Employee engagement has evolved from being a mere buzzword to being a significant aspect of any organization. It, along with various other facets, is essential in building a high-functioning and committed workforce. Put simply, employee engagement describes the level of devotion, zeal, and energy a certain worker possesses towards his/her work and the company in general. When a person is engaged within the organization, s/he believes that he/she is valued and that the work they do is relevant to the prosperity of the organization.
Furthermore, higher engagement translates into lower turnover rates, higher output, and a stronger company culture. Therefore, it becomes apparent why companies around the globe are working on engagement strategies – strategies such as creating places where employees are happy to work.
This is supported by a Gallup poll which showed that organizations with a high level of employee engagement report a 21% increase in profitability.
Employees who are engaged in their work are usually proud of what they do, help their colleagues, and spare no effort to reach the objectives set for the corporation. However, reaching such levels of engagement requires intention as well as maintenance work. While paychecks and bonuses are important, it is benefits such as organizational culture, team interplay, and self-development that engage people most. And there are team activities that managed to perform this task as well.
Below I am listing ten tested engagement-enhancing activities that you can try to promote team spirit among your employees, making them more focused on work.
Icebreaker Activities
Icebreakers are light activities that allow team members to connect and interact. For new employees, they’re an opportunity to integrate themselves within the group. For other members, they are a chance to get to know each other better. Two commonly used icebreakers are ‘Two Truths and a Lie’ and ‘Fun Facts’ which help all team members learn more about each other in a fun manner.
With remote teams, the virtual icebreaker activities can be just as effective as in-person ones. Certain features in Zoom and Slack enhance such sessions. Apart from this, icebreaker activities promote the free exchange of ideas, trust, and a nice working environment. People communicate and collaborate more freely and efficiently which results in the best outcome for the entire team.
Team Lunches and Coffee Breaks
People go astray with day-to-day assignments and forget the concept of a relaxed lunch! Team lunch and tea breaks are non-work engagements that are useful for helping team members connect within the team. It could be sitting in the office canteen, going out for lunch, or organizing virtual coffee breaks for remote teams. These occasions create a spirit of brotherhood and help employees to know each other better than they do in their job roles.
Such gatherings are more fun if themes are added to them. For example, lunch and learns; where employees get to educate or receive education about something during lunch, or coffee break theme where everyone brings in some snacks or drinks specific to their culture. Just these small things put the spotlight on diversity and become easy aids in trying to educate people in more informal ways about where their colleagues come from. Such informal situations provide comfort and lead the employees to relax thereby improving team relations and reducing stress at work.
Volunteer Days
Employees who belong to organizations that promote social responsibility not only show engagement but also have a reason to exist. Volunteering makes it possible for teammates to meet outside the norms of the office and achieve objectives that are worthwhile and make a difference. The firms can organize group volunteering days for a charitable organization, clean up the neighborhood, or a food bank that boosts the morale of the employees as well as the image portrayed of the company to members of the public. It’s a way to demonstrate that your company is not just interested in making profits but in doing good in society.
Studies indicate that employees are more involved in the affairs of the organization as long as they know that the organization takes part in social responsibility activities. As reported in Deloitte’s Volunteer Impact Survey, 89% of workers feel that businesses that fund and promote volunteering work are more pleasant places to work. Through volunteering where they contribute to the improvement of the community which they serve, workers develop good relationships and feelings of satisfaction which are directed to their work each day.
Gamified Challenges
Anyone we seem to ask is fond of challenging tasks as gamification takes over and provides users with a reason to accomplish things. If routine tasks somehow become tedious, we can inject gamification into them by introducing triathlon tournaments, scavenger hunts, and much more. It could be arranged weekly or every month and participants can receive recognition or small rewards to encourage their involvement.
Workers complete these competitive activities and as a result develop a friendly competitive spirit with each other, whether they participate in battles to be the first on the leaderboard, or collaborate to solve a puzzle. Especially fitness-related challenges, populations start to shift to better habits where social-related ones like trivia provide an opportunity for collaboration. Workplaces can use gamification by increasing engagement, improving morale, building up collaboration spirit, and attaining goals that are making the workplace lively.
Virtual Happy Hours
As remote and hybrid work increases, virtual happy hours have become crucial for the team’s bonding experience. Particularly for remote employees who would otherwise lose the opportunity to forge personal relationships, virtual happy hours offer a chance to interact beyond the work topics. These informal gatherings using video conferencing tools allow employees to unwind and engage in casual conversations.
If you’re going to host a virtual happy hour, plan a theme, including games or activities, such as virtual trivia, to keep everyone engaged. This can help elevate the atmosphere and provide remote workers with an authentic experience of being a part of the team. For distributed teams, virtual happy hours are a great way to fill the gap to provide workplace consultancy, and inclusivity, and form a connection between remote employees and traditional ones.
Recognition and Rewards Programs
It is fair to say that feeling valued is one of the intrinsic needs of every individual. Some organizations have integrated the factor of appreciation into their corporate culture so that the level of employee engagement and employee satisfaction is high. Appreciation may come in the form of a simple ‘thank you’ or in the more complex social structures, ‘shout-outs’ during team meetings or more formally introduced systems of recognition such as the awards of the best employee for the particular month. Peer recognition systems are well known to encourage teamwork where the team members recommend one another for recognition and commendations.
Reward programs do not necessarily have to be lavishly embellished. Gift cards, paid time off and team lunches in appreciation of good work done can also serve as strong rewards. Public admiration of employees for their good work done in the organization also creates a feeling that may be defined as a job well done and this subsequently influences others to outperform themselves. Most importantly employees who feel valued are most likely to remain productive in their work chores which translates into positive impacts on the organization as a whole.
Skill-Building Workshops
Workshops centered on certain skills can assist the employees in enhancing their knowledge and skills which can be a great source of motivation for learning. These can be the valuation of communication skills, time management, working optimally with a creative mind, and relief assistance employees working in these workshops can gain knowledge that would help them enhance their career prospects. Not only this, but team-based workshops create good feelings amongst employees as they encourage growth in one another, building good rapport.
Doing this also shows that the company is committed to the employee’s growth on a personal level and a professional level by customizing the workshops according to the needs of each team. For example, creative marketing teams may benefit from solution-based workshops while leadership-oriented workshops may be more suitable for project managers.
Office Games and Tournaments
Playing games adds to the spice of the workplace. Employees get the chance to participate in office games like board games, ping pong, video games, or table tennis tournaments which inject fun and a sense of friendly rivalry among them. These activities give employees the chance to step away from their tasks, unwind a little, and connect with their colleagues in new ways.
It can be quite fun to schedule so-called ‘gameday’ weekly or have mini-tournaments in the workplace. Teammates can celebrate their wins or their losses together which builds their bond and creates memorable occasions. Games and tournaments at the office serve as an excellent way to relieve stress and make the employees more relaxed and motivated to do their work.
Wellness Programs
Workplace wellness programs indicate that the organization values the health and wellness of its employees. In a highly demanding work setting, stress relief programs such as yoga classes, mindfulness meetings, or even company-sponsored hikes are very beneficial. Such activities help promote the overall health of employees which in turn helps to bring down stress and the chances of burnout.
According to a study conducted jointly by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the National Wellness Institute, 76% of employees feel wellness programs enhance their productivity. Wellness programs are not valid for personal health alone but are equally crucial in enhancing the morale of the workforce and the overall atmosphere in the workplace. Organizations can implement measures such as providing monthly wellness days and counseling services or introducing monthly wellness challenges that will promote their psychological well-being.
Brainstorming and Innovation Days
Brainstorming and innovation days give light to more advanced initiatives as dedicated time is set to allow employees to disengage from their routine and their core concentration work. Such sessions focus on spotlighting innovation and discussions that allow freedom for employees to come up with new ideas. Self-selected periods of brainstorming enable groups to come up with problem-solving ideas for the current problems of the company as well as envision new ideas that can seek relevance in the time ahead.
Ask workers to form small groups where they will work on ideation sessions or problem-solving activities, then have them share their main ideas with the rest of the officials. This enables teamwork, in such a way that every member of the team is heard. Team building can also strengthen the unity of members of the team if they do this in the form of brainstorming sessions.
How to Choose the Right Activities for Your Team?
Engagement activities are essential, therefore selecting the correct ones is critical. Survey your employees to determine what they value, and prefer, and when they are free. On the other hand, as stated before, large organizations with cross-functional teams can take part in gamification of challenges and wellness programs while a small team might prefer having volunteer days or brainstorming sessions.
Activities must be planned considering the organization’s culture, the diversity of a team, and whether it’s a remote or in-person team. They should also be democratic and you should consult the employees with regards to the activities to be conducted.
Conclusion
Employee engagement is a very effective tool for fostering a positive, productive, and successful workplace. Companies apply team-building exercises, recognition, skill development, and wellness programs which shape the employees to feel appreciated, in unity as well as in dedication to work. It should be quite obvious that implementing engagement activities should not only revolve around wanting to drive increased productivity – rather it is about fostering a team spirit that strengthens and propels the organization. Make an effort to implement these activities, and you will notice a change in energy, collaboration, and enthusiasm in your team’s outlook.For more tips on building a connected workplace, explore Auzmor’s resources on employee engagement and development at Auzmor.
