Imagine a team meeting is called to brainstorm new ideas, but only a few voices dominate the discussion while others stay silent. Weeks go by, and the company misses valuable insights hidden within its workforce.
Studies show that organizations with engaged employees are 21% more profitable, yet many fail to tap into their employee creativity. In this blog, we will explore how to create a culture that motivates employees to share their ideas, foster workplace engagement, and drive collaboration for meaningful change.
The role of employee engagement activities in boosting workplace culture
Workplace culture matters as it defines what values, beliefs, and behaviors employees can expect and should respect in your organization. A positive workplace culture is the first perk for employees to share their innovations for organizational growth. In the absence of the same, 58% would be happy to switch jobs, claims a study. This is where the role of employee engagement activities becomes imperative.
You can try the following employee engagement activities to strengthen your workplace culture:
Conduct team-building exercises
You can try these exercises to build trust and improve communication for collaboration.
- Escape room challenges: inculcates collaboration, problem-solving, and trust as teams work together to escape
- Trust falls: builds mutual trust as one relies on teammates for support
- Two truths and a lie: employees learn how to communicate and build personal connections through sharing
Recognize and reward achievements
According to the incentive theory of employee motivation, you can easily motivate individuals to value your workplace with external rewards and reinforcements. For example, an employee might show tremendous team spirit to earn a good review or avoid a poor one.
Promote wellness initiatives
Do you know companies with corporate wellness programs report a 16% increase in employee satisfaction? You can try some of the tried-and-tested well initiatives, such as:
- Flexible work schedules: an autonomy to attain work-life balance would foster a culture of trust
- Mental health support programs: access to counseling services or stress management workshops would cultivate an environment of empathy
- Gym memberships: encourages a health-conscious culture, promoting camaraderie among employees
Once you’ve got an engaged workforce that respects your culture, you can explore different practical ways to gather their ideas for horizontal and vertical organizational growth.
How to get ideas from employees?
Fresh, innovative ideas can come from anyone: employees, leaders or top management. Here’s how you can tap into this resource pool and get ideas that may have the potential to help the company achieve phenomenal success:
Ask for ideas
Let everyone know that the company is looking for ideas internally. Even the notion that the company values employees’ innovative and creative ideas can inspire them to think outside the box. This encouragement motivates them to dig deep and make a meaningful contribution. You never know what you can get unless you ask for it!
Set the right environment
Some of the best ideas are realized in unconventional environments. When people are relaxed, their creative potential is significantly higher. Creativity is a result of concentrated thought and collaborative energy. Something that a stifling office environment just cannot guarantee.
Encourage teams to hold brainstorming sessions outside office walls. For employees, this will be a sign of your productive and happy work culture. Allow them to focus and concentrate thoroughly. Additionally, the teams should have access to a place where they can easily gather and collaborate. That’s how all innovative ideas can be discussed and agreed upon.
Identify problem-finders
There are problem solvers, and then there are problem finders. The latter are especially good at identifying problems that may not necessarily be easily spotted. They are used to challenge conventional methods and seek ways to improve upon them consistently. Problem finders also understand when it’s appropriate not to answer a proposed question. They ask different questions that look at the problem differently.
Don’t undervalue learning and development
To help your employees do their best, you must support their growth by assisting them to develop new skills. If a lack of skills is holding them back, it’s important to address it immediately. Some managers worry that employees might leave for better jobs once they gain new skills. While this is a valid concern, keeping unskilled employees is a bigger risk. After all, the cost of keeping untrained employees is much higher than the risk of losing them after training.
Don’t sit on innovative ideas – Implement them
Some managers invite their employees to share their ideas but say, “The old way is how we have always done it.” This discourages employees and is highly demotivating. After a certain time, it is bound to reduce their enthusiasm to contribute to any idea actively. Don’t be that guy. Go ahead and implement ideas that are within the realm of possibility. Whether they succeed or fail is another thing. But it’s important to keep on trying. This also ensures employees that their innovative ideas are valued, motivating them further.
Despite a robust workplace culture, you might not be able to involve all of your employees in idea sharing. You may need some additional strategies to occasionally ignite the spark.
Also read: Recognition, the most powerful performance enhancer at the workplace
Motivating employees: Strategies to enhance engagement in the workplace for idea-sharing
There are many ways to motivate employees to share their creative input. In addition to rewards and recognition, you can try the following methods to enhance engagement in the workplace.
Create a safe psychological environment
When employees feel safe from judgment or ridicule, they are more likely to open communication and reduce their fear of negative consequences. For instance, you can create an anonymous suggestion box for product improvements. You might be surprised to receive ideas from introverted employees who constantly skip such opportunities due to the pressure of public speaking.
Conduct collaborative brainstorming sessions
How often do you conduct bi-weekly brainstorming sessions with cross-functional department teams? Such collaborative sessions trigger collective creativity, and participants feel less pressured while working on creative ideas. You can use techniques like mind mapping or round-robin sharing to ensure everyone contributes.
Encourage feedback loops
Feedback shows employees that their opinions are valued, creating a cycle of engagement and idea-sharing. However, you can do it in a style. For instance, you can introduce a “You Said, We Did” board in break rooms to highlight implemented ideas from staff. Such transparency will lead to further participation in the idea-sharing program.
If you’re working in a remote environment, use dedicated idea management tools that would facilitate easily sharing, discussing, and voting on ideas in real time.
Read more: A simple & important process to increase motivation at work
Conclusion
Unlocking employee creativity is not just about asking for ideas–it’s about creating an environment where innovation thrives. There are many ways you can turn untapped potential into actionable strategies. For instance, you can initiate engaging activities, offer workplace motivation, and build trust through transparency. Combine learning opportunities, skills for managing people, and collaborative brainstorming to encourage idea-sharing. Most importantly, act on the ideas of your team. This will show employees that their input truly matters.
FAQs
What is employee engagement, and why is it important?
Employees devote a large portion of their day to the organization. They will not feel emotionally committed to the company goals if they don’t feel engaged. On the contrary, companies with highly engaged teams report 21% higher profitability and 59% lower turnovers.
How do employee engagement activities improve workplace motivation?
Team engagement activities are designed to foster collaboration and trust. For instance, recognition programs are conducted to celebrate valuable contributions. When employees get spotlights for their contributions, they feel appreciated, further boosting their performance.
What are the essential skills for managing people effectively?
People management in an organization requires a combination of the following:
- Clear communication regarding goals and expectations
- Empathy toward an individual’s perspectives and challenges
- Prompt conflict resolution to maintain harmony
- Delegation of tasks as per the reasonable capacity
Above all, people need an unbiased leader to inspire and guide them towards shared objectives.
How can leaders create a workplace culture that fosters employee engagement?
There are many ways to foster employee engagement. Leaders should consider promoting inclusivity, rewarding top-engaging employees, and supporting open communication to cultivate a positive work culture where employees feel motivated to excel.
What are some examples of workplace motivation techniques?
One of the best ways to motivate employees is to offer personalized incentives such as online gift vouchers or movie tickets. You can also consider providing flexible working hours to help them balance their personal and professional lives. To make in-office work a bit more relaxed, you can design relaxation zones with games, books, or bean bags for comfortable seating.
