Work and organizational dynamics went through a complete overhaul in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most organizations shifted to a remote setup almost overnight.
Apart from the logistical issues, organizational misfunction due to lack of communication became common occurrences. All these factors affected the overall work culture, and, in many organizations, a sense of disenfranchisement was felt among many employees.
With time, most enterprises have adopted newer technologies, and hybrid or remote setups are now a norm in the post-pandemic stage. The shift has also forced decision-makers and recruiters to rethink their talent acquisition strategies and management models in order to ensure a more productive, engaged, and committed workforce.
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Recognizing the Need for Team Connection and Engagement
More often than not, employee engagement is seen as synonymous with job satisfaction. While the premise may be the same, there are some stark differences between the two terms. Research has shown that there is some overlap between them but these components are characteristically different.
Recruiters need to recognize employee engagement and job satisfaction both individually and holistically in order to establish an effective organizational culture.
Employee engagement can foster emotional responses, behaviour, and feelings of resources. Even during a stressful situation like a workplace investigation, an engaged employee is likely to report feeling determined and passionately involved in his or her workplace role.
Engaged employee behaviour induces a sense of urgency and develops enthusiasm and proactiveness across the board. It can also encourage employees to go above and beyond in terms of service, delivery, and performance markers.
How Do Staff Meetings Help with Employee Engagement?
Vyond recently conducted a survey to gauge how employee connections were affected during the pandemic and studied the changes in workplace dynamics. One of the most significant findings is that team-building activities like game nights, joint exercises, and town halls didn’t have the same effect as expected.
In fact, most employees prefer regular staff meetings, proper communication channels, constructive criticism, and effective feedback from managers. Moreover, employees want to connect with their co-workers on a personal level to strengthen ties and feel more connected. Virtual meetings, training with no real mettle, town halls, and mentorship programs might be seen as lesser value efforts from recruiters and the management.
Ways to Improve Levels of Employee Connection with Collaborative Meetings
According to the survey, staff meetings and other collaborative efforts can help employees feel more engaged and encourage developing personal affiliations with their employer. Not all meetings will generate the same results, however. Effective leaders can tell when their employees aren’t “there”. Non-verbal communication and other cues can help managers identify when they need to make meetings more engaging for all attendees. Here are some ways to do it:
Start with an Ice Breaker
There is no better ice breaker for workplace meetings than some good news. It could be as small as announcing the arrival of a new coffee machine to a bigger announcement, like advanced efforts for ensuring workplace safety. Starting a meeting in this manner immediately sets a positive tone and promotes discussion and engagement.
Re-Engage with a Fresh Agenda
Too often, most weekly employee meetings have the same agenda, which can become monotonous and stale. Managers and meeting facilitators should avoid the attendees getting into a rut and losing focus. Frequent additions to the regular agenda can freshen the conversation and encourage healthy discussion.
Have Productive Discourse Rather Than Just Work Status Updates
Meeting coordinators and managers should consider making the most of their employees’ time, and focus energies on more productive and engaging discourse. Work status updates can not only be boring but can also waste valuable resource time.
When employees connect through a meeting, it is one of the best opportunities to collaborate, engage and solve problems. Moreover, tying quarterly or monthly planning sessions to daily tasks can result in high employee engagement.
Conclusion
The Vyond survey findings indicate that 67% of employees acknowledge the management’s efforts toward improving employee relations in the workplace through effective communication. No amount of team-building activities can replace the irreparable dynamic that stems from employees not feeling valued, appreciated, and most of all heard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make my employees feel more engaged?
Recruiters can boost employee engagement by devising effective communication strategies that involve resources and leadership alike.
How do you get employees to engage in staff meetings?
Management should encourage collaboration, group activities, feedback opportunities, and recognize employee efforts.
How to make staff meetings more engaging?
Meeting coordinators can use the following tips to make their meetings more engaging:
- Start with good news.
- Add fresh agenda points now and then to regular meetings.
- Re-engage employees by offering a challenge.
- Rotate meeting facilitators to change the tone and conduct.
- Stay focused and value the employee’s time.
- Think of creative ways to make meetings more fun while conforming to the organization’s core values.
How often should you have staff meetings?
Weekly staff meetings can help provide employees with a platform to engage, connect on a personal level, solve problems, and update co-workers about the status of active projects.
How to plan a staff meeting?
Effective staff meetings should be scheduled well in advance, have a clear goal and agenda, solicit feedback from all attendees, and generate meaningful results from the discussion.
