Employee Engagement in IT Industry
Technology is synonymous to current times and we can’t thank enough the breed of innovators, past and present, for their groudbreaking work. IT employees is one such breed who comprise as one of the most important elements of the workforce in an organisation.
It becomes necessary to keep these professionals inspired and invested in their work at their respective roles. This goal can be achieved by following well-established employee engagement policies at work.
But, a recent survey revealed a completely different picture of the workplace scenario in the IT sector. According to it, less than 1 in 5 IT worker feels strongly valued at work.
So, to make things better for employees in the IT sector there is an urgent need for a more engaged atmosphere in the workplace. This goal can be achieved by taking care of following things-
1.Individual Growth and Appreciation
Companies can enhance employee engagement by giving their employees opportunities which offer them professional as well as personal growth simultaneously.
Those organisations which devote their time and capital for the holistic development of their employees send out a strong message that they matter . Also, the significance of appreciation and acknowledgement for outstanding work can’t be ignored.
A great way to promote this at the workplace is by hosting events and parties meant exclusively for employees to encourage them to discuss and share their private plans and projects.
The idea behind this is to show recognition for the innovative projects that workers are pursuing outside the workplace. This will help in building a community that supports and promotes morale as well as the cutting-edge thought process at the workplace.
2. An Adaptive, Open Environment
The corporate world is well-known for its formal and organised way of working which sometimes makes it quite rigid for its employees to work with optimum efficiency . Better employee engagement has been witnessed in companies which offer a flexible and positive atmosphere.
New-age startups are getting this right by offering a more transparent and open way of working . Gone are the times when wearing a crisp business suit to the work was a rule. Nowadays, casual dressing is completely fine with employers. And they are offering a more laid-back atmosphere for its employees.
More and more companies have started identifying with their employees’ personal responsibilities and are helping them in achieving work-life balance in their career. For instance, many companies are opening their offices late in the morning as many of the employees have to drop there kids at school.
Another great example is being set up by tech giants like Google and Facebook who are enhancing employee engagement by offering an informal and flexible working atmosphere.
Social media giant Facebook offers its virtual employees to stay in touch with other remote colleagues via online conferencing apps, allowing them to be a part of the organisation even when they are sitting miles away.
While on the other hand, Google offers its workers one day every week devoted to the employees’ personal projects.
3. Various Bonuses and Benefits
Gone are the times when a raise or promotion at work was the only way to make your employees happy and promote employee engagement.
Companies are now focussing on giving both monetary and non-monetary benefits and perks to their workers. Popular non-monetary perks can be selected work from home days, health benefits such as an in-house gym or swimming pool or an in-house cafe offering healthy meal options.
The health of workers is an important aspect as it has a direct impact on their productivity levels. Recognising this, many young startups are offering benefits such as health insurance, paid paternal leave, day care centres for employees’ kids, etc.
4. Promote On-the-job Education
Employers can offer the opportunity of continuous learning to their employees. As one of the biggest fear of any worker is stagnation and having an outdated skill set. Companies can eliminate this situation through regular skill development workshops or sponsoring a course that would add value to them.
For example, Employers can team up with digital learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, Codeacademy, Edx, Udacity, etc offering online tech courses at special discounts for business professionals.
The above-discussed strategies can be a big help to employers in boosting their employee engagement rate. But, remember not everyone is the same so there is no definite plan or strategy. Employers may need to customise the above-mentioned techniques to cater to the diverse needs of different employees. But, the bottom line is employee engagement is a significant business strategy on which a company’s success depends.