How to retain talent & fuel engagement through connection

The numbers don't lie

Nearly 4 million workers voluntarily left their positions every month last year, the highest average ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As the Great Resignation rages on, the paramount importance of employee engagement has never been clearer—and many organizations are eager to play catch-up.

Think about your own organization.

You may be passionate about the well-being of your employees—but what's your employee engagement strategy? You want to enrich your employee experience this year—but what insights do you use to adapt to employee needs?

With so many priorities in the workplace, you may think there's little time to address these big questions. You might even feel overwhelmed by the thought of where to begin or how to adapt your strategy.

This is a common challenge—and we can help.

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A new approach to employee engagement

We are passionate about building a culture of connection, collaboration and recognition. Our approach is simple, proven and effective—and it all starts with six pillars of engagement.

One of the most influential pillars centers around inspiring connection. Did you know that highly engaged employees who feel connected to their organization exhibit 81% lower absenteeism¹? And that's only the beginning when it comes to the positive ripple effects of a connected community of employees. Employees who feel connected to their company are more likely to feel engaged at work—and highly engaged teams drive 21% greater profitability¹.

Let's explore the impact of connection on the employee experience.

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Why belonging is important in the workplace

When you enable and inspire connections throughout your workforce, you empower each of your people to be collaborative, productive, efficient and (most importantly) authentic. Simply put, connected employees thrive because they feel involved and understand how their work supports company success.

Whether they experience connections with peers, leaders, individual projects, company values or workplace rituals, connected employees are driven by a sense of belonging and purpose that propels their engagement.

Now ask yourself these questions:

1. At your organization, are connections encouraged at a companywide, department or team level?
2. Through which channels and means do your people currently connect over shared interests?
3. How are employee connections amplified throughout your organization?

Assessing where your company stands is the first step before forming your plan. Step two is learning about new and creative opportunities to consider. For key insights with real-world application, check out the 'Consider the difference' sections in our complimentary guide—The Art of Employee Engagement.

You'll be on your way to creating your connected community of employees in no time.

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"Connect deeply with others. Our humanity is the one thing that we all have in common." —Melinda Gates

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Finding common ground to uplift & inspire

Your employees come to work each day, but do they feel involved and connected to your organization, their colleagues or your core values? Harness the power of purpose and community driven by connection—while keeping your eye on the big picture.

Fostering a connected workforce is less about promoting the idea that everyone is part of one big "work family" and more about empowering a genuine exchange of perspectives and passions, influenced by an authentic approach. A network of opportunity makes it easy (and fun) to find the kind of common ground that uplifts and inspires—cultivating and strengthening bonds throughout your company.

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Highly engaged employees who feel connected to their organization exhibit 81% lower absenteeism.¹

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Getting started is easier than you think. Whether you work in an office, remotely or a hybrid environment—consider these quick tips to help drive connections in your workplace:

• Kickstart each day with a morning huddle or virtual gathering to promote team unity
• Take time each week to connect with coworkers over a traditional or virtual happy hour
• Be intentional about connecting with colleagues on a personal and professional level
• Most importantly, encourage a culture of authenticity in your workplace

The next step is to amplify these types of meaningful connections throughout your entire enterprise by building an effective and impactful network of opportunity.

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Build your community & network of opportunity

Effective networks of opportunity not only engage employees in ways that are meaningful, relevant and authentic—but also provide them with tools they need to succeed in their roles—every day of the year.

An employee engagement platform is one of the most flexible, scalable and effective ways for an organization to build a connected community—and build it quickly. Integrated connectivity tools like virtual profiles, people search and groups make it fun and easy for employees to find and align around common interests, workstreams and values in a way that is meaningful, relevant and authentic.

• Virtual Profiles & People Search: Social media has taught us that connecting digitally can make it easier to cultivate, maintain and strengthen relationships. Build a network throughout which employees can utilize virtual profiles and people search functions to make connecting more inviting.

• Groups: Finding connections within a company can be a challenge no matter the size of the organization. Help employees connect in-person or virtually via groups. Start by creating groups around hobbies, volunteerism, pets and bingeable TV shows-then let your employees form their own groups organically.

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Employees who feel connected to their company are more likely to feel engaged at work—and highly engaged teams drive 21% greater profitability¹.

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Leverage connection to transform your strategy

Inspiring connection is an important step in the right direction—and one of the six pillars of engagement you'll learn about in our complimentary guide, The Art of Employee Engagement.

In this guide, we reveal new concepts to transform your organization’s employee experience in the modern workplace.

• Discover the six pillars of engagement
• Gain key insights with real-world application
• Explore next-gen strategies for every organization

Get your complimentary guide today!

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¹ Gallup