6 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

There’s been plenty of discussion recently about a new phenomenon called “quiet quitting,” which happens when employees abandon the idea of overextending themselves at work. The trend isn’t being attributed to laziness—rather, it’s being viewed as a symptom of employee burnout.

Just as the Great Resignation did before it, quiet quitting signals to employers that modern workers demand a reasonable work-life balance. Modern technologies are one way to help HR teams increase employee satisfaction and productivity while boosting company morale. In this blog, we’ll outline a few of the ways technologies can improve employee engagement.

1. Plan weekly check-ins

If you’ve been in the workforce awhile, you probably remember the times when employee cadences were a twice-yearly occurrence. In today’s working environment—where most companies employ a mix of in-office, remote and hybrid employees—it’s become vital to connect with teams on a more regular basis.

According to one survey, supervisors who connect with their employees at least once a week observe a 13 percent boost in employee engagement. Conversely, those who touch base with employees just once a month reported a five percent decrease in engagement.

Companies can utilize video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype or Microsoft Teams to regularly connect with employees. These meetings are an effective way to address concerns, establish priorities, and improve engagement, which can lead to increased productivity.

2. Recognize accomplishments

In today’s tight labor market, employers can’t afford to take their employees for granted. Many modern workers consider praise from a superior to be more rewarding than a wage boost. Employee recognition platforms such as Nectar were launched to foster an engaged workplace. It helps companies recognize and reward employees while facilitating teamwork, collaboration and a sense of community.

One study found that 82 percent of employees consider recognition to be a significant contributor to their happiness at work. Meanwhile, 63 percent of people who are frequently recognized on the job said they’re unlikely to look for a new job within the next six months; just 11 percent of their seldomly recognized colleagues feel the same way.

3. Create opportunities for development 

Few people set out to work at a dead end job with no opportunity for advancement, with nearly 90 percent of surveyed millennials counting professional growth and career opportunities as high priorities. 

It can be difficult for companies and managers to keep track of each employee’s desired career trajectory, opportunities for advancement, and more. Platforms such as Lattice and Talentguard can help by providing employees with learning opportunities, growth support and career development plans.

4. Help employees manage workloads

It’s no wonder some employees are mentally checking out, with employee stress reaching all-time highs. Implementing work management tools can help manage internal anxiety by keeping employees organized and on task.

Task management software such as monday.com and hive.com can help users manage various stages of sales cycles, collaborate with colleagues in real time and organize or prioritize tasks. Such tools are especially valuable during a time when about 80% of employees are struggling to keep up with their workloads.

5. Striking a work life balance

With many people now based at least partially from home, the work-life balance has blurred. It’s hard to remember to clock out after a full day of work, or to put away your phone and stop responding to emails during and after dinner. One study found that 71% of full-time employees work overtime at least once a week, while nearly half said they worked extra hours several days a week.

Organizations can eliminate the need for overtime work by ensuring they’re adequately staffed, encouraging flexible working hours, and providing resources to support productivity.

Modern tools such as Wrike and Connecteam can help organizations keep tabs on employee schedules, balance workloads and use resources accordingly. Platforms such as Homebase can be a good alternative for companies with hourly employees.

6. Streamline the agreement process

Organizations can help reduce workplace burnout by implementing contract and agreement automation technologies such as DocuSign that make signing documents stress-free while reducing the number of steps to completion.

DocuSign eSignature eliminates manual tasks, accelerates agreements and integrates with the tools and systems you already use. Using the software helps avoid common stress triggers such as delayed projects, paperwork errors and lost or damaged contracts. With work overload being another contributing burnout factor, eSignature also helps users save time with prebuilt templates and a central repository that makes contracts easily accessible.

Ensuring employees are supported and equipped with the tools they need to work efficiently can go a long way in preventing burnout, low morale and productivity losses.

To learn more about how DocuSign can help your company avoid quiet quitting, sign up for a free trial.