Engagement Strategies

1. Assess your team’s readiness to change.
2. Help employees understand how the changes support the broader goals of the organization.
3. Provide frequent updates for employees.
4. Describe why the change is happening now and how the change will help in the long run.
5. Celebrate wins, pause, reflect, and pivot when necessary.
6. Have key performance indicators.
7. Provide sense of ownership.
8. Involve employees from the beginning.

Learn More:

• Engagement is a key component to a successful change management process. | LinkedIn
• 5 Steps in the Change Management Process | HBS Online
• Benefits of Employees' Participation in Change Management? | (changemanagementinsight.com)

LinkedIn Learning:

• Implementing Change Effectively (58m)
• Leading Your Team Through Change (21m)
• Change Management Tips for Individuals (15m)

1. Encourage two-way communication.
2. When assigning a task explain why it’s important and how it connects to the goals.
3. Set clear expectations by being concise, defining the task, and providing a deadline.
4. Check for understanding after communicating a task by asking, “Based on what we’ve talked about, what’s your understanding of what you will be responsible for?
5. Conduct frequent check-ins with employees and focus on: 1) what’s going well? 2) where are you having challenges? 3) how can I help?
6. Provide timely constructive feedback. Focusing on the behavior not the person.
7. Be mindful of the style and tone of your communication.
8. Increase frequency of communication.

Learn More:

• How to Practice Effective Interpersonal Communication (leaders.com)
• Communicate With Employees to Maintain Engagement (businessnewsdaily.com)
• 10 Benefits of Effective Communication in the Workplace | Indeed.com
• Role of Business Communication in Employee Engagement (vantagecircle.com)

LinkedIn Learning:

• The Three Pillars of Effective Communication (25m)
• Communication Skills for Modern Management (1h 3m)

1. Engage in intradepartmental communication.
2. Empower employees to have control over their jobs.
3. Give your customers a way to provide feedback on your team’s service.
4. Build collaboration.
5. Help employees develop skills in multiple cross-functional areas.
6. Develop organizational commitment.
7. Improve the employee experience by making customer service standards an expectation.
8. Provide education so the team knows how to empathize and be understanding of the customer’s pain points.

Learn More:

• What Leaders Must Do to Create a Great Customer Experience | Entrepreneur
• Engaged Employees Create Better Customer Experiences (hbr.org)
• Customer Service Management: Guidelines and Resources (management.org)

LinkedIn Learning:

• The 10 Pillars of Customer Experience (38m)
• Developing a Service Mindset (41m)
• Creating Positive Conversations with Challenging Customers (30m)

1. Develop an team recognition program that encourages collaboration with peers.
2. Involve all employees when planning activities.
3. Provide clearly stated measurable outcomes.
4. Develop internal subject matter experts.
5. Celebrate team and individual successes.
6. Encourage employees with different skills and expertise to work with one another.
7. Identify key challenges.
8. Create a culture that nurtures healthy relationships.

Learn More:

• Effective Collaboration Is Crucial To High Employee Engagement (forbes.com)
• A Thoughtful Approach To Engagement And Collaboration In A Remote World (forbes.com)
• A Better Way to Recognize Your Employees (HBR.org)

LinkedIn Learning:

• Collaborative Leadership (35m)
• Essentials of Team Collaboration (32m)

1. Set measurable goals including adding a date/deadline to your goals.
2. Focus on your team’s strengths in employee development.
3. Learn about employee’s motivations for staying at the institution.
4. Tap into employees’ experiences and provide opportunities to contribute their skills to the team.
5. Provide clarity and feedback on employee’s most important tasks first.
6. Create opportunities for peers to provide feedback and support for each other.

Learn More:

• Strengths Based Leadership: How to Optimize Your Team’s Abilities (Leaders.com)
• Principles and Strategies of Engagement | Teaching Commons (ucmerced.edu)
• What Is a Strengths-Based Manager Part 1 “Called to Coach” Webcast Series Season 11, Episode 27

LinkedIn Learning:

• How to Find and Use Your Strengths (53m)
• A Strengths-based Approach to Managing Your Team (32m)
• Giving and Receiving Feedback (28m)
  
  

1. Make sure employees feel connected.
2. Focus on team collaboration.
3. Be aware of in-office promotion bias (promoting, developing, and celebrating employees who are in-office vs. remote employees)
4. Consider fairness ramifications.
5. Develop hybrid work guidelines.
6. Be consistent with remote work decisions.
7. Be mindful of proximity bias (showing preferential treatment to employees who are physically closer)

Learn More:

• The Advantages and Challenges of Hybrid Work (gallup.com)
• The Pros And Cons Of The Coming Hybrid Workplace (forbes.com)
• How to Do Hybrid Right (hbr.org)
• 12 Questions About Hybrid Work, Answered (hbr.org)
• The New Rules Of Engagement For Hybrid Workplaces (forbes.com)

LinkedIn Learning:

• Hybrid Working Foundations (52m)
• One-Minute Habits for Hybrid and Remote Working Success (31 m)

1. Always be transparent and honest.
2. Avoid overly criticizing or excessive supervision.
3. Create a space where employees feel safe in giving leaders constructive feedback.
4. Work on creating an environment that fosters relationships and makes it ok to speak up and hold each other accountable.
5. Set clear “norms” for behavior that are agreed upon by the team. For example, how do we communicate critical information? What is our response time?
6. As the leader, demonstrate this value by openly admitting mistakes and sharing that you don’t know something.
7. Provide resources, support, and praise for all employees.
8. Ensure employees have the ability to influence job outcomes.
9. Solicit (and use) opinions.
10. Ask your direct report to devise a plan for achieving a goal and owning it.
11. Focus on accountability for results, not process (where possible).

Learn More:

• How To Promote Team Trust And Employee Engagement (forbes.com)
• 8 Ways to Foster Employee Engagement by Building Trust (trainingindustry.com)

LinkedIn Learning:

• Building Trust (54m)
• Why Trust Matters (24m)

1. Ask about aspects that undermine well-being.
2. Utilize Employee Assistance Program as a resource for confidential counseling.
3. Encourage participation in Maverick Wellness events.
4. Model the best practice of taking care of yourself first.
5. Create a space where employees feel safe to communicate with openness, vulnerability, and respect.
6. Invest in employees’ capabilities by providing support and resources for professional development opportunities.
7. Demonstrate empathy by listening to understand and acknowledging emotions.
8. Be aware of negative work environment signs such as absenteeism, high turnover, and consistent miscommunication.
9. Stop multitasking.
10. Discuss role clarity with employees and how they can identify when boundaries are crossed.

Learn More:

• What are the 5 stages of burnout? | Calmer (thisiscalmer.com)
• Addressing employee burnout: Are you solving the right problem? | McKinsey
• Employee Burnout, Part 1: The 5 Main Causes (gallup.com)

LinkedIn Learning:

• Manage Burnout at Work with These Simple Strategies (8m 46s)
• How to Beat Burnout, Exhaustion, and Stress (30m)
• Managing Burnout (36m)