4 Organization Resolutions and Goals to Improve Employee Engagement

Alas, the dreaded New Year’s Post. Resolutions, hacks, shortcuts, and quick-fixes for success are everywhere with Marie Kondo-style efficiency. Everyone makes it look so easy.

And here we are, jumping on the bandwagon. In fact, we’ve done it every year for the past 9 years. One of our first blog posts was precisely about organization resolutions. Since passing from one year to the next is a natural time to reflect, plan, budget, and set goals, we’re going to write about resolutions … again.

We want to remind you about something important: change takes time.

The commitment to change, to improve, and to engage employees doesn’t happen overnight, instead over time by implementing significant, meaningful change in every level of an organization.

So, how can organizations make resolutions they can stick to? Here are 4 New Year’s goals your company can implement today.

1. Resolve to establish a culture of respect. Respect is the foundation for meaningful work, meaningful relationships, and employee engagement in every organization. Though individual definitions of respect might differ, an organization can set a basic standard of respect.
Strategy: Encourage diverse opinions and ideas. Assess your organization’s DEI strategies with a survey process. Change discriminatory policies. Recognize the work of others, what they do, and value individual contributions to the team and organization. Create a psychologically safe workplace to foster teamwork.

2. Resolve to establish trust. Every action of an organization sends a message. Managing diverse teams and juggling different ideas and points of view require an incredible deal of trust and honesty.
Strategy: Solicit feedback from everyone, through both formal and informal channels. Conduct an employee survey to identify teams and managers that are performing great as well as those who need more support. Use the ear-to-mouth ratio for communication ( listen twice as much as you speak). Be honest about the financial wellness of the organization. Be transparent about salaries and how employees can advance.

3. Resolve to develop your employees. Development, opportunity, advancement, and a culture of continuous education are key areas to engage employees and help them become better professionals. This also reinforces their sense of purpose in the organization. Win-win.
Strategy: Meet with team members one-on-one to develop individualized professional goals. Assign stretch tasks, strategically, to provide employees with more experience. Give employees the opportunity to shadow another employee in a different department or team up in a cross-departmental project. Set up an education fund, providing financing for employees who want to continue their studies. Look for workshops, conferences, and seminars related to your industry and give employees the opportunity to assist. Study together in a lunchtime MOOC club. Check in to see how you’re holding up your end of the bargain, follow up, adjust goals, and help employees grow.

4. Resolve to improve employee wellness. The physical, emotional, and financial health of employees are directly related to their productivity and your organization’s wellbeing. Employee wellness affects everything from absenteeism and turnover to increased healthcare costs of the organization.
Strategy: Follow CDC, WHO, and OSHA guidelines for a safe workplace. Keep employees healthy with safe working conditions, updated technology, and the proper equipment. Destigmatize mental health, normalizing the conversation about it, and providing employees with access to good mental health care. Check in with your employees’ financial wellness. Invite financial experts in for one-on-one sessions with employees. Include financial wellness tips in your newsletter, on your website. Keep it top of mind. Provide employees with meaningful healthcare benefits. Health isn’t a perk, it’s a right.

Start 2023 off with meaningful policies that communicate to your teams that they matter, their lives matter, their work matters. At CustomInsight, we wish you a year of success, health, and prosperity in 2023.

Happy New Year!