If you’re like most managers, you’ve probably scoured the internet, searching for answers to how to keep your team happy. How do you keep your employees engaged, productive, and key contributors to company growth? The truth is, common tactics to boost team morale are not reflected by the current times and do more harm than good. Your employees spend hours on the clock – whether that’s remote or in-person – and their day-to-day experience is the leading driver of happiness.
Read on to discover how to put into practice the best employee engagement strategies and how to keep your team happy.
Key Takeaways
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To keep employees happy, focus on their day-to-day experience rather than outdated morale-boosting tactics.
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Make work meaningful by showing employees how their job impacts the company's bottom line and aligns with its mission.
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Invest in your team by providing clear career development opportunities and a timeline for their advancement.
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Foster a results-driven culture that empowers smart people and avoids micromanagement, building trust and engagement.
Table of Contents
Make Work Meaningful to Keep Your Team Happy
If your employees don’t find their work fulfilling, they probably don’t fully understand the company’s mission and values. Too often, managers zero in on business goals and how their team members can contribute to those goals, but do they truly comprehend or believe in the purpose of the organization? Furthermore, a recent SHRM Business study found that 74% of Gen Z workers agree that purpose at work is more important than the paycheck they receive. The most effective leaders show their workers how their jobs have an impact on the company’s bottom line.
Map-Out Growth Opportunities
One of the best ways to keep your team invested in the organization is by investing in them. While there’s definitely a correlation between high retention rates and subpar (or lack of) career development opportunities, it falls on the manager to afford their workers those opportunities. After all, a recent Gallup study found that nearly 9 in 10 Millennials ranked professional development and career growth as very important. Here’s how to take action:
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Remove obstacles that hinder career progression
What’s preventing your team member from being promoted? Do you have to adhere to strict company policies? Is nepotism at play?
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A happy team needs fresh tasks and responsibilities to grow
Climbing the vertical career ladder is something that most people aspire towards. But if you’re a small business or startup, moving into a new role every year is just not a sound expense. The workaround? Offer your employees an assortment of tasks that help them develop professionally, even if their job title stays the same.
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Create a timeline for career advancement
Ask your employee these questions:
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What type of career do you want?
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What are your interests?
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How and where do you want to work?
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From there, map out multiple paths to their goals, including a set timeline to get them there. Remember, goals should always be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Relevant-Timely).
Read more: 5 strategies to develop a habit of lifelong learning
A Happy Team Thrives in a Results-Driven Culture
No one likes to be micromanaged at work. Having a manager repeatedly looking over your shoulder is frustrating, if not demeaning. It also severs trust in the workplace. As Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do.” Embracing a results-driven culture is often a matter of:
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Setting clear expectations
As Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 once said, “All good performance starts with clear goals. If employees don’t have clear expectations, they sit and quit, meaning they show up for work but do not give their best because they are unsure of what to do.”
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Assigning the right skills to the right tasks
Don’t just assign a task based on someone’s position within the company. Play to your workers’ strengths.
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Getting rid of the 9-5 mindset is a proven way to keep your team happy
If a team member prefers working early, let them. If they prefer working at night, let them. Don’t box them in to set hours. Since the onset of the pandemic, more and more businesses are coming to terms with flexible work arrangements.
Read more: Motivating your team by creating a culture of ownership
Offer Benefits That Matter
If you assume that paying people more is the key to low turnover rates, think again. Sure, having a cushy salary is nice, but people are looking for more. Not sure what benefits to provide? Consult your staff. There’s no need to chase every benefit or perk.
Some workers might prefer tuition reimbursement, while others prefer a remote work stipend to cover expenses while working virtually. And in a candidate-driven market, employers who don’t spotlight retention efforts risk seeing top talent say “sayonara.” What you offer beyond salary and the standard medical, dental, and vision can go a long way in supporting recruitment and retention initiatives.
Keep Your Team Engaged by Cultivating a Culture of Feedback
Who better than your own team to let you know what they need and what can be improved upon? In fact, a Gallup Workplace survey found that 80% of employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week are fully engaged. Here are a few tips that can help you promote a healthy feedback culture in your workplace:
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Encourage an open-door policy
Your employees should feel comfortable coming to you for feedback and vice versa.
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Utilize multiple feedback channels
Not everyone feels at ease with a one-on-one feedback session. Consider having multiple ways to give feedback such as through a chat group on Microsoft Teams or Slack, or through small groups.
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Focus on continuous feedback and keep your team happy
Annual performance reviews are great, but there are better ways to gauge employee performance than once a year. Instead, try monthly catch-ups or project performance debriefs.
Get more retention tips: Lowering attrition: Effective employee retention strategies to implement today
When you dedicate your time, resources, and money to boosting employee engagement, you’re contributing to the success of your organization. And just remember, employee satisfaction is the ultimate way to get top-notch work out of your existing talent and one of the chief ways to build an adept and productive workforce.
Looking for more information on how to keep your team happy? Get in touch with one of our experts and explore how Personiv can help you enhance employee engagement for your business.
