When new hires join your company, they’re energetic and ready to put their best foot forward. However, maintaining this enthusiasm can be challenging. After all, each employee has their own day-to-day needs that, if left unfulfilled, can lead to a lack of motivation or commitment to their role.

By understanding why your employees may not feel engaged, you can take steps toward improving their experience and retaining their talent long term. In fact, creating a strategic employee engagement plan is key to promoting productivity, inspiring innovation, and producing high-quality results at your company.

Let’s explore four common reasons why employees become unengaged or disengaged, along with actionable tips you can use to address these problems.

1. They lack a sense of purpose or fulfillment in their role.

89% of millennial and 86% of Gen Z employees believe that having a sense of purpose is very or somewhat important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being. A paycheck may be enough to convince your employees to show up every day, but it’s not enough to inspire them to fully immerse themselves in their regular responsibilities.

If employees can’t understand how they contribute to the company’s success or society as a whole, they may start to see their work as a meaningless obligation rather than an opportunity to make a difference.

To prevent this disconnect, consider investing in corporate social responsibility (CSR) software and launching a workplace giving program. CSR tools make it easy to engage employees in community improvement efforts by facilitating:

• Matching Gifts: Your company matches employees’ donations to nonprofits, essentially doubling or tripling their impact.

• Payroll Deductions: Employees can automatically allocate a portion of their paycheck to be donated to charitable organizations of their choice.

• Volunteering: Your company can host team volunteering activities and promote other opportunities with nonprofits in the community.
• Volunteer Grants: When employees volunteer a certain number of hours with an eligible nonprofit, your company rewards their commitment by donating to that organization.

Additionally, track and report on your employees’ collective impact so they and other stakeholders can see how your company is carrying out its values.

2. They feel overwhelmed or burned out.

This year, 66% of American employees reported experiencing some level of burnout. Some feel they have more work to complete than time to do it, and others believe they lack the right resources or tools to do their jobs properly.

While challenging your employees can encourage growth and innovation, too much pressure causes them to feel exhausted and overwhelmed. As a result, employees may take more sick days for their physical or mental health, struggle with productivity, and develop negative emotions toward their work.

To minimize burnout at your workplace, incorporate wellness benefits into your employee compensation plan, such as:

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Provide employees with access to confidential counseling services to address personal and work-related stress.

• Flexible Work Hours: Allow employees to choose when to start and end each workday so they can create a schedule that best suits their lifestyle and preferences.

• Gym Membership Reimbursement: Encourage employees to get active by reimbursing fitness memberships and other related costs, such as fees for yoga classes and personal training sessions.
• Mindfulness Apps and Workshops: Help employees reduce stress and improve focus with meditation apps and mindfulness workshops.

Your company’s leaders and managers should model a healthy work-life balance by taking time off, avoiding late-night emails, and incorporating regular breaks throughout their own work days.

3. They don’t feel connected to their peers.

The KPMG Friends at Work Survey reveals that 83% of employees report that work friendships help them feel more engaged. To continually thrive in their roles, new and long-time employees lean on their team members for emotional support, guidance, and social rapport throughout the day.

However, establishing strong connections within your workplace isn’t always easy, especially if your company has hybrid or remote employees. Without ample opportunities to chat and bond with their peers, employees may feel lonely and detached from the rest of their team. This isolation can take a toll on their motivation and loyalty to your company.

To boost camaraderie within your workplace, consider these strategies:

• Team Volunteering Events: Bring employees together over shared causes they care about. For example, Uncommon Giving recommends hosting staff-wide volunteer events on holidays or cause awareness days, such as Earth Day in April.

• After-Work Social Activities: Strengthen employee connections by organizing low-pressure, non-work-related outings such as happy hours, escape rooms, trivia nights, and book clubs.
• Buddy or Mentorship Programs: Help new hires feel supported immediately when they join your company by assigning them a dedicated buddy or mentor who will answer questions and cheer them on from day one.

For hybrid or remote workplaces, create casual ways for employees to get to know one another. For example, set up virtual break rooms or schedule online coffee breaks to facilitate informal conversations.

4. They don’t receive enough recognition.

According to eCardWidget, 66% of employees consider leaving their jobs when they feel unappreciated at their workplace. In contrast, employees are much more likely to continue performing at their best when they’re acknowledged for their achievements, innovative ideas, and efforts.

It’s important to remember that appreciating employees is more than rewarding them with expensive gifts or bonuses. To build a culture of recognition at your company, implement a variety of appreciation ideas such as:

• “Employee of the Month” Programs: Make employees feel special by creating an “Employee of the Month” award and giving these individuals a team lunch, reserved parking spot, or branded t-shirt.

• eCards: Make it easy for peers to send personalized eCard shout-outs to one another. Create designs for simple thank-you messages or specific acknowledgments recognizing when an employee has demonstrated one of your company’s values.
• Milestone or Achievement Celebrations: Organize a team party when employees reach a certain number of years at your company or complete a significant project. Host these celebrations during lunch or after work to give people a chance to unwind and enjoy themselves.

Don’t be afraid to get creative when recognizing your employees. Find out what resonates with them and tailor your strategies accordingly. For example, if you know that many of your employees are passionate about giving back to the community, you might celebrate “Employees of the Month” by awarding them higher donation match ratios, such as 2:1.

To set and achieve strategic engagement goals for your company, consider surveying your employees directly to find out how engaged they feel and how you can improve their experience. Based on their responses, pinpoint the factors that could be contributing to a lack of engagement in your workplace and tailor your plan as needed.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Howell

Andy Howell is the CEO of Uncommon Giving, a Charleston-based social impact platform that helps companies engage employees in workplace giving and volunteering—think of it as “generosity-powered” employee engagement. Uncommon Giving provides modern, cost-effective tools for employers to live their corporate values, improve employee morale, and enhance brand reputation.

Andy has spent the majority of his career working with SaaS companies serving the nonprofit, HR, and social impact spaces, including Blackbaud, Benevity, Benefitfocus, and Bloomerang. In his role today, he brings a distinct point of view to the meaningful connection between corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, and the desire to make the world a better place.