How to combat employee disengagement

Are your staff coming in late, leaving early, or constantly chatting with colleagues? According to a recent survey by TotalJobs, one of the UK’s leading online job boards, these are sure signs of low employee engagement.‍

Employers are concerned. A majority attribute low engagement as a key driver of poor performance. And 1 in 3 report that they’re struggling to keep their employees adequately engaged.

The good news is that signs of decreasing employee engagement aren’t hard to spot. 59% of surveyed employers say that lower productivity is the first major sign of problems followed by other behaviors such as arriving late for work, leaving early, frequently chatting with colleagues and extensive Internet browsing. These tell-tale signs have tipped off employers that they need to take action. And many are beginning to combat low employee engagement in a number of different ways.

How employers are taking action

51% say that clear communication - whether via company email, newsletters, or team meetings is an effective way of reinvigorating engagement.

Nearly 46% report that setting out clear objectives for both individuals and teams is also a highly effective approach.

Other strategies include creating a stimulating work environment (39%), fostering a strong team dynamic (28%), building a strong and visible management team (25%), and recognizing proactive and engaged employees (24%).

As part of their efforts to combat employee disengagement, employers are increasingly turning to a roster of tools for help. Chief amongst these are employee rewards and recognition software solutions.

How can rewards and recognition software help?

As the name suggests, this type of software lets employers easily recognize and reward employees - whether for their on-the-job achievements, demonstrating the company’s values, or for their years of service. But good recognition software should go well beyond just helping employers dole out rewards and praise. Consistent with the results from TotalJobs’ survey, a good solution should also improve an employer’s ability to:

• Disseminate objectives and priorities to front-line staff
• Focus individuals and teams on business goals and values
• Encourage and promote teamwork
• Make earning rewards fun and engaging

In industries such as retail, food service, and manufacturing, these additional elements can make the difference between success and failure in the battle against low engagement since management aren’t always right on the front-line with employees.

In particular, employee recognition software should facilitate the communication of the very goals, targets, and behaviors employers want to reward and provide the ability for individual employees and teams to cheer one another on as they work towards accomplishing them.

The keys to this are the immediacy and transparency the software provides, both in notifying employer goals and then letting employees post their own updates and comments as well as displaying individual or team progress towards the objectives.

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Curious about employee recognition software and solutions? Speak to one of our experts today!