10 simple ways companies can increase employee engagement

Having a hard time snapping employees back to work after a long holiday break? Or maybe it's the winter doldrums that are taking peoples' minds out of the picture. Whatever the case, it's a studied fact that happier, more engaged employees are more likely to pronounce better work for your company. According to a Gallup poll, engaged employees nearly doubled their odds of success compared to disengaged employees - plus, there was less turnover in companies with engaged employees.

It just makes sense to ensure that your staff are satisfied in their work - for both your benefit and theirs, not to mention your customers! - and a great way to do so is to have a focused corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. We've got 10 quick and easy ways to get started:

Start small

You don't have to have an extensive, complicated CSR program to engage employees. Start with small opportunities for employees to give back. For example, FrontStream's InstaGive is simple yet flexible way to allow employees to support special causes or give back in a time of need to disaster relief campaigns. Be sure to communicate how quick and easy it is for employees to make donations!

Incorporate a volunteer program

71% of employees who volunteer through work report feeling better about their employer. As the employer, you should look into local charities or nonprofits that you can partner with (even better if their causes align with your company!) in order to set up a regular volunteering partnership. Also, consider allowing 1-2 days per year for employees to have off so they can choose to volunteer or do charitable work for a nonprofit of their choosing.

Communicate opportunities

Today's technology has made communication easy; when employees know when, where and how to participate, they are more likely to do so. That's why it's so important to keep communicating the opportunities that are available for donating and volunteering! Send out emails, include events in company newsletters, and bring opportunities up in team meetings.

Provide a charitable match program

Cone Research found that 79% of employees think it’s important that their companies match their charitable giving. So while it's great that employees make donations, it's even better that their contributions are doubled by their employer. Talk about added motivation to help out!

Find a nonprofit partner that aligns with you

When it comes to which nonprofits you'll partner with in order to provide donations, giving your employees choices is a smart move, but it's also good to highlight a reputable nonprofit partner that aligns with your company's mission. This shows employees and consumers what your company stands for, and it'll give employees an annual campaign to look forward to each year.

Recognize top employee giving and volunteering participation

We all want our staff give and volunteer out of the goodness of their hearts, but it's also important to show that you recognize their contributions. Recognition does not have to be expensive either - think a thank-you note from the CEO, a casual dress code, a front-row parking space, lunch with the boss, gift cards, and so on.

Listen to your employees

Short surveys asking your employees for feedback on engagement opportunities they are interested in shows them that as an employer, you care about what they care about. Be sure to gauge sentiment in the office (offer anonymous options on the surveys!) to make sure your efforts are going in the right direction.

Encourage teamwork

Allowing employees to work together in teams to reach a fundraising or volunteer goal can increase participation and engagement at work. Whether you're having departments go head to head in friendly competition or bringing groups together to help out in the community, this is a great chance to get your staff to bond for a good cause.

Communicate campaign results

Sharing results at the end of a campaign validates your staff's fundraising efforts, plus it sets the stage for next year’s campaign. Establishing a company culture where the annual giving goal is to raise more year over year helps create excitement around annual campaigns.

Lead by example

A leading driver of employee engagement and participation is transparency with senior leadership. Employees look for communication and accessibility from company executives - they have to set the tone! Make sure your senior executives are taking part in charitable efforts as well, and not just for a photo op.

As you can see, putting together a CSR program doesn't have to be a huge undertaking - you can pick and choose a few quick and simple strategies to get started and then build from there! The important part is making sure that your CSR program inspires employees to feel like they're a part of something bigger. Satisfaction at work is a huge driver for both employee success and retention - keep your staff happy and get ready to see some great returns.