Last January, employee engagement predictions started off on a high note. If only we could’ve predicted that so much of the world’s workforce would be working from home just a few months later. And now, nearly a year in, it’s more important than ever we keep our employees engaged and motivated. Not only for the benefit of our organization but to keep their mental health top of mind and to establish additional points of human connection.
At Radancy, we know there is a delicate balance between helping employees feel supported and blurring the lines between home and work. We knew, like most organizations, from conversations with colleagues and management teams that some fatigue was setting in and so throughout 2020, we tested a few programs to increase employee engagement and to measure overall satisfaction within the remote workplace.
We quickly learned there wasn’t a single solution to address all the new issues our (now primarily remote) workforce faced. Parents with young children needed support to manage distance learning, some employees needed designated time outside of assigned work to connect with team members, while others needed organization and mental health strategies to cope with the merging of their environments. We recognized a need for flexible solutions across a variety of scenarios – and that our teams were a great resource for new ideas.
An example of this and a silver lining throughout this experience has been our team’s devotion to our Give Back days. Typically, each quarter, we volunteer our time and donate money to support organizations working to improve the neighborhoods, cities, and states we call home. Going remote made this a challenge, but the team came up with quick, virtual solutions to support a variety of global causes we value.
We also discovered engaging employees throughout new corporate initiatives creates deeper connections. Prior to launching our new global brand in January, we made the decision to actively involve our workforce. We developed a series of focus groups and brainstorming sessions where our teams were able to provide feedback and share their perspective of the brand through the lens of their work lives. While this afforded us many opportunities to tweak messaging and integrate ideas into our programming, it also provided employees a sense of ownership in the new brand and reaffirmed our mission.
The results were astounding. Not only did we generate more social engagement than ever before in our company’s history, but a simple scan of the content generated by employees revealed authentic excitement and pride for the new brand. We’re not surprised by this show of loyalty, but one employee’s actions, in particular, set a new standard for brand ambassadors at Radancy.
Meet Adam, our VP of Digital Strategy and tattoo enthusiast.
It started five years ago at our annual management meeting in Las Vegas, Adam decided to up the ante for a team presentation to represent the true culture and pride he felt working at our company. He added a new tattoo to his right wrist featuring our now, former brand logo.
Fast-forward to a few days after our new brand launch, when Adam shared that he added another tattoo to his collection, this time on his left wrist. It was the new full-color company logo.
“Most of my professional career has been here. The successes, the failures, the friends, the mentors, the memories are all indelible parts of me. An inch-and-a-half round tattoo is but a small symbol of this company’s impact on my life and career. And this story itself is one of my favorites to tell.”
We know moments that spark real, authentic engagement are not easy to come by and we’re not suggesting relaunching your brand to generate employee excitement. However, the theme that resonates here is that everyone wants to feel included and be a part of something great. So, as you look to increase employee participation in your programs, first ask the question, “how would they want to be involved?”
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