How to Revive Employee Engagement this Spring

The holiday season is long past and the excitement of the new year has settled, now, it seems all that is left are the cold winter blues. Employee engagement seems to lull this time of year. The workplace is quiet, nothing exciting has happened since the holidays, and that was weeks ago. Spring is almost here, and it’s time to start bringing life back into the workplace. Here are a few ways to give the workplace a case of Spring Fever and revive employee engagement.

Do Some Spring Cleaning

The winter season can leave people feeling a little down it the dumps. Productivity slows. Even tasks like recycling, or straightening desks, and tidying up work spaces can become daunting. Through the long winter months, employees may have become like pack rats, leaving piles of unneeded papers around their office, or slacking on wiping the dust off tables and desks.

According to the National Association of Organizers, a messy workplace can slow production. Spring cleaning can refuel and re-energize workers, helping them to prepare for more productive months ahead. A little spring cleaning can improve employee moods and refresh the workplace.

1. Set a date and commit to cleaning. Find time on the calendar where there are no meetings or pressing deadlines and encourage employees to step away from their work to participate in a company cleaning day.
2. Provide trash bags and recycling bins. Set up trashcans and recycling bins in easily accessed locations of the workplace. Have extra can liners on hand and ask an employee to volunteer to help bag trash and remove it as trashcans get filled throughout the day.
3. Arrange for trash removal. Cleaning may produce more garbage than usual. If the workplace does not already have access to a dumpster or trash removal service, make arrangements to have the extra trash bags removed.
4. Make it fun. No one likes to clean. Make it fun by encouraging employees to play workplace friendly music and or make up creative games. There might even be a way to squeeze in a workout routine while cleaning. Labor-intensive chores like moving office furniture or cleaning storage closets can require lifting, stretching, and bending. Make sure employees participating in these cleaning tasks are doing so in a safe manner.
5. Don’t forget technology. Cleaning up computers, electronic filing, and email inboxes are just as important when it comes to workplace productivity. Spend time reorganizing these things and giving employees time to clean up their own devices.

Create Learning Experiences

One of the most significant contributors to disengaged employees is the feeling of being stuck. Employees who feel uninspired or dissatisfied in their roles lose interest in their work and eventually begin to slack. It’s not that they are bad employees or that they don’t care about their job. If employees are falling into this rut, it’s a sign that they need opportunities to learn and grow.

Investing in employee development and providing them with learning opportunities improves company involvement. For employees to feel successful and valued they need growth. The machine is only as good as its parts. Businesses need well-rounded and well-trained employees to prosper.

Find learning experiences that employees can participate in either to learn new job skills or even to develop personal growth. Several companies have adopted education programs where they take up a percentage of the cost for employees to attend night classes or college courses. Many companies have started sponsoring gym memberships, yoga instructions, and various personal interest workshops to help employees develop personal growth.

In the spring season, colleges and other educational institutions offer new learning opportunities. Employees should be encouraged to look into the things that interest them or what things they could learn to contribute further in the workplace. Employees will feel more inspired and have more to offer when it comes to creating success within the company and for themselves.

Revive Your Rewards Program

Spring cleaning is about more than just straightening the workplace and reorganizing company files. It’s also an opportunity to revive programs designed to keep employees engaged. Maintaining momentum for an employee recognition program is a challenge for many companies. Programs start strong, but slowly fade away and lose all participation.

Take a look at existing programs within the company. Why did employees lose interest? What can be done to revive their participation? If a recognition program is underutilized, take time to set new goals for the program. If employees need a boost of energy before the spring and summer months, why not implement a rewards program that will excite them and boost job satisfaction?

If a recognition program has been used in the past, but needs to reengaged employees, here are a few tips to revitalize the program and bring it back to health this spring.

1. Communicate about the program. Share program goals and intentions with employees. Help them to see how they can benefit from participation. Listen to their feedback and adjust the program according to their wants and needs. Rally employees with an official relaunch of the program and keep them updated about progress.
2. Remind supervisors and managers to use the program. Employee buy-in for recognition programs is drastically affected by whether or not their direct supervisors are utilizing it as an engagement tool. Employees are far more active in participation if they see upper management use the program.
3. Be consistent and reward often. Part of the reason many recognition programs get set to the back burner is that they are under-utilized. Be sure to recognize participants who are remaining active in the program. Recognizing employees often sends a message to the rest of the team that the program is important to the organization and in turn, should be important to them. Plus, it’s a great way to re-energize employees and boost their spirits after the long winter lull.
4. Add new rewards. Adding new gifts to the recognition program is a great way to revive the program for spring. Unique and popular gifts encourage employee involvement and give them new inspiration. Whether employees receive recognition gifts as on-the-spot rewards, or they choose their own through a points-based system, having popular gift items available will help maintain excitement and drive throughout the company.