Every organization is undergoing a major transformation phase. The ongoing pandemic and rapid adoption of technology are making the companies move faster than ever before. In order to survive and thrive in the market, companies emphasize improving employee’s productivity and engagement, especially in the remote work environment. 

In the era of social distancing, the remote work model presents an organization with a myriad of challenges. Out of which, the drop in employee engagement is the topmost concern that needs to be managed at the micro-level. Establishing a strong communication link between employees, managers, and leaders is intuitively harder. The talent managers are continuing to empower the talent to be fully – engaged and active in this irregular setup. They are executing strategies that are no longer hindered by physical interactions and can be managed through virtual spaces. 

Understanding the role of leaders in employee engagement

The majority of leaders commonly believe that employees play a significant role in the organization’s growth and sustainability. However, this is only true when they are fully committed and dedicated to performing their tasks. If they are not fully engaged in their role, it means they are working against the organization’s growth. That’s when boosting employee engagement becomes a critical leadership task. 

Leaders and managers are the forerunners in promoting employee interaction and engagement. They are the primary link in defining and communicating the vision and goals of an organization. It is always the managers who work towards acquiring and developing great talent for an organization. They synchronize the organization’s mission statement with the team’s effort to attain positive business outcomes. 

Considering the present market dynamics, the leaders and managers have to amend their strategies. They need to guide the employees to take up different roles and responsibilities in a normal as well as a situation like the present crisis.If they keep making the employees feel valued and challenged at the same time, it becomes easier to improve employee engagement. Furthermore, there are three clear strategies that leaders need to consider to boost employee engagement. If implemented properly, these can effectively engage employees in any market scenario. 

Creating a transparent work culture

The era of social distancing introduced organizations with remote working models. Restrictions in physical interactions come with a need for maintaining strong relationships with employees and creating a transparent work culture. The way employees consume information plays a crucial role in developing the work culture. Learning about business changes or any important information from external sources demoralizes the employees. To boost their morale, leaders must focus on strengthening internal communication channels that keep them on the same page and bring transparency to the workplace. 

Another significant step that leaders can take to keep the employees active is building a peer recognition program.When colleagues publicly appreciate their peers, it results not only in improved engagement but also in productivity and transparency of the work culture. Additionally, peer recognition programs have resulted in contributing to employee’s happiness and it has also become a practice by many organizations for building a healthy work culture.

Assigning the right role

Getting the right people onboard and putting them in the right role has a direct influence on employee’s engagement. The leaders need to take the initiative of identifying the position and filling it with the right candidate. It enables the employees to discover their own potential, meet with new challenges, and come up with a solution that further results in the right evaluation. 

After assigning the role, it is imperative for the leaders to master the art of micromanaging their employees. Micromanaging the team has to be done strategically as doing more than the required disengages employees. Thus, they must strike a perfect balance to see how they are taking the lead. When employees feel independent, they make better decisions and create an impact at work. 

Investing in training and development

Employees stay in the organization when they are given opportunities to grow. It is impossible to expect the employees to perform outstandingly without providing them proper training for their development. It is an investment that every leader must consider important not only for organizational growth but also for an employee’s life-long learning. 

Training addresses the weaknesses of employees and provides scope for improvement as well as development. With consistent training sessions, employees get to expand their knowledge base and become confident in performing their tasks. Steadily, they learn the art of removing obstacles and accomplishing the desired goals. 

Implementing employee engagement strategies is not complex, but need to be clearly stated. Prioritizing the strategies as per the people’s requirements can result in positive business outcomes. An employee has to be fully engaged to drive organizational efficiency and profitability.