All companies want their employees to be engaged. (Well, maybe that’s not as universal of a statement as I’d thought!) However, not all companies know how to engage staff on a consistent basis.
Whether you like it or not, your company’s employees are your front-of-the-line brand ambassadors. Think about it. Whether via social media or in-person interactions, your employees are fielding questions about your brand. Do you want them to be spreading good news about your company? Of course you do!
If you’re looking for a refresh—or have resolved to start 2013 with an employee engagement program—to your HR policies this year, look no further. Here are a few ideas worth considering:
Rich rewards: One of the main contributors to an engaged workforce is incentives. Incentives aren’t all about money. In fact, many employees would take a paycut to do work that is meaningful. Think about incorporating charity rewards as incentives for employees that are continually doing Grade-A work or perhaps to those referring solid candidates to join the company.
- Get outta here! Let your employees get involved in their favorite causes by granting them volunteer days. At Network for Good, we’re given these days to connect with charities in which we believe. Added bonus? A renewed sense of purpose.
- Have some fun: Is your office environment as monochromatic as your cube’s color scheme? Do people take a punch-in, punch-out approach to their work? Are bursts of laughter uncommon? Take a page out of Hitachi’s playbook and host a donation challenge. Whether you encourage employees to donate cash or products, the sense of doing good has a ripple effect of the best kind—smiles are contagious.
- Disaster strikes, you respond. There are myriad ways your company can help those affected by disaster. In-kind donations and grants to on-the-ground nonprofits are common responses. Don’t forget to involve your employees; set up a giving portal for your staff. For example, in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Adobe employees donated nearly $60K to help those in need.
Need help setting up your employee rewards program? Contact us for more details.
