The past three years have been pretty tough on everyone, especially in the workplace. It has been a roller coaster filled with changing work locations, changing technologies (wait! our company is now using Microsoft Teams and not Zoom.) and a change in routine. Seriously, how do you manage doing the laundry while also looking professional, at least from the waist up? This is all now in addition to the fact that many in the workforce are going back into the office while others are still working remotely. What is a company to do to keep employee engagement up while everything seems everywhere (all at once ... an homage to all you movie buffs out there.)?

No matter where your team is located, it's still important to work on employee engagement. The number one reason: it impacts all aspects of work. It sets the tone for your team, which then ultimately leads to better results. So, in true blog fashion, we've compiled a list of benefits of employee engagement and provide ideas on how you can engage employees utilizing our events as well as other activities.

Reduce Workplace Stress

As we've said at the start, life has been pretty stressful. Especially here in the Bay Area, we've seen a large number of employees at tech companies losing their jobs. It seems that everyone is on edge. But while companies may be looking at reducing costs by reducing overhead, it is still important to invest in your people so that they can do their best.

Consider sending your team a simple as-home spa kit. Package up an eye mask, lavender candle and some chocolates. I can see the stress melt away from here.

Reinforce and Reward Your Goals

Employees always feel more engaged when they feel like they're contributing to the overall business objective. So, whatever your key performance indicator, connect that goal with a reward. When you do, every employee will know what they need to do to achieve that goal and can be part of the success.

Celebrations don't need to be lavish. You can celebrate meeting your objectives with a thank you bonus or a simple in-person cake celebration if your budget is limited.

Easier Recruitment and Retention

Who do you rather work for? The company that makes you feel valued or the one where they don't even know your name? When a company invests in employee engagement, it builds an automatic cheerleader. Your employees want to stay and they want their friends to also work for you. Considering that it costs more to bring in someone new, investing in team building activities is worth the money.

Whether your employees are back in the office or still working remotely, you can up the idea of a cake celebration with a professional Ice Cream Social. (Ha! You knew we were going to do a little self promotion.) And if you're based in the San Francisco Bay Area, we can now bring the party to you!