing to the greater goal. Obviously, this is easier said than done. It involves a complex process of defining your mission, regularly communicating those values to employees, and then showing individuals how they fit into the bigger picture.
 

Manage Performance 


Done correctly, encouraging everyone to improve their performance helps to spark engagement and creativity. But unfortunately, many organizations resort to nothing more than an annual performance review. Psychologist Adam Grant advocates a more fluid method for managing performance, “If you’ve ever played sports, you know the value of reviewing the game tape with coaches and colleagues who keep you honest. Why don’t we do the same thing at work?” What if instead of trying to earn an A+ once a year, your employees were receiving constructive feedback and advice regularlyChances are, they would be more inspired. Design a system where managers have ongoing meetings with their team members throughout the year. Also, ask them to discuss opportunities for building on the strengths as well as addressing weaknesses.  

 

Is Your HR Team Looking to Increase Employee Engagement Through Better Hiring?

At Halpin Staffing Services, our recruiters take a hands-on approach to help your business find the right people. We place qualified and reliable candidates with top companies throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois. Learn more about the advantages of partnering with Halpin Staffing Services today! 

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