5 Communication Tips That Will Help you Engage Your Employees

Every time you communicate with an employee, you get a chance at fostering engagement and a sense of belonging to your company. Here are 5 tips to help you build up engagement:

1. Use stories

Stories stick around in the minds of people, but facts can be easily forgotten. If you want people to remember key learning points, incorporate that into a story. Use the power of storytelling to describe the history of your company, share examples of employees going the extra mile and interact with your staff. Powerful stories can create employee engagement. 

2. Be an active listener

Talking a lot does not make you a good listener. Active listening involves listening more and talking less. Nod, ask follow-up questions and offer agreement when necessary. Demonstrate interest in what is being said at the moment rather than think about what you are going to say next. Active listening increases your ability to connect with others and engage them effectively.

3. Communicate 2-way

Do you feel that you are the only one talking during team meetings? Perhaps your employees are used to being talked to rather than talked with. Managers could try assigning roles such as getting employees to set agenda, time-keepers or minutes takers. Even though it may be something minor, it engages your employees because the meeting is not just about you, it becomes their meeting.

4. Ask for feedback

Whether it is information on your industry, insights into the direction your department is heading or suggestions on how to improve certain processes, you are asking for feedback from your employees. This shows that you value their opinions and need them to help you improve. Asking for help from your employees is a way to increase their engagement.

5. Be transparent

Your job as a manager is not to protect your employees from the truth, but to demonstrate respect for them by treating them as mature and responsible adults. Communicate with them clearly on the goals and objectives to be achieved at the start of each year. When employees understand what their roles are, they will be in a better position to support one another.