5 Meaningful Ways to Connect with Your Employees

Employee engagement does not solve all problems, but it may determine the success of your business. According to Gallup, a company with 10,000 employees with an average salary of $50,000 per person loses $60.3 million yearly because of disengaged employees.

On the other hand, businesses that have higher employee engagement experience a higher ROI including double the productivity and significantly lower turnover. 

If you want your employees to care about your company, they should also feel that you care about them. And to do that, you should genuinely connect with them. Connected employees are engaged employees, and that means a lot to your business in the long run.

Here are 5 meaningful ways to connect with your employees:

  1. Listen to your people.

Make sure they feel that you value what your employees have to say and how they feel. Creating a working environment that is conducive for employees to ask questions and share ideas will show your people that you’re there to support them. Other than performance reviews, find time regularly where they can talk to you one-on-one. This could look like a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly touch base meeting.

When your employees feel that their opinions matter, they are more likely to be involved and enthusiastic about their job. Moreover, ideas from your employees can be highly valuable because sometimes the best knowledge comes from frontliners.  

  1. Treat your employees with kindness.

It doesn’t hurt to show kindness and compassion in business. A 2018 study from Science Daily suggests that providing feedback and constructive criticism with kindness and compassion results in better job performance. Empathy in the workplace creates honest, transparent and human employees who are more productive. 

Empathy allows leaders to connect, be compassionate and understand their people. If you have empathy, you can work with people regardless of their background, and leaders who are kind are the glue that sticks people together. 

  1. Recognize your wins, big and small. 

Showing appreciation for good work creates a positive and engaging work environment. Nothing makes employees feel more valued than having their work recognized and knowing that they’re contributing to the success of the company. It can build a stronger sense of loyalty and purpose.

It doesn’t always have to be a grand gesture either. Saying “thank you” or “good job” after someone makes an extra effort to get a task done on time can go a long way.  

  1. Help your people reach their goals.

Create a working environment that encourages growth in each individual, both personally and professionally. You can do this by having team and individual meetings to help employees define their “why,” set goals and check in on the progress they’ve made achieving their goals.

  1. Encourage authenticity.

Your employees are human beings with so many things going on in their lives. When people feel safe and comfortable in expressing themselves and bringing their full selves at work, it’s easier for them (and for you) to make real connections. It’s easier for them to open up if they need help, admit mistakes and share their talents. 

To truly connect with your team, don’t be afraid to make it personal. Establishing a personal connection allows you to get to know each other better and let them know that you care about them as a human, not just as an employee. Small things like celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or a random day here and there just because will make your people feel valued and special.

In love and respect,

Hilary Corna

Hilary Corna

Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, Podcast Host, Founder of the Human Way ™...

Hilary’s favorite title is HUMAN.

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