Employee Engagement Activities In Companies – 10 Activities To Try

There are many kinds of Employee Engagement activities you can try in order to get the most out of your employees. These activities can bring increased productivity and boost morale within a company. Here are 10 activities that you could get up and running relatively quickly:

1. Ask Employees for Ideas

Asking for ideas from employees is the simplest and possibly most obvious solution, but there are many companies that do not look for employee input. However, engaging employees has to go beyond fixing a suggestion box to a wall. Apart from helping surface ideas that could help your business, asking for ideas also shows staff that you are actually listening and that their ideas are valued. This activity can also be incorporated into regular company meetings or even a lunch in which employees can be encouraged to speak up with their ideas.

2. Hold a Competitive Fundraiser

Many companies get behind social causes, which is not only good for the company's image but may also be great for engaging employees. Not only can you ask what type of fundraiser they believe would be most effective, but you can also encourage friendly competition among groups in order to raise money a good cause. This will engage employees as well as help them focus on working together as a team in order to achieve a goal. The residual effects of this can be increased productivity since employees work together more effectively.

3. Schedule a Pot Luck Lunch

Having a monthly/regular pot luck lunches not only helps employees feel more comfortable around each other, but it also allows them to get to know each other a little more on a personal basis. Everyone can bring their favorite dishes and let go of a little formality with a good lunch. Having these pot lucks on a regular basis may be a great treat as well.

4. Get Employees Involved with the Community

Another way to engage employees is to have them participate in community activities in relation to the company. Volunteer programs and even recycling programs are easy but effective activities that show employees their organization has some stake in what goes on outside the company. This shows them that you are creating a company that cares about the community and that the company can have a positive effect.

5. Have Hack Weeks/Hackathons

Hacking does not have to be about computers, software or electronics at all. In fact, the benefit of using hacking activities is that they encourage critical thinking and creativity among employees, so having a hacking event can be both fun and productive. This activity can be as simple as addressing a real world problem in efficient and creative ways and seeing who comes up with the best ideas. Motivating employees in puzzle solving in this way can be as fun as they are useful. Many household names have Hack Weeks: Twitter Dropbox, even Walmart.

6. Create a Sharing Space in the Office

When everyone is hard at work on individual projects, they tend to feel isolated. One of the best ways that you can encourage interaction with different members of your staff is to use employee engagement activities. Try creating a sharing space at work with the sole purpose of helping your employees to collaborate. While this room can be available for any time that there is a need, you also need to build time into the schedule where staff members will meet to bring their ideas together. Try running sessions once or twice a month, building on the concept that two heads are better than one. You can even spice things up, asking employees to pull in a theme or role play as they present their ideas.

7. Encourage Staff Development

Build staff development into your company's concept. You want your employees to learn and grow. Provide them with opportunities at work, including guest speakers and classes. Make sure your staff is informed about important conferences in the area and include budgeting that will allow them to attend. Offer incentives that will encourage your staff members to take advantage of available opportunities. Provide them online professional trainings, give them a subscription of online podcasts and pay for the tools they would need while working.

8. Bring the Spa to the Office

Many companies are setting up massage therapists on the premises on a monthly basis. When you give your employees the opportunity to be pampered and unwind, you'll find that you have a much happier atmosphere. Make your staff feel important and they will give more in return. Employee engagement activities that center around well-being are always a hit.

9. Do a Scavenger Hunt

As you prepare for your next major project, kick it off with a scavenger hunt. Inform your staff that you have placed key information in strategic spots throughout the office. Offer prizes for those who find the most and compare notes at the end. Finish off the event with a catered brunch or lunch. Your staff will thank you for a break from the daily grind.

10. Have a Work Night Party

You won't generally find excitement about coming into work at night unless you create the right kind of atmosphere. Bring in the music, food, and build in breaks to make the time go more quickly. It's the perfect way to wrap things up when you're feeling the crunch.

Let us know how you get on!

What worked well for you? We'd love to hear from you about what works best. Oh and one more think, if you'd like to get some exclusive employee engagement game ideas, perhaps to compliment your activities, Click here.

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