What Great Managers do to Engage Employees

Employee engagement: everyone talks about it, but what are great managers actually doing to create it?

As a business leader in a growing company, you know that good employees are the backbone of a company. However, excessive overtime, micromanaging, and unmanageable workloads can cause even the best team members to disengage, leaving your business at a standstill. 

Employee management, or “getting your employees to work”, requires a thoughtful approach. Let’s explore four strategies that can help keep your employees engaged and motivated to perform at their best.

Recognize and Address Burnout Early

According to research, 75% of employees have experienced burnout at some point in their careers, making it a significant problem, especially for small businesses. Signs of burnout include emotional exhaustion, cynicism toward work, and a lack of motivation.

What can you do to prevent burnout? You must consider each employee individually to help them be successful in their role. Like a doctor diagnosing a patient, you must consider their personal situation to be able to understand symptoms and deliver effective treatment.

Open communication is critical because an employee who can tell their boss they are feeling burnt out will receive the needed support sooner. 

By showing empathy and offering flexibility, whether remote work or mental health days, you can show your employees you care and can help them before burnout sets in.

Foster Engagement through Purpose and Recognition

Engagement is more than just productivity, it’s about creating a meaningful connection between employees and their work. One of the easiest ways to keep employees engaged is to help them see the big picture of how their work contributes to the goals of the company. 

When an employee feels their work is valued by the company and their peers, they will be more engaged. Recognizing individual and collective accomplishments in meetings will help employees feel connected and successful. 

Some may prefer to receive praise individually instead of publicly, so communicate to learn how each employee wants to be recognized.

Give Employees Autonomy and Ownership

Trust between employees and leaders can drive motivation. Micromanaging can quickly stifle an employee's creativity which leads to a culture of “getting by”. Micromanagement kills creativity; autonomy sparks innovation.

When employees can take an active role in key decisions, they are more likely to hold themselves accountable for the outcome and deliver quality results. 

Autonomy doesn’t mean stepping back entirely, it means providing tools, resources, and necessary guidance to allow every employee to lead and thrive.

Employees who feel responsible work harder and will become the leaders in your organization. As a small business leader, you want as many leaders around you to create a culture of success together.

Encourage Professional Development and Growth

Everyone wants to feel like they are growing in their role and advancing their career. Create a growth-focused culture by focusing on learning and development. This not only helps your employees build new skills but also attracts top talent to your organization.

A growth-focused culture shows that you value your employees’ success, making them more likely to stay committed to their work.

Consider discussing personal development with your employees. Allow them to outline their career goals, and offer guidance on how they can achieve them within the company.

A job where an employee can grow and succeed is a job an employee will want to work hard at.

Support People, don’t Manage Employees

To get the best from your team, shift your focus from managing tasks to helping people thrive, feel valued, and perform their best. By addressing burnout, fostering engagement, offering autonomy, and encouraging growth, you can build a dedicated team.

Consistent communication, through formal meetings and casual check-ins, is key to keeping your employees engaged and aligned with the company’s goals. Implement tools like engagement surveys and regular check-ins to gather honest feedback. 

Empowering your people is an investment that pays in loyalty and performance. 

If you're ready to build a strong, engaged team but need help navigating the complexities, consider outsourced support. Choose a Human Resource expert who can help you grow your business sustainably.