The latest State of the Global Workplace report highlights a glaring issue among today’s employers, large and small. Only a small percentage of employees are actively engaged on the job each day, with nearly 85% reportingOpens a new window they are either not engaged at all, or they are actively disengaged at work. The consequences of a disengaged workforce are far-reaching for companies, including lower productivity, lacking morale, and high turnover rates. Each of these factors influences an employer’s bottom line significantly. It is no surprise, then, that companies around the world are working diligently to improve employee engagementOpens a new window across the board. However, the strategies used to do that are as varied as the causes behind lacking engagement.
Some creative employers are turning to digital tools to help with the engagement of the workforce, including social media strategies.Opens a new window
The use of social media to boost employee engagement makes sense, given the prevalence of sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even LinkedIn and the millions of users who log-in each day. While not all employers are sold on the idea of leaning on social media for engagement objectives, taking certain steps to include these digital platforms in engagement strategies has proven beneficial for some organizations. Here are the ways social media improves employee engagement for the companies willing to take the creative leap.
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Using the Right Platform
Before starting down a path of using social media to boost employee engagement, it is essential to know what platforms employees use on a regular basis. A younger workforce may be inclined to use a different social media platform than an older employee group. Wherever your employees connect, that should be the focus of a social media engagement strategy.
There are different benefits to using each social media tool for improving engagement. For instance, Facebook makes it easier to share longer articles or updates, while Twitter may be more beneficial in providing up-to-date news or trends in the company. Giving employees multiple channels to engage with the organization helps them feel more connected, continuously. This improves engagement over time.
Making Connections
Once a decision on which platform or tools are best aligned to engage employees, companies must determine how they will connect with their workforce. This may include establishing an employee-dedicated private group or thread, and then inviting employees to like or follow once it goes live. Creating a safe place for employees to get the updates and information they need to be successful in an organization is one way to achieve higher engagement. Organizations may also encourage employees to share their thoughts, concerns, or questions in the group or thread as a faster, more efficient way to get in touch with leaders or departments.
When employees are comfortable using a platform to communicate, and they know what they are saying is heard, they are likely to be more engaged in their work.
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Celebrating Successes
One way to boost employee engagement via social media is through recognition. Many individuals feel disengaged with the company they work for because they do not receive Opens a new window feedback or recognition on a job well done. Social media makes recognition a simple, streamlined, and archivable task for managers and supervisors. It also provides a quick and effective way for employees to see how others in the organization are making a difference. This information can be used for performance appraisals in the future, or simply as a way to make recognition and feedback more effective in the moment.
Incorporating Conventional Strategies
Although social media can be used successfully to improve employee engagement, companies also need to focus on conventional strategies. Utilizing performance management software to create continuous, relevant, and empowering appraisal processes helps boost employee engagement on a grand scale. Similarly, career pathing software, which gives individuals an opportunity to map out career path scenarios based on skills and competencies, is a smart way for companies to increase engagement on the job.Â
The combination of these methods, aligned with a social media strategy, can make a significant, positive impact in the level of engagement employees have at work.
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