A staggering 67% of staff are “not engaged” in a report from December 2017 from Jim Harter of Gallup Polls and a further 18% actively disengaged. This is 85% of people not fulfilling their potential for either themselves or your firm.
Here are ten tips to help increase engagement:
- Remember to be courteous and show appreciation in simple ways like saying thank you, old but gold.
- Praise in public when deserved, use constructive and helpful feedback in private if an error has been made.
- Share good news and testimonials with all staff – it confirms they made the right choice to work in your firm.
- Encourage problem solving and actively listen, really listen, to what people are saying
- Install live, well-cared for and well-maintained plants. The placement of one plant per square metre at eye level improves productivity by 20%. A well-planned display increases productivity by up to 38%, creativity by 45% and well-being by a staggering 47%.**
- Ask managers to have personal quick catch up with each member of staff on a personal and one to one level . Ask for informal feedback on their views of how the business is being run. Action if and when possible and appropriate. This is engages with individuals at their level and shows that you recognise their value.
- Encourage staff to go for a 20 minute walk at lunchtime – this will help them at the personal health level with the bonus for you that it actually improves performance. Possibly reward them with the opportunity of leaving the office 20 minutes earlier? The Ipswich Building Society runs this programme with great effect and benefits to both branches and staff.
- Organise some sort of social event, or ask the most popular and natural leaders to organise something.
- Have fresh organic fruit delivered – depending on budget – but could be simple like on the last working Friday of the month.
- If you don’t already have an employee benefits programme, hook up with local gym/spa to offer specials. Many famous brand names will offer corporate discounts of up to 20% to businesses – win win all round.
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**If you have the budget to put in plants and have them maintained you will find the results lasting and profound. They lift people’s spirits and moods, improve air quality and boost performance and engagement. It shows that you are thinking about them and there is nothing more engaging than that.
Ruane Bioenergetics was pioneered by Paula Ruane, a trained specialist, who works with ground-breaking technology to accurately relieve stress levels.
As one of a select group of accredited HeartMath practitioners, Paula customises this world renowned technology to suit each of her clients. By producing quantifiable feedback she is able to monitor progress and set achievable targets that help alleviate stress and increase resilience.
During a long and successful career Paula ran her own interior design consultancy and showroom in Chelsea for 10 years. She also achieved significant success the financial services sector having become the highest ever female fee earner at Chase de Vere MM.
During her rich and varied career she has seen first-hand the damaging effects of stress on clients and their lives. Her interest, research and study began 25 years ago culminating in the launch of the Ruane BioEnergetics programme in 2009 which has helped many hundreds of individuals and their companies.
Using HeartMath’s trademark business training, combined with her own personal style, Paula offers a unique approach to stress management. HeartMath’s programme has been used globally across every professional sector and has helped teams at NASA, St. Barts Hospital, Ford and IBM among others. HeartMath helps empower people with the right tools to help lower stress levels.
Most recently HeartMath was used in a training programme with police forces in the Netherlands. To date, HeartMath professionals have worked with over 36,000 police officers to improve their resilience and focus their minds to remain calm yet alert whilst under extreme pressure.
The programme has had particular success with sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress disorder. For some more information please take a look at the video.
