Employee Engagement Programs

I’ve interviewed more millionaires than I can count. I always ask them to share their lessons on creating a world-class company culture. Here's what they told me: 1. Your Values = Your Compass Your values are your organization's DNA. They guide decision-making, shape behavior, and create a shared sense of purpose. Communicate them clearly and consistently. Embrace your values. Eliminate decision fatigue. 2. Build Bulletproof Relationships • Encourage collaboration and teamwork • Foster a sense of community and belonging • Create opportunities for social connection and fun The strength of the team is each member. The strength of each member is the team. 3. Demonstrate. Don’t Dictate. As a founder or leader, your actions set the tone. • Embody integrity, empathy, and a strong work ethic • Model the behaviors and attitudes you want to see in your team As the leader goes, so goes the team. 4. Tap Into the Diverse Talents Within Your Team Build teams with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This drives out-of-the-box thinking. Create a culture where everyone feels they can contribute. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. 5. Employee Wellbeing Matters Invest in: • A healthy workplace • Work-life balance • Mental health support When you take care of your people, they take care of your business. 6. Engage Your Team on A Deep Level • Listen actively • Foster open communication • Create space for honest feedback • Give them challenging, meaningful work  • Provide opportunities for growth and development Culture is what motivates and retains talented employees. 7. Rinse. Refine. Repeat Adapt your culture as your company grows and evolves. Stay agile and responsive to your team's needs. Regularly assess employee engagement and satisfaction. Seek feedback and ideas for improvement. What gets measured, gets done. 8. Invest In Your Culture. It Will Pay Dividends A strong, positive culture attracts top talent and boosts performance. It's your competitive advantage in a world where skilled workers have countless options. To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace. 9. Building a Great Culture Isn't Rocket Science, But it Does Require Intention It takes time and effort, but it's worth it. Start by defining your values, focusing on engagement, and leading by example. Culture-building is an ongoing process, not a one-time initiative. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Ready to implement the systems to retain top talent and create teams that operate at the highest level? Get the complete framework here: https://lnkd.in/efa-yHgP

Let’s face it - current headlines spell a recipe for employee stress. Raging inflation, recession worries, international strife, social justice issues, and overall uncertainty pile onto already full work plates. As business leaders, keeping teams motivated despite swirling fears matters more than ever. Here are 5 strategies I lean into to curb burnout and boost morale during turbulent times: 1. Overcommunicate Context and Vision: Proactively address concerns through radical transparency and big picture framing. Our SOP is to hold quarterly all hands and monthly meetings grouped by level cohort and ramp up fireside chats and written memos when there are big changes happening. 2. Enable Flexibility and Choice: Where Possible Empower work-life balance and self-care priorities based on individuals’ needs. This includes our remote work policy and implementing employee engagement tools like Lattice to track feedback loops. 3. Spotlight Impact Through Community Stories: Connect employees to end customers and purpose beyond daily tasks. We leveled up on this over the past 2 years. We provide paid volunteer days to our employees and our People Operations team actively connects our employees with opportunities in their region or remotely to get involved monthly. Recently we added highlighting the social impact by our employees into our internal communications plan. 4. Incentivize Cross-Collaboration: Reduce silos by rewarding team-wide contributions outside core roles. We’ve increased cross team retreats and trainings to spark fresh connections as our employee base grows. 5. Celebrate the Humanity: Profile your employee’s talents beyond work through content spotlight segments. We can’t control the market we operate in, but as leaders we can make an impact on how we foster better collaboration to tackle the headwinds. Keeping spirits and productivity intact requires acknowledging modern anxieties directly while sustaining focus on goals ahead. Reminding your teams why the work matters and that they are valued beyond output unlocks loyalty despite swirling worries. What tactics succeeded at boosting team morale and preventing burnout spikes within your company amidst current volatility?

After 15 years of managing teams, here's the framework I use to turn awkward 1:1s into sessions my team actually looks forward to: 1) Start on a high “What was your biggest win this month?” This isn't just feel-good fluff. When team members know I'll ask this question, they spend the entire month working toward wins we can celebrate together. If someone can’t name a win, that’s data. Now I know where to support. 2) Move to challenges “What’s been your biggest challenge lately?” or “What’s keeping you up at night?” Let them bring up the tough stuff first. You shift from a “me vs. you” vibe to a “we’ll solve it together” mindset. 3) Open the door “Tell me about you. How’s everything going?” This invites what doesn’t fit neatly on a status report: schedule needs, personal context, unspoken worries. Bonus questions I keep in my back pocket: • "How do you feel the team is doing?" • "Which team members do you wish you had more connection with?" • "What are your goals for this month?" • "How can I support you in growing toward those goals?" I conclude the call with a meta-question most managers skip: “What do you wish I asked you more often?” I learn whether they want more help on productivity, learning, career path, or just time to think together. These questions aren't scripts. They're starting points for real conversations. What's your go-to question for connecting with your team?

There's no "right" policy when it comes to workplace flexibility. As HBS prof Prithwiraj Choudhury put it last week at Charter, "I've seen good #hybrid, bad hybrid and great hybrid." Having talked with executives at hundreds of companies about this topic, there's one factor that does drive whether you're successful or not: Are you investing in figuring out the right answers for your company, and to a path of continuous improvement? Simplistic approaches don't work, regardless of where you put them on a spectrum. There's ample evidence of the drawbacks to mandates. And as Frances Frei put it last week, "mandates are a leadership action of last resort." But individual free-for-alls also don't work. The collaboration tax faced by people whose leaders aren't trained to help them figure it out, or spaces that are no longer fit for purpose, is too high. I talked with leaders yesterday at two companies that externally appear to be at opposite ends: one is virtual-first with quarterly gatherings, the other has everyone coming in 3-4 days a week. They've both got it right, for their organizations. Here's what they, and a number of others, have in common: 🔸 Aligned talent strategy and workplace guidelines. You can't tell an organization of distributed teams to march back into separate offices. 🔸 Investments in redesigned spaces, travel for getting teams together, training and support for leaders to find the right cadences at function and team levels. 🔸 Experimenting, iterating and measuring results. Metrics against space utilization, team performance, employee engagement and turnover (hard work!) 🔸 Senior teams sitting across People, Workplace and Tech to align their efforts, run pilots and share with executives what's working, and what's not! Innovation isn't just external, it has to be internal. The needs of organizations and teams inside them are unique. The muscles you build around experimenting with new ways of working around #flexibility are the same ones you'll need to adapt to #GenAI. If you want to get the most out of your employees, engaging them in finding better solutions is a better path forward. #FutureOfWork #hybridwork #remotework #leadership

Forget top-down mandates. Real business agility comes from unleashing the innovators within your organization. Over the years at Make, we have spent a lot of time with our customers. Many of them disrupting their industry with new digital first business models. In these conversations, we consistently come across a certain mindset in people using our technology. They are re-thinking how to operate, re-imagining their business. These innovators are the ones driving real change, enabling businesses to stay nimble and agile. Those people are the ones making the difference, empowering them is the key to achieving business agility. So today, let me share with you a recipe that includes what we believe are the key ingredients to unlock this potential in your organization. First, there is the WILL. It’s the drive to innovate. This one is about the mindset. It’s the belief that they can solve and overcome any challenge. Fundamentally it’s their urge to discover, to persevere and to make breakthroughs. And you can impact this by inspiring them. By celebrating those who drive change. By showcasing where transformative solutions like visual automation, AI agents or no-code tools can be used to overcome day-to-day business challenges. It’s about inspiring people through use cases and success stories - to motivate people to achieve more of their own potential. Second, there is the SKILL. People’s ability to drive innovation. Whether people have a highly technical background or are self-taught doesn’t matter. It’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning and adoption of new technology. It’s about allowing your people to spend time on acquiring new skills to drive change, and to reinforce it with supporting these learning opportunities. And third, it’s about your business ENVIRONMENT. The organization around the individual, strengthening the innovators. The right environment is about promoting a culture of innovation, experimentation. Empower individuals. Let them fail fast and iterate. Allow them to challenge the status quo and embrace change. If you bring those ingredients together, you are creating a sweet spot. You are setting yourself up for making business agility a reality.  So, don’t wait for innovation to find you. Start to transform your business by impacting those three aspects for the innovators in your team. What steps are you taking to foster innovation in your company? #businessagility #nocode #automation 

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

A yoga mat ain’t going to cut it. People are stressed out. And according to Gallup’s latest report 41% of employees report experiencing “a lot of stress.” And it doesn’t matter how many mindfulness apps you throw at it, they’re not going to fix poor management or the fact that people don’t have what they need to get their jobs done. There isn't a one-size-fits all solution to reducing stress, as it can vary depending on how an organisation is setup and how people get stuff done on a daily basis. But with us spending an estimated 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime, we need some series stress-busting strategies to shift these worrying statistics. So, where to start? From our extensive research and experience with over 100 organisations, we've identified the following core principles that need to be in place for people to feel engaged, motivated and happy in their work. They are: 1️⃣ Alignment: Clearly defined purpose, values and strategic goals embedded across the employee experience. 2️⃣ Appreciation: Regular recognition of individual and team contributions through meaningful praise, gratitude, and rewards. 3️⃣ Belonging: A deep sense of acceptance, celebrating diversity and providing equal access to opportunities and resources. 4️⃣ Communication: Consistent communication with documented rituals and processes for timely and accessible information transfer. 5️⃣ Empowerment: Support, systems, structure, and tools that enable teams and individuals to be productive, make decisions, and work autonomously. 6️⃣ Flexibility: Choice and adaptability in work methods to accommodate individual needs and optimise productivity. 7️⃣ Growth mindset: A shared belief that individuals can grow and improve their skills through hard work, testing new ideas, and sharing learning opportunities. 8️⃣ Play: Regular opportunities for fun and creative activities with peers to facilitate social connections and trust. 9️⃣ Psychological safety: A belief that people won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. 🔟 Wellbeing: Prioritising physical, emotional, social, environmental, intellectual, and financial health. So it's time to pop the yoga mats away, and think about how you can start to reinforce these these principles into your daily practices, and create a workplace where people feel seen, valued and supported. Got some stress-busting strategies to share? Let us know in the comments so that we can collectively design kinder, fairer, better designed companies. Not sure where to get started? We’ve got stacks of resources over on our journal pages, check out the links in the comments 👇 #CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Wellbeing

We've all seen them: those generic work excuse notes. Here's the thing: they often fall short of what employees truly need. What if we offered more than just a piece of paper? Here's how companies can truly support their teams facing life challenges: ⚫ Family Loss: Going through a loss? A few days off isn't enough. Offer extended leave and a flexible return plan to ease the transition back to work. ⚫ Miscarriage: This isn't just a physical issue. Provide generous leave, access to grief counseling, and understanding during this difficult time. ⚫ Child's Hospitalization: Medical bills don't disappear with a get-well card. Consider extending healthcare support and covering unexpected costs. ⚫ Chronic Illness: "Feel better" just doesn't cut it. Offer ongoing adjustments to work roles and schedules to create a sustainable work environment for employees with chronic health conditions. ⚫ Financial Stress: Financial worries are a heavy burden. Explore emergency financial assistance and flexible pay options to alleviate some of the pressure. ⚫ Burnout: A quick break isn't a solution. Offer mandatory time off, access to wellness resources, and address the root causes of burnout to prevent future issues. ⚫ Workplace Bullying: Policies are a start, but take action! Enforce strict anti-bullying rules to create a safe and respectful work environment. ⚫ Returning Parents: Re-entry is hard. Support them with a gradual return schedule and flexible hours to help them adjust. ⚫ Injury Recovery: Focus on security, not just recovery. Protect their job and adjust duties as needed to ensure a smooth return to work. ⚫ Caring for a Sick Child: Shouldn't be a choice between family and work. Offer guaranteed leave with job security to alleviate stress and allow them to focus on their child's well-being. ⚫ Eldercare: Taking care of aging parents takes time. Show flexibility and understanding towards their eldercare responsibilities. ⚫ Mental Exhaustion: Rest isn't enough. Offer structured mental health breaks and support programs to manage stress and promote emotional well-being. ⚫ Personal Trauma: Healing requires support. Provide access to professional therapists and recovery groups to help employees navigate difficult experiences. ⚫ Disability Needs: Accessibility is more than ramps. Regularly assess and adjust the workspace to meet individual needs and ensure everyone can thrive. ⚫ Workplace Safety: Safety isn't an afterthought. Implement and enforce strong safety measures to prevent injuries in the first place. We can do better than shuffling paperwork. Let's stand by our teams, not just oversee them. By prioritizing employee well-being over policies, we create a win-win situation for everyone. A happy, healthy, and supported workforce is a productive and successful workforce. What are your thoughts on supporting employees through life challenges? Share your experiences in the comments! #empathy #worklifebalance

Hybrid work sounds great on paper, but the reality? It often brings a whole new set of challenges that leave employees feeling disconnected, over-scheduled, and constantly multitasking, and individual focus lies on responding quickly rather than good. no wonder many people think of shifting jobs. The very top of the list of frustrations right now for the many: 1. The frustration of constant meetings: You’ve got important work to do, but meetings are scattered throughout the day, leaving no room for deep, focused work. And I mean it: No room. 2. Collaboration chaos: It’s a mix of Teams/Slack messages, email threads, and status meetings, but things still slip through the cracks. Death by information by text messages, whatsapp, email, LinkedIn, Yammer, Teams, Social Media. Literally drowning. 3. Uninspiring meetings: Most of the time, meetings feel like they’re wasting 90% of your time – one person talks while the rest silently check out. It could have been an email 80%. • • • It doesn’t have to be this way. Here’s how to make hybrid work, work: 1️⃣ Create time to get sh!t done. The old way: Cram important work around endless back to back meetings. The new way: Focus time takes priority over meetings. Block time in your calendar for meaningful, uninterrupted, distraction less work. 2️⃣ Collaborate (mostly) asynchronously. The old way: Endless status meetings and Teams channels overload. The new way: Use short video clips and/or goal-tracking apps for asynchronous updates, cutting down the need for real-time check-ins. Yes, this is a real thing 😃. 3️⃣ Make meetings exciting again. The old way: One person dominates, and everyone tunes out. Maybe managing emails meanwhile? The new way: Center meetings around a shared presentation or document. Everyone reviews and comments silently before, then dives into discussion. Every meeting should move the work forward. Avoid what I call archipelago work. • • • Hybrid work doesn’t have to be a drain. It can drive innovation – when done right. How are you rethinking your hybrid work strategy? #FutureOfWork