Employee Engagement Checklist & Calendar

Introduction 

Why Employee Engagement Matters

What defines an engaged employee? Employees who are engaged are emotionally committed to your organization: They care deeply about their jobs and go above and beyond the call of duty. 

Engaged employees are more productive and innovative and less likely to leave their jobs. In fact, studies show that the attrition rate of disengaged employees is 12 times higher over the course of a year than it is for highly engaged employees, saving you the time and expense of hiring new workers. Engaged employees help your organization in another big way, too: 

Companies with engaged employees outperform those without them by over 200 percent.

Return on Investment of Employee Engagement

 Companies with formal employee engagement programs enjoy a 26 percent higher increase in annual company revenue compared to those who don’t.¹ For example, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work winners outperformed the S&P 500 by 122 percent between 2009 and 2014.²

Employee Activities to Boost Engagement

Don’t leave employee engagement to chance. You can increase how engaged your employees feel by planning strategic activities – both small and large – that foster transparency among workers and leaders, support your company’s mission, enhance employees’ wellness, and so much more. Here are dozens of activities you can implement today to boost engagement.

Foster Transparency

Transparency is a key to increasing employees’ engagement. An organization that is transparent with its employees creates an environment in which employees feel valued and can be creative. 

Here’s how to foster transparency in your company and with your employees: 

• Hold company huddles to provide updates and allow employees to ask questions.
• Request feedback from new and tenured employees. For example, send out regular satisfaction surveys, or solicit Glassdoor reviews.
• Respond to positive and negative reviews. More than 60 percent of Glassdoor users say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.⁶
• Facilitate communication at all stages of an employee’s journey. One way to do that is to  create channels for employees to give their feedback, which will help people feel heard and valued – two critical ingredients of successful employee engagement.
• Involve your CEO. Armed with the right information about what’s happening inside your company, your CEO can make better decisions on the behalf of the staff – which will help to increase employee engagement and the company’s bottom line. 

Ask the Right Questions

Sample employee satisfaction survey questions:

1. What are your work goals for 2018?
2. What would you like to build on?
3. What would you like to change or improve?

Support Your Mission 

Mission-driven companies are more innovative and better at retaining employees than those that don’t prioritize their purpose. A Glassdoor survey found that nearly 80 percent of workers consider a company’s mission before submitting an application – and more than half think culture is more important than compensation. Here’s how to put your mission front-and-center, and use your company’s purpose to boost and maintain high levels of employee engagement. 

• Develop a clear and succinct mission statement – something anyone in your company can understand and explain.
• Implement a health and wellness program designed to improve employees’ quality of life – which is also guaranteed to boost productivity and save your company money.
• Promote life-work balance with policies and practices such as flexible schedules and unlimited annual leave.
• Provide ongoing coaching and training, which will help employees feel inspired, supported, confident, motivated, and excited.
• Give employees paid volunteer time, which shows your company invests in its community.
• Celebrate company anniversaries as an opportunity to recognize individual and team achievements.
• Recognize personal wins and say thank you, which may be the most cost-effective way to boost employee motivation and productivity.

Provide Avenues for Career Growth

Employees who feel supported by their organizations are engaged employees: They don’t need to leave to get a promotion or learn new skills. By taking a proactive approach to your employee growth and professional development strategies, you can drive employee engagement higher. 

Here’s how you can provide opportunities for career growth: 

• Have your managers check in monthly with employees about their performance.
• Provide regular formal and informal feedback, which can include small, in-the-moment conversations and deeper strategic meetings.
• Engagement goes both ways: Encourage managers to ask employees about how the upper levels can improve, and how they can best support their employees.
• Help your people develop and incorporate their personal growth into your overarching organizational goals.
  • Consider internal candidates for opportunities; their institutional knowledge can be very valuable to your company.
  • Provide a transparent analysis to employees exploring new opportunities, including the specific job qualifications required for the position.

• Develop new talent through internship programs. Then, make the most of those programs by offering a career path where available.

Launch monthly Manager Check-Ins

Sample monthly manager check-in questions:

• What progress have you made on your top priorities in the last 30 days?
• What have you learned recently from your work and from any other development experiences, such as classes or self-study?
• Did you gain any new insights into your strengths? Or ways you can improve?
• What are your priorities for the next 30 days? 

Celebrate Your Workforce

Just as you would like your employees to be cheerleaders for your organization, your company too can cheer its employees on. Taking the time to celebrate your employees helps them feel valued, which in turn boosts their overall engagement. Here are ways you can cheer them on: 

• Create an employee spotlight newsletter. Reach out to new employees before their first day with a short questionnaire asking them about their favorite things, then send out an email to your staff to break the ice between the employee and their new co-workers.
• Celebrate employee milestones such as birthdays or work anniversaries. Consider recognizing them on a wall, a bulletin board, or in a section of your HRIS.
• Find time to connect. Holidays, birthdays, and company anniversaries are a great reason to celebrate your employees and reward them with a little time off work. Plus, in-office parties give team members a chance to build lasting connections with each other.
• Foster recognition at all levels at your company-wide meetings.
  • Tie individuals’ recognition to objective metrics, which helps to avoid such programs turning into a popularity contest. 
  • Recognize full teams for team accomplishments with lunch or small gifts.
• Connect remote employees to your team culture by streaming company meetings and scheduling recurring in-office get-togethers.
• Develop an inclusive company culture that embraces families and different cultures.
• Support working families of all kinds with a Bring Your Child to Work Day or Working Parents Day.
• Go deeper with your cultural celebrations throughout the year, and ask for input from employees who share the culture being celebrated.
• Perfect-Party Ingredients. Throw the best in-office celebrations with this checklist.
  • Provide drinks and snacks (and don’t forget to consider employees’ dietary restrictions).
  • Set a festive mood with celebration-appropriate music. If your office doesn’t have a sound system, bring in speakers with Bluetooth capabilities.
  • Designate a “master of ceremonies” – someone who can guide the celebration, usher employees to activities, and raise collective excitement about the party. 
  • Plan fun activities. Consider hosting contests, such as a talent show, or providing games for employees to play to keep things interesting and entertaining. 

Launch Wellness Initiatives

Almost half of American workers think their jobs are stressful – and more than a quarter say they are very often stressed at the workplace. But wellness initiatives can alleviate their stress – with the added benefit of boosting their engagement. Here are ways to help facilitate wellness: 

• Set activity-based fitness challenges, such as team step-counting or minutes of activity.
• Organize intramural sports, whether with an official league or impromptu games in a local park.
• Offer healthy snacks to help your employees bond. Plus, healthy snacks will keep your employees satiated and help them focus throughout the workday.
• Offer employees discounts for working out. Coordinate with a local gym or other fitness centers and programs to offer your employees discounts or rebates – or help defer their costs with stipends that you give them in their paychecks.

Employee Engagement Monthly Calendar

The months can fly by quickly. But you can use these calendars to get a head start: At the start of each quarter, take note of the important – and fun! – holidays, and workplace celebrations, so that you never miss an opportunity for employee engagement again.

JANUARY

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Employee satisfaction survey
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events
  • January 1: New Year’s Day
  • January 11: Clean Off Your Desk Day
  • Throw a fun ‘cleaning party’ with refreshments. Encourage employees to clear out their desks, cupboards, and refrigerator, and offer prizes for the best transformation.
  • January 18: Martin Luther King Day
• New Year Employee Wellness Activities
  • Subsidize local gym membership or community classes for the new year. Or offer onsite yoga, meditation, mindfulness or other wellness workshops.

FEBRUARY

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
•  Holidays and Events
  • All month: Black History Month
  • February 9: National Pizza Day
  • Everybody loves pizza! Provide pizzas to employees for a fun, free lunch.
  • February 14: Valentine’s Day
  • Hold a social media contest. Ask employees to share why they love working at your company with a unique hashtag.
  • February 15: President’s Day

MARCH

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
•  Holidays and Events
  • All month: Women’s History Month
  • March 5: Employee Appreciation Day
  • Show your employees you appreciate their contributions with an awards ceremony, provide lunch and refreshments, or have an off-site activity day.
  • March 8: International Women’s Day
  • March 17: St. Patrick’s Day

 APRIL

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Employee satisfaction survey
  • Monthly manager check-ins
•  Holidays and Events
  • All month: Stress Awareness Month
  • Offer onsite workshops on stress management, yoga, meditation, or chair massages.
  • April 2: Walk to Work Day
  • April 4: Easter Sunday
  • April 21: Administrative Professionals Day
  • April 22: Earth Day

  MAY

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
•  Holidays and Events
  • All month: Mental Health Awareness Month
  • May 9: Mother’s Day
  • May 21: National Bike to Work Day
  • Local dates may vary. A great day to encourage employees to ride to work. Provide breakfast or snacks for riders.
  • May 31: Memorial Day

JUNE

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events 
  • All month: LGBT History Month
  • June 2: Leave the Office Early Day
  • June 20: Father’s Day
  • June 25: Bring Your Dog to Work Day
  • Ask employees to post ‘pooch selfies’ on social media and your company's  Glassdoor profile.
  • June 28 - July 11: Wimbledon
  • Consider hosting a Wimbledon viewing party, complete with refreshments and snacks.

JULY

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
  • Employee satisfaction survey 
  • Review work goals for remainder of year
• Holidays and Events 
  • All month: Summer kick off
  • Gather employees together for a company picnic or potluck or ice cream social to celebrate the season. Or host a vacation photo contest: encourage employees to share pictures of their time off on social media — and bonus points for wearing company apparel in the picture!
  • All month: Summer employee wellness activities
  • Organize lunchtime walks, cycle-to-work initiatives, and team lunches or meetings outside. Plus, encourage your employees to take advantage of annual leave for summer holidays.
  • July 4: Independence Day

AUGUST

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events 
  • All month: Family Fun Month
  • Invite employees and their families to a company picnic, and plan family-friendly games.
  • August 4: National Chocolate Chip Day
  • Hold a chocolate chip cookie contest. Ask employees to bring in homemade treats, then have them cast votes for their favorite recipes. Award the winner a small gift.

SEPTEMBER

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events
  • All month: Back to school
  • Ask employees about their changing schedules as regular family activities start up again.
  • All month: National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • September 6: Labor Day
  • September 5: International Charity Day
  • Have a company-wide off-site event to help a local food bank, shelter, or other local charity.
  • September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day

OCTOBER

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events 
  • All month: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
  • All month: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • October 12-15: National Work Life Week
  • Host work-life balance workshops and activities, showcase flexible working policies, and offer well-being courses such as stress management, nutrition, and fitness.
  • October 11: National Coming-Out Day
  • October 31: Halloween
  • Host a desk-decorating contest, and give a treat to the winning decor.

NOVEMBER

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Monthly manager check-ins
  • Schedule coordination for the winter holidays
• Holidays and Events
  • All month: National Family Caregivers Month
  • Consider giving working parents a day off in recognition of all they do for their families.
  • November 11: Veterans Day
  • Third week of month: Thanksgiving Week
  • Kick off the holiday week with an employee potluck. Provide the turkey and a vegetarian option, and have employees bring in their favorite homemade sides.
  • Third Thursday: Thanksgiving Day

DECEMBER

• Monthly Tasks and Reminders
  • Gather yearly data for year-end employee satisfaction survey 
  • Monthly manager check-ins
• Holidays and Events 
  • December 25: Christmas Day
  • December 26 - January 1: Kwanzaa
  • December 31: New Year’s Eve