Employee engagement has become an essential tool for organizations striving to increase productivity, execute business strategies, and improve performance. For a company, it is no longer just about big goals and elusive plans but how effectively your team is tackling every obstacle. It is about how involved your employees are towards achieving the targets of the organization.

The complex work environment of the digital age coupled with low engagement levels, is bound to create several challenges for companies in the face of huge competition. On the other hand, a research by Towers Perrin says that  companies with engaged workers have 6% higher net profit margins. Given this statistic, it is no longer a matter of choice for organization. Companies that want to grow and survive must pay attention to digital engagement.

How can leaders help

Employees today want a collaborative, flexible, positive, and inclusive workplace. The rising voluntary attrition rates and complexity of the digital age makes it is essential to get the right leadership for employees.

Before implementing digital engagement through leadership, the companies should however ensure that the people in leadership roles are well acquainted with the goals of the organization. They must be profound role models who can adequately show the way, and can be a companion and a watchdog, simultaneously.

Seven ways in which leaders can help create engagement among employees are:

1. Build trust- Leaders should develop high trust levels in order to establish a strong, functional relationship with team members. Where there is trust, there is good performance. According to a research by Towers Watson, eight out of 10 highly engaged employees have trust and confidence in their leaders.
2. Provide mentoring and coaching- Long term support, guidance and feedback to the employees can boost employee engagement. According to the latest Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Report from SHRM, 55% of employees feel that ownership of their work is an important factor contributing to how engaged they feel at work. 47% also feel that career development and opportunities for training is just as important. Mentoring programs may help employees achieve both of these effectively.
3. Clarify goals- Leaders should be able to make the goals clearer and approachable by assigning and explaining the tasks related to those goals. For instance, if your company is making a digital inclusion, transfer or harmonization, leadership personnel should be able to show not just the goal, but the ‘why’ behind the goal.
4. Active collaboration and communication- Creative and productive means of working and communicating in a team should be used. Every team member should be allowed to give opinions and participate in key roles as this increases engagement. According to a survey carried out by Jane McConnell on 300 managers across 27 countries, people feel more connected and actively engage when their opinions matter.
5. Enable others- Employees should be enabled to perform their best by dedicating time and attention to their development. According to Leaders 2020, 75 percent of digital leaders — executives at organizations deemed digital winners — actively encourage all employees to participate in learning and development programs, as compared to 51 percent of other executives.
6. Foster innovation and agility- Creative and innovative ways to address challenges should always be welcome. Employees should be given chances despite their hierarchy level, because great ideas can come from anywhere. Leaders must collaborate with their teams for a shared vision and ensure engagement by encouraging and motivating their employees on the job.
7. Use of digital tools- A digital leader can make use of numerous tools and options like virtual instruction, gamification, social media, and others to support their team. Employees today have higher expectations in terms of a technology inspired workplace and use of digital tools would make their work easier and interesting and keep them more engaged.

Leaders should effectively engage themselves in helping the employees succeed and ensure that they are able to perform their roles and responsibilities in alignment with that of the organization. An engaged leader will pave the way for engaged employees. Companies, hence, should ensure that leadership roles are helping them create digital employee engagement successfully.

The Journyz platform allows leaders to engage with employees in diverse ways. It helps employees find their voice and helps leaders create more opportunities for their employees to contribute and get involved in. Check out the Journyz platform and explore the possibilities.