How To Engage Employees Through Recognition-Rich Meetings - Guest Post - EmployeeConnect HRIS
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How to engage employees through recognition-rich meetings

How To Engage Employees Through Recognition-Rich Meetings – Guest Post

By the time you’ve reached this article, you’ve probably lost count of how many meetings you’ve attended. Like growth-minded employees and leaders who go above and beyond, time is one of the most limited and precious resources for any organisation. Why are needless or dull meetings such a staple around office environments? The numbers portray an alarming reality of today’s productivity – each year, the US economy coughs up an average $37 billion each year in unnecessary meetings.

Effective meetings rally employees around the same goals, with managers translating the big business vision into daily decision making. The question is, how do we tap into more effective meeting time, to make the most of every moment and motivate employees?

We’ve explored the the crucial importance of employee recognition as a means of generating effective collaboration and engaged employees. Discover how to engage your employees and make meetings more effective, through creating a culture of recognition.

4 ways of creating a culture of recognition to make everyday meetings more effective and engage your employees

 

1. Use an agenda to establish a clear purpose for your meeting

A culture of recognition, often translated through a meeting agenda, acknowledges how each employee contributes to the broader goals of the business – allowing individuals to identify the purpose of their work and align it with the business’s vision. For many companies, an agenda is a simple tool for emphasising the importance of employee recognition, taking it from verbal stance to actioned reality.

With an agenda sent out a few days prior to a meeting, all team members come to the table knowing why they’re there and the value they bring. They’re aware of the shared goal they’re striving towards and are more engaged with the outcome. Their preparation for and presence at every meeting, therefore, has a clear purpose, aligned with both business goals and personal goals.

2. Structure meetings to allow for contribution from every member

HBR’s recent study identified three of the most impactful employee engagement drivers as: “recognition for high performers, individuals have clear understanding of how job contributes to strategy” and “senior leadership continually updates/communicates strategy”.

These findings aren’t surprising, with all three factors contributing to an individual’s understanding of how their work matters in the big picture.  So a workforce that is recognised and has purpose will be more engaged.

It’s crucial when structuring your time, to allow for contribution from every member, through providing action points before and follow-up points after every meeting. After all, no one wants to be stuck in a meeting where there is no opportunity to provide input or insight. Attending too many of these “unnecessary” meetings can demotivate and disengage your employees.

3. Provide opportunities for showing appreciation to peers

Which would you find more motivating: an occasional “good job” from senior management, or an insightful “thank you and congratulations” from a fellow teammate? Research shows recognition of efforts from colleagues is often found to be more motivating and fulfilling than from other sources. This is often because your teammates have witnessed, and perhaps even shared, in the blood, sweat and tears you’ve put into whatever project is at hand. Their praise is based on personal experience, rather than distant approval.

Providing opportunities for showing appreciation to peers is an excellent way of engaging employees to further pursue successes. A simple chance to shout out employees who’ve excelled during the week is all you need to transform a meeting. You can also set up a “wins board” where everyone can nominate a colleague who’s gone above and beyond – peers are more likely to spot and celebrate all those wins that would’ve often slipped under the radar.

4. Set a clear time frame for the meeting and stick to it!

Holding meetings with timely start and end times is an act of courtesy and respect for each other’s time. Furthermore, it reduces the chance of your meeting dragging on into time wasting territory.

Set a clear timeframe for the duration and structure of your meeting, communicating this to everyone beforehand. With a clear end time, you can also ensure your meeting concludes with clear action points. Your team is empowered with the know-how, understanding of priority and tools they need to take the next steps.

Over to you

How much would change with a transformative shift in recognition culture and a commitment to purpose-driven meetings with actionable takeaways?

“Companies that succeed in having highly engaged employees focus intently on driving meaning, purpose, and passion among workers.” – Deloitte

Recognition culture addresses the need for meaning, purpose and passion in work, through cultivating environments where there is a profound appreciation for each other’s contributions and a shared understanding of collaborative goals. After all, when everyone’s on the same page with big goals for big wins, you’re on the right track.

Lisa Vincent

About the Author: Lisa Vincent is the Founder and Director of Savv-e, an award-winning digital learning agency delivering e-learning solutions for businesses of every size.

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