Top Tips for Employee Engagement in the Workplace

It’s no secret that being a business owner in the modern workplace is a challenge. Gone are the days when what mattered most to your employees was the amount they were getting paid at the end of the month. With recent stats from Investors in People revealing that half of UK employees are considering a new job in 2020, it’s more important than ever that you have an engaged workforce who feel valued and appreciated, especially given that 10% of employees are less happy in the workplace now than they were in 2018 (24% overall).

Employees cited three main reasons for looking for a new job. 30% said money, 23% said due to feeling undervalued and 22% said they want a better work-life balance. And, whilst the survey suggests pay is an important factor in job satisfaction, almost half (47%) of those surveyed said they would rather have a friendly workplace than a 3% pay rise.

Knowing that the same things won’t please all of your employees, it is difficult to determine which methods you can roll out across your business that are going to be most effective in engaging your workforce, whilst benefitting your business overall.

The JVP Group Case Study – Insights from an employee

I’m Rian, Client Services Manager at JVP Group. We support employers across the UK to advertise and market their job vacancies and employer brand online.

The power of the employer brand is becoming an increasingly important area of focus for our clients and rightly so. Our employer brand has always been important to us at JVP. When you think about your employer brand, it gets you thinking about what makes your business a great place to work.

Below, I share my 4 top tips from an employee perspective and my own personal experience since joining JVP Group in 2018, in the hope that they will help you in developing your own employee value proposition (EVP), which will in turn support you in retaining great people and moving your business forward.

1. Saying thank you

It sounds almost silly doesn’t it? But how often do you thank your employees for their efforts? 14% of respondents surveyed by Investors in People said a ‘thank you’ would encourage them to stay in their current position.

One thing I value most about working at JVP Group is that my efforts never go unnoticed. Before I leave the office at the end of the day, I am always thanked for my hard work and contribution to the business. Something that seems so small can often be overlooked, but remember, it’s the smallest of details that really count. If you’re not doing this already, start today – as an employer it doesn’t cost you anything, apart from two very simple words that can make the world of difference.

2. Flexibility

A buzz word at the moment, and it’s no surprise, given that 29% of employees surveyed said that flexibility was important to them, representing a 12% increase from 2018. And by flexibility, it doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to offer your employees the option of working flexible hours.

I know at JVP that if I need to leave the office an hour early, I am free to do so. Equally, if I’m frequenting a networking event and it’s easier for me to work from home around it, I know that’s fine too. As a result, I am more than happy to give back. I want to come into the office early, and I’m not rushing out the door at 5pm. Again, this could seem like a small tweak to make, but it’s simple to do and it can have big consequences.

Your employees are busy people, often with commitments outside of working hours, so acknowledging that and making it possible for them to have a better work-life balance is clearly becoming an invaluable proposition for today’s job seeker.

3. Opportunity and responsibility

Monetary reward isn’t the only way you can show an employee how much they are valued. Providing them with increased responsibility, as well as opportunity and development is incredibly important to retaining your employees and showing that there is potential for a rewarding career.

I joined JVP Group in February 2018 as a Marketing and Communications Administrator. I quickly discovered that I enjoyed speaking with clients and being on the phone, and naturally developed a love for onboarding new clients too. I am now the Client Services Manager due to the fact that I was given the freedom to explore other areas of interest within the business, and the flexibility I was given to explore my passion wouldn’t have necessarily been possible elsewhere.

Allowing your workforce to explore their natural talents and the areas of work in which they express the most interest in cannot be a bad thing – after all, your people are your biggest asset, and it’s all about playing to their strengths.

Show them that there’s opportunity for growth available to them if they desire progression, and this will have a positive impact on their performance as well as your business as a whole.

4. Teamwork

What makes JVP a great place to work is the team of colleagues I have around me. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and when it’s 5pm on a Friday evening and we have job adverts to turn around and publish for clients ahead of the weekend, nobody complains. We thrive on the challenge.

It’s so important to have a friendly working environment. Taking part in the team table football tournament or playing board games on my lunch break with colleagues helps to build relationships and rapport and creating the friendly feel within the office that makes it a nice place to come in to work. You don’t necessarily need to have modern office facilities and the best equipment possible to make this happen – going for a team walk at lunchtime can have the same impact!

How often do you hold social events or gatherings for your employees / colleagues? Our monthly JVP bake off is a big hit in the office here! So it doesn’t have to come at a big financial investment for the company - think of something that will engage the majority of your workforce, something that’s simple to implement and you can start on your path to engaging your employees today.

“People need more out of work than they’re getting,” says CEO of Investors in People Paul Devoy. “They are telling us they’re enjoying the work they do but that they’re still looking for a new job, because something is missing. And 6 years into this research and we’re still hearing that people want to be told ‘thank you.’

“As managers and leaders, we need to consider workloads and listen when we’re told that being valued, flexibility and a good work-life balance are all things that people need from their work.”

To recap, I love working for JVP Group because of the gratitude I am shown everyday by my colleagues; because of the flexibility I am rewarded with in return for my efforts; the teamwork and office environment I am able to enjoy every day and, most importantly, the opportunities I have been given to develop my personal skills and progress through the business.

If you are in a position as an employer to focus on the four different elements outlined above, you will naturally begin to engage your workforce, improve employee retention and engagement, and this in turn will have a big impact on your business as a whole.

Rian Kemp, Client Services Manager at JVP Group

Passionate about employer brands and talent attraction