How to Improve Employee Engagement for better morale and productivity

So lately I have been observing this interesting phenomenon in the workplace about employee engagement. I started to notice how different types of employees can impact the growth of the company and themselves. Different types of people have different attitudes towards their work. Some people are very engaged with their work and workplace while others seem to be indifferent. Employees who show higher engagement with the company often have positive morale while the others who are not that engaged with the company, have poor morale towards their work and workplace. These two types of employees while having the same designation in the company, produce different types of outcomes and contribute differently to the company and themselves.  

In this blog post, I will try to shed light on this topic and discuss in detail how we can improve employee engagement and morale.  

What is employee engagement? 

So, let’s first understand what employee engagement is. Employee engagement is the overall attitude of a person towards their work. It involves his/her motivation towards the work, how connected they feel with the organization and their sense of responsibility with their work. 

It is a very important factor that determines the overall growth and productivity of the company. The more engaged employees are at the workplace the better will be the productivity and growth of the company. 

What is morale in the context of the workplace? 

Morale is the overall state of feelings and emotions, satisfaction, and happiness, an employee has at the moment. It is a variable state which can change from time to time as per the situation and the environment.  

Employees with low morale feel not so good about their work and the workplace. They become disengaged with the work and show poor performances. But the employee who has a positive morale show better engagement at the workplace and contributes towards the growth of the company. 

How to Improve Employee Engagement? 

As we now know employee engagement is a very important part of the smooth functioning of an organization, we should understand this also that employee engagement can be improved, and it depends not only on the employee but the employer as well. 

In a blog post by BDC, they suggest Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a great concept that can help you understand how employee engagement works in a much more intuitive way. I found that correlation a fascinating way to learn about employee behavior as well. That is why I would like to expand on it more. So, let’s start by understanding what this theory is.  

For those who may not be aware, Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who proposed this theory in psychology called Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This theory suggests that there are five stages of needs that every human being needs to fulfil in order to feel completely happy and satisfied in life.  

A brief Summary of Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs: 

The first two levels of needs are that of physiological and safety needs. It includes need of a person to feel secured in his/her existence i.e. having enough food, water, shelter, job security and insurances etc.  

When these needs get fulfilled, the next levels are the needs of love and belonging, and self-esteem needs. These are the needs of love, belonging, appreciation, purpose, and fulfillment. These are not the things that someone desires but the things that are needed to feel happy and satisfied in life.  

And the final stage is the stage of self-actualization. After fulfilling the previous four stages the final need is to achieve your full potential. Working on one’s talents and hobbies and being aware of yourself. 

How Employers Can Use This Theory to Boost Employee’s Morale and Increase Engagement: 

1. Physiological Needs: 

You should provide your employees with the satisfactory amount of salary so that he/she can easily meet their basic survival needs. This way the employees can meet their first basic need, and this will boost their morale. 

2. Safety Needs: 

To meet the safety needs of the employees, you can provide them with job security. Let them know that they are safe to express their opinions and ideas. And they are safe in the workplace and both from physical and mental (as in toxic relationships) dangers. This makes the employees feel safe and that in turn helps in improving their morale at work. 

3. Love and Belonging: 

Creating a workplace where colleagues can bond and have meaningful conversations with each other and a work environment where everyone is appreciated can help the employees meet their need for love and belonging.  

4. Self Esteem: 

After the first three needs have been fulfilled the next need that becomes the motivating factor for the employees is the need to have good self-esteem. You can fulfill this need of your employees by recognizing their hard work and giving them their due awards and certificates to appreciate their achievements. You can always say a little thank you to them to show gratitude towards them and let them realize that they are valuable and talented.  

5. Self-Actualization: 

The final need that can help boost employee’s morale and productivity is the need to become aware of himself/herself and achieve their full potential. Employees should feel connected with the purpose and cause of the organization in order to feel engaged in their work and organization. 

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