Boosting business performance is the primary goal for both start-ups and established businesses. An organization’s capacity to achieve its financial goals, increase customer satisfaction, and maintain a competitive edge in the market, lies in the health of its workplace culture and in the engagement of its employees. Research shows that highly engaged teams show 23% greater profitability and a 43% lower turnover rate than those with low levels of engagement (1), highlighting the symbiotic relationship between engagement and performance.
This article will explore strategies for boosting your brand’s performance through employee engagement and development, integrating a performance improvement plan to foster a culture of growth and productivity.
Foster Open & Effective Communication
Key to boosting employee engagement and successful team dynamics in any organization is the establishment of a workplace culture that encourages open, transparent communication – within a team, across all teams and between employers and employees.
Transparent communication across departments keeps everyone in the loop with company updates or other matters pertaining to your business. Town-hall style meetings as well as the regular use of communication platforms provide a way to facilitate connection between employees and keeps everyone involved and motivated.
In order to build trust between leadership and team members, open communication is essential. Regular one-on-one check-ins help to foster personal relationships between managers and employees, and provide a setting to discuss their progress and professional objectives, as well as an opportunity for course-correction, helping team members stay aligned with company goals.
An open-door policy is a great way to involve your team in decision-making. If employees feel comfortable approaching leadership to share any feedback, concerns or questions they may have, a culture of proactive collaboration can develop – fertile ground for confidence and enthusiasm to flourish among your team, not to mention fewer misunderstandings. When individuals feel at ease sharing their ideas, and feel that their opinions are valued, they are more likely to be invested in their work and the success of the company.
Implement Performance Improvement Plans
As part of the open dialogue between employers and employees, employers can implement performance improvement plans (PIPs) to address any performance deficiencies and areas for improvement, offering a clear route of progression.
A PIP follows a structured framework; outlining specific performance expectations and identifying where an employee might be falling short of these expectations, the plan provides useful targeted growth opportunities, ultimately helping an individual to align with company goals. An effective tool for boosting business performance, a PIP ensures early intervention so that businesses can address any issues proactively rather than allowing them to escalate.
Whether it’s targeting a gap in training or a tendency not to meet deadlines, a PIP can equip employees with the tools they need to improve. Rather than being a mechanism of rebuke, a PIP increases employee accountability and encourages staff to take their professional role seriously, while offering the constructive feedback, support and motivation required to enhance their performance.
The implementation of PIPs can benefit the company at large; as a result of helping employees overcome issues, staff-turnover can be minimized. Moreover, after collecting valuable insights into common challenges faced by team members, employers can effectively utilize this tool to make data-driven decisions about training, resources and other aspects integral to boosting team performance.
Invest in Employee Development
When members of a workforce can see a clear path of growth, they are more likely to be engaged. In turn, high engagement levels lead to increased employee adaptability – the willingness to learn new skills, adapt to new processes and technologies, and engage in continuous development.
Investing in training programs for your team provides a great opportunity for professional growth. Workshops and online courses can equip employees with knowledge and skills relating to their roles and chosen career paths, helping them thrive in their positions. Not only will continuous training boost your employees’ motivation for achieving their career milestones, but will help them feel that they are playing a valuable role in the brand’s mission and vision.
Opening up opportunities for career advancement within your organization will enable your employees to see potential growth trajectories and work towards them. Where possible, you can implement mentorship programs, pairing team members with mentors who can effectively support them, offer guidance and help navigate their career development.
A skilled team of employees, presented with consistent growth opportunities, will help elevate your brand’s performance, and is equally beneficial to employees, who, when engaged, are motivated beyond financial reasons.
Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
Embracing a diverse workforce, consisting of individuals from various backgrounds (race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, etc.,) brings new perspectives to the table, enhancing problem-solving skills and leading to informed decision-making. Diverse teams can actually help your business expand its market reach, having the ability to better understand and engage with a wide range of customers, enhance market insights and improve customer relations. Diverse recruitment strategies will help your organization attract a wide pool of candidates, and, once you have analyzed the dynamics of your team, you can hire to fill in the gaps where possible.
However, diversity in the workforce does not automatically guarantee inclusion, so employers need to ensure that all team members feel involved, valued and treated fairly. Acknowledging the differences that do exist in your organization will pave the way for inclusion initiatives, such as outlining your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and communicating it to your workforce, providing bias awareness training to help employees recognize and address unconscious biases, and celebrating diversity through recognizing cultural events and holidays.
The sense of trust and belonging that results from such efforts to nurture individual voices, perspectives and talents, empowers employee performance and satisfaction, leading to higher retention rates and heightened innovation.
On a more global scale, demonstrating this commitment to ethics and integrity can significantly boost the reputation of your brand and customer loyalty, which translates practically to greater brand advocacy, word-of-mouth referrals, returning customers, and the development of strong long-term relationships.
Establishing a Positive Workplace Culture
Cultivating a positive working environment is an essential factor that shapes the performance of your employees, and thus, the performance of your business. Your team members comprise the backbone of your company and should feel supported and empowered.
By embracing recognition programs – such as employee of the month – or celebrating achievements through shout-outs in team meetings or company-wide channels, you are acknowledging the accomplishments of your team members, no matter how big or small. Allocating bonuses for the attainment of specific milestones or goals is a way to enrich your recognition and reward system, providing both a financial incentive and a means of showing appreciation.
As an employer, promoting a work-life balance is a key element of employee satisfaction. If it’s within the capacity of your business, provide flexible working hours and arrangements, such as the option to work remotely. Encouraging your employees to take regular breaks, as well as time off work, will help to prevent burnout, which is debilitating to both individual and business performance.
An organization that demonstrates a sensitivity for the professional and personal lives of its employees drives engagement, allowing team members to feel like assets to the company, working toward a common goal. Find ways to facilitate a work-life balance and promote harmony between professional and private lives; it is essential for the wellbeing and productivity of your business. If each team member is recharged and vitalized, so will be your brand.
Conclusion
Since so many aspects of a brand’s success – including productivity, customer satisfaction, profitability, and employee turnover – depend on employee engagement, it is essential for your brand to have strategies in place to endow your employees with a strong sense of purpose, satisfaction and commitment to their jobs. The experience of your employees hinges on your brand’s ability to meet their needs at every stage of employment, starting at recruitment.
Whatever systems your organization may already have in place for boosting engagement and performance, consider refining or introducing new strategies that help to build trust, respect and motivation. Approaches that promote effective communication, provide growth opportunities, and value the unique contribution and needs of each employee, can empower your team with a sense of shared purpose and dedication to the brand’s mission.
James is the head of marketing at Tamoco
