Employee motivation is a powerful force. It’s the spark that ignites productivity, innovation, and a drive for excellence. But motivation can diminish. To keep that fire burning brightly, companies need to cultivate a more profound state: employee engagement.
In today’s fast-paced world, where business fosters in a matter of seconds, modern organisational success depends on employees. They are the seed in the forest because their commitment, passion, and dedication of employees is what contributes to a company’s success.
Keeping them motivated is the top priority, but just motivation does not meet the requirement. For sustained success, one needs to keep the employees engaged. Employee engagement is not just a buzzword; let’s dive deeper into what it is and how it influences a company’s success.
About Employee Engagement
Employee engagement encapsulates the level of enthusiasm and dedication employees feel towards their work and the organisation. It’s about how emotionally invested they are in their role and the company’s goals.
It’s about creating an environment where they feel valued, motivated, and empowered to do their best work. It is about building the emotional connection an employee feels towards their work, team, and organisation. It’s the “how”—how invested and committed they are to their role and the company’s success.
How employee engagement affects motivation at work?
Engaged employees feel a sense of belonging and purpose in their work. They care about the company’s success and see their contributions as valuable. They are quite aware of the fact that their contributions mean something to the growth as a team.
They will go beyond and above whenever needed, not just to get the job done but to help with the upward journey.
Engagement also means they will be involved in finding solutions and innovation pathways that, in a way, help overcome challenges faced.
Creativity reflects in the work they do. The distraction is reduced, and they are dedicated to providing high-quality work.
Benefits of Employee Engagement
Highly engaged employees are a win-win for both the company and themselves. They experience:
- Their enthusiasm translates to a more positive customer experience.
- Contribute fresh ideas and solutions.
- feel invested in the company’s future and are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.
How to motivate employees in remote and hybrid environment?
Motivating a remote or hybrid workforce requires a shift in mindset from traditional office management. Motivation for remote or hybrid employees requires a different approach because the same strategies that work for traditional offices may not prove to be fruitful.
Also, work from home is growing as technology advances, so incorporating this is very important. Most of the work that gets done from home also includes highly valuable deals and large-scale communication.
- Clear tasks and goals: Since remote work can blur the lines between work and personal life, it is important that the employees are aware of their roles, timings of availability, deadlines, and the direction the company expects from them.
- Connect Purpose to Work: People are more motivated when they see the bigger picture. Help employees understand how their contributions impact the company’s mission and goals.
- Foster Open Communication: Schedule regular meetings and check in to discuss progress and address concerns. It is also of utmost importance to maintain connection on time. Use the virtual tools available to maintain communication and keep the engagement upright.
- Recognize and Reward Achievements: Don’t let distance diminish praise and Publicly praise and acknowledge their contribution and success to the team as well, during meetings and on company platforms. Offer rewards and incentives, just as in the offline offices, for their performances.
- Promote Collaboration and Community: Get all the employees in contact to increase the connections and network. It can be done in several ways, like by conducting activities, team-building sessions, social events, or through online channels. This prevents them from feeling alone and isolated and increases collaborative effort.
- Invest: Invest in tools and resources that prove beneficial for the employee’s work and ensure that the work runs effectively.
- Support: Ensure your availability whenever required, support their work, and build together. Employees who know that they are supported by others are more likely to be open to communication, balance work and personal life, and deliver efficient results. Schedule regular check-ins (one-on-ones and team meetings) to discuss progress, address concerns, and maintain a sense of connection. Utilise video conferencing to enhance communication.
Difference between Employee motivation and employee engagement
Conclusion
In conclusion, employee motivation and engagement are like two sides of the same coin. Understanding the difference between the spark and the fuel allows you to create a work environment that ignites initial drive and fosters long-term commitment. Addressing this very crucial aspect and understanding the thin line difference between employee motivation and employee engagement , brings a huge impact on growing the business and the work force. It is very important to understand that a motivated employee might bring you high sales and be a high performer, but the one who is engaged will bring long-term success and investment.
