A study by Gallup found that companies with engaged employees are 21% more profitable, plus engaged employees are 3 times more likely to stay with their employer – which could save thousands on re-hiring and training fees.
So it’s clear that improving employee engagement is a good thing, but first things first:
What Actually Is Employee Engagement?
The term employee engagement goes by a few different descriptions depending on who you speak to:
- Quantum Workplace defines employee engagement as “the strength of the mental and emotional connection employees feel toward their places of work“.
- Willis Towers Watson defines employee engagement as “employees’ willingness and ability to contribute to company success“.
However, all the definitions point to employees feeling a sense of purpose at the company with a desire for it to succeed.
How to increase employee engagement with virtual company events
Promote networking opportunities
Whether you are hosting a virtual cocktail making class or an online wine tasting experience, time should always be allocated so that attendees can meet one another and have small talk. This is a great opportunity for managers and supervisors to develop personal connections with their teams.
We recommend keeping the meeting link open for as long as possible after the event, or when it’s not feasible make sure there is a plan to allow conversations to continue elsewhere.
Personalise it
Sometimes the smallest gestures can make the biggest impact and something as simple as a personalised note can really make someone’s day.
With our masterclass format experiences, we offer organisers the ability to include a personalised certificate of accomplishment in their delivered package. Meant as just a bit of fun, this certificate gives you the chance to include a personal message highlighting the work they have done. But, we can also include a custom note or even a Christmas card in any of our experiences that involve tools or materials being delivered.
Encourage participation
Icebreakers can help some people come out of their shells, but without a good reason to get stuck in it can be easy for everyone to be quiet. To encourage participation by asking the group for their opinions and thoughts.
During our cocktail making classes we offered organisers the option to include a DIY cocktail module, where we supplied the basic ingredients for a cocktail but asked the guests to raid their cupboards for an interesting ingredient. This gave us a reason to go around the group and ask why they chose that ingredient and in some cases, why they even had that in the first place.
These methods for increasing employee engagement during virtual events might seem obvious to some, but can be easily forgotten about.
If you have any questions about employee engagement, virtual events or want to see what we can do for you, please get in touch, we would love to help.