Every team, at some point,  will have two distinctive types of employees. Those who remain energetic and optimistic on most days and those who don’t.

The first group of employees show a high level of engagement at work. This means that the have a positive mindset towards the company, feel passionately about their jobs and are happily willing to go the extra mile.

On the other hand, the second group shows disinterest towards their job, find it hard to align with the business’ direction and do not feel identified nor attached to the company.

So, how is it possible to have such distinctive employee groups in the same team?

There are several reasons, some of which might be outside of the company’s control (I.e personal matters). However, a big driving factor could  be the lack of resources available to employees.

And we are not taking about tangible resources such as money, but about the intangible factors that make an employee feel cared for.

Here are 5 ways to build employee engagement:

1. Organisational support:

Show, publicly, that you trust and care for the employee. This means: empower them to take new and more responsibilities, reward them or acknowledge their good work in front of peers, and show genuine interest for their wellbeing.

2. Constructive feedback:

Provide concrete comments on the employee’s improvement, to bring their job to the next level. Communicate these points as ‘guidance and advice’ rather than judgement. This will reduce the stress or pressure employees experience from having their weaknesses pointed out.

3. Fairness:

Reward employees’ good work both in the material and the emotional realm.  Show them that there is a correlation between the effort put into work and the ways it is acknowledged (IF it is acknowledged).

4. Job characteristics:

Communicate to employees what you exactly expect from them. Having a clear roadmap of their role’s requirements will give them the autonomy to optimise their job.

5. Training and Development:

Show that you care about promoting professional growth. This will not only enhance employees’ performance but will also boost their confidence.

Employee engagement can directly influence your team’s job performance. But more importantly, fostering a supportive corporate culture will be beneficial for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Source: World Economic Forum.