Top 100 Employee Engagement Activities [Guide]

There is never enough that can be done to engage employees. That’s where this guide comes in – we all need help finding the employee engagement activities that best fit the needs of our people!

Engaged employees work harder, stay with the company longer and are a great source of motivation for other colleagues to follow their example. Don’t miss the opportunity to boost it!

Top 100 Employee Engagement ideas & tips cover An HR guide to implementing employee engagement strategies in the workplace

10 Employee Engagement Examples [Taken from the guide]

In this guide you’ll find top 100 employee engagement activities, ideas & tips for:

  • Using an employee engagement survey.
  • Once employees have completed surveys.
  • Defining your employee engagement strategy.
  • Fostering employee development.
  • Encouraging employee engagement in new employees.
  • Keeping engagement when managing exiting employees.
  • Working on employee feedback.
  • Investing in employee benefits for engagement.
  • Making the team feel aligned and involved.
  • Fostering engagement on a daily basis.

Take a look at these 10 very summarized employee engagement activities extracted from the guide:

  1. Prepare your employee engagement strategy.
  2. Build a long-term employee engagement plan.
  3. Build channels for communication and feedback.
  4. Find employee engagement ambassadors.
  5. Offer and engaging onboarding experience.
  6. Ensure work-life balance.
  7. Provide flexible and remote work.
  8. Create a good remote work culture.
  9. Make sure people are taking breaks.
  10. Offer lunch and learn workshops.

1. Prepare your employee engagement strategy

To collect suggestions for increasing employee engagement, it is necessary to engage in preliminary planning and preparation. Take the time to understand your organization, its policies, and the specific requirements of your employees. This will enable you to develop a well-designed strategy and implement effective initiatives that will foster a sense of satisfaction and enthusiasm among your workforce.

2. Build a long-term employee engagement plan

Prior to initiating the process of gathering employee engagement ideas, it is crucial to establish well-defined strategies that will sustain employee engagement over the long term. While certain initiatives may yield immediate results, maintaining engagement over an extended period can be challenging.

It is advisable to formulate a comprehensive plan that identifies areas of low engagement and outlines the necessary measures to improve performance. We suggest implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) and a People analytics system to monitor progress and advancements effectively.

3. Build channels for communication and feedback

Effective teamwork relies on the ability to maintain open communication and facilitate the exchange of feedback. Utilize communication platforms like a company chat or newsboard to ensure everyone stays informed.

Establish team meetings and one-on-one discussions to encourage communication, provide individuals with a platform to express their opinions, and create a culture of feedback. Additionally, consider implementing channels such as employee engagement surveys and performance reviews to further reinforce a feedback-oriented environment.

4. Find employee engagement ambassadors

In larger organizations, it is common for employees to display reluctance when it comes to participating in employee engagement initiatives or staying informed through HR newsboards.

Identify individuals within your organization who are enthusiastic about employee engagement and skilled at fostering connections among colleagues. By encouraging these passionate employees to share messages from the People team with their peers, you increase the chances of capturing the attention of reluctant individuals.

5. Offer an engaging onboarding experience

Initiate the promotion of employee engagement right from the start! Provide new employees with a tour of the office to help them become acquainted with their colleagues. If your team is remote, arrange a video chat to introduce them to their coworkers.

During the initial days, focus on training them on company software and ensuring they have the necessary resources to begin their journey smoothly. Sustain effective communication with new hires by periodically checking in on their progress and ensuring their successful adaptation. 

Additionally, actively seek their feedback to identify areas for improvement that can be beneficial for future reference.

6. Ensure work-life balance

While brainstorming ideas to enhance employee engagement, it is important not to overlook the significance of work-life balance. Although this aspect does not directly pertain to work-related activities, prioritizing work-life balance contributes to increased employee satisfaction, which in turn fosters higher levels of engagement.

An employee with her child enjoying the work-life balance working from home

7. Provide flexible and remote work

When employees have the freedom to choose between working from the office or from home, as well as the flexibility to set their own work hours, they can achieve improved work-life balance. 

The conventional approach often involves organizing life around work, but it can be beneficial to consider the alternative of organizing work around life. By permitting employees to commence and conclude their workday at times that suit them best, as long as they meet their targets and maintain a consistent work performance, there is no need to be concerned about specific start or end times.

8. Create a good remote work culture

Regardless of whether your employees work remotely full-time or follow a hybrid-remote model, it is crucial to maintain a strong remote work culture. Ensuring that employees working from home remain well-connected and have the necessary resources is essential.

Various platforms are available to recreate a virtual office environment, providing access to video conferencing and quick communication channels. If you require assistance in this regard, we already offer a comprehensive guide on fostering a hybrid-remote work culture. It will assist you in enhancing employee engagement even when working at a distance.

9. Make sure people are taking breaks

Certain employees may have a tendency to work for extended periods without taking breaks or, in some cases, may even forget to take breaks altogether. While this might not pose an immediate concern if it occurs infrequently, it can lead to burnout over time.

It is important to regularly check in with your employees and inquire whether they are setting aside time in their day for coffee breaks, snacks, or simply relaxing on the couch for a brief period. To encourage this behavior, you can implement incentives such as team-building breaks or coffee dates where work-related discussions are off-limits.

10. Offer lunch and learn workshops

Have you ever wondered what other departments in your organization do? Your employees sure do! Celebrate Lunch & Learn workshops where people of different teams talk about the basics in their department, initiatives, achievements, anecdotes, etc. These workshops can broaden knowledge for your other departments, as well as create curiosity for lateral career development!

The employee engagement activities your company needs

Employee engagement is a crucial aspect of building a positive and productive work environment. When employees feel valued, motivated, and connected to their work and colleagues, it leads to increased productivity, higher job satisfaction, and improved retention rates. To foster a culture of engagement within your organization, it is essential to implement effective employee engagement activities. All this without forgetting to include activities for remote workers.

To help you on this journey, don’t forget to take this guide with you. With 100 employee engagement activities, ideas and tips on employee engagement, this comprehensive guide offers a wealth of innovative and practical suggestions for improving employee engagement