Company Events In Developing and Engaging Employees | #hrmanagement #hrexecutive

Employee engagement is always an ongoing challenge. People are happier, more productive, and more invested in their work when they feel engaged, which helps businesses become more successful overall. Unfortunately, only about 36% of employees in the United States report feeling engaged at work, according to a recent Gallup poll. 

Development is also an important aspect of retaining and engaging employees, and has the added bonus of improving employees’ abilities. Most people want opportunities to develop their skills and be challenged in the workplace. Without those opportunities, they’ll eventually move on to another job that will offer the chance for professional development. 

It’s worth investing in strategies designed to improve engagement and development among employees, whether your workforce is fully remote, in the office full-time, or something in between. 

Here’s how company events can help improve your bottom line and engage your employees. 

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Bring the Team Together 

Corporate events are often designed to be “team-building” events, for good reason. Sharing time together through fun and informative events will help bring the team closer together. 

Company parties, happy hours, retreats, and other fun events will give everyone a chance to get to know one another and relax, instead of worrying about deadlines and productivity. Giving employees a chance to unwind together promotes camaraderie and helps get everyone energized once they’re back in the office. 

There’s an art to planning corporate events like company retreats. Providing a combination of structured activities (like team-building exercises or games) and more free-form time, like a mixer party, will help ensure that everyone has a good time and benefits from the event. 

Promote Innovation 

When employees are caught up in their day-to-day responsibilities, they often don’t have time to chat with one another and come up with new ideas that could benefit the company. During meetings, there’s a lot of pressure to look good, and people can be reluctant to throw out new ideas because they feel self-conscious. 

During an event, however, there’s more opportunity for casual conversation and brainstorming. People will inevitably start talking about their projects and any challenges that are coming up at work. These events are the perfect setting for people to talk through these problems and come up with ideas for innovative solutions. 

Company-wide events will also bring people from different departments together. Because people in different departments have different perspectives and skills, conversations during these events can yield some fantastic cross-department collaborations, or at the very least, fresh eyes on an old problem that leads to a breakthrough. 

Increase Skills 

If you want to provide development opportunities, there are several ways to do so. Group events can be a great way to increase the skills of your workforce as a whole while providing opportunities for team-building. Events that provide employee development are generally better than self-study because they are more memorable and involve more active participation. 

Professional development events offer multiple benefits. Employees will gain or advance their skills, which benefits your organization by improving their ability to perform their job responsibilities or take on different tasks. It also helps to reduce turnover by giving employees new challenges and ways to feel fulfilled at work.  

Build Loyalty and Reduce Turnover 

Employees are more likely to stay in their current jobs if they are engaged and feel connected to their colleagues. Company events can help reduce turnover by strengthening team bonds and helping employees feel energized and excited about the work they’re doing. 

People will get bored if they’re doing the same thing, day after day. We’re not designed to stop developing. Events break up the daily routines and help prevent stagnation. Ultimately, successful events can help to reduce burnout and improve employee loyalty. 

Help People Feel Like They’re Part of Something Bigger 

Everyone has to make a living, but most people want more than just a paycheck for their work. They want to find meaning and fulfillment in their jobs. They don’t want to just go into work, do the bare minimum, and go home. They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger. 

If you host regular company events, you’ll help your employees feel like what they do matters. They will feel more engaged with the company values and understand how their contributions affect the success of the company. 

Events aren’t the only factor in engagement and development. However, they can be powerful tools for bringing teams together, improving retention, and getting people excited about what they’re contributing to the team. 

Make Development and Engagement Events an Ongoing Priority 

Every organization can benefit from developing and engaging employees. It’s impossible to grow and improve a business in the long term without an engaged and skilled workforce. Whether your team works in the office full-time, part-time, or is fully remote, ongoing events are critical for improving collaboration, preventing stagnation, and promoting better results. 

Employee loyalty is difficult to come by in today’s world. You’re not going to be able to keep all of your best people. However, with smart planning and a culture of hosting engaging events, it is possible to reduce turnover and create a team of loyal, hardworking people who will help the business grow.