Fun, fast and funky ways to inspire employee engagement

Back at work all refreshed and full of energy after a bank holiday break (well the energy might be down to the sugar buzz from all those Easter chocolates!) I find myself wondering how to maintain this new found enthusiasm and energy.

So rather than citing the latest numbers on staff engagement, I thought I would share some of the more fun and slightly crazy ideas we have come across for sparking engagement within organisations.

Make a movie

Give teams the equipment they need to make a ten-minute movie of their working day.  Ask them to focus on what goes well and what doesn’t go so well. Collect all the films together and make a show reel. Show the single film at local events – along with popcorn and hot dogs!

This exercise can be used to hold a mirror up to the organisation and encourage dialogue on those things that go well and not so well within the organisations, as well as flag up any barriers to work.

Hold a no shoes day!

As staff come to the office ask them to take off their shoes for the day. One word of caution – we would advise that this exercise is undertaken in appropriate circumstances.

Ok this might be one of the more ‘funky’ ideas! But the effectiveness of this idea lies in its simplicity. Sometimes a small change in the routine can be as effective and unsettling as a full-scale change. The aim of this exercise is to open employee’s minds to new perspectives and encourage innovation – as they are thrown out of their usual routine and comfort zone.

Recruit a DJ

Many of us listen to music in the office or on the shop floor. For most of us this is not a shared experience, just listening on the iPod, or we don’t get to influence what we are listening to. Why not just for the day share our music preferences, encourage employees to send in their music requests and then recruit a DJ to play the requests throughout the workday – in the office or on the shop floor. This can be great talking point and help build relationships, as well as livening up the atmosphere!

Forget-me-not

McDonalds send leavers a pack of forget-me-not flower seeds, encouraging them to return and reinforcing the idea of staying loyal to the company even after leaving.

You don’t need to limit simple gestures to leavers, on a hot summers day deliver ice cream to staff and on cold days give cups of hot soup to people as they leave work.

People better engage with small things

Keep these surprises flowing, as research shows that people tend to be more appreciative and so better engage, with the immediacy and relevance of small things above bigger less personal exercises.

Try thinking of a few exercises and ideas that amplify and reinforce positive aspects of your business’ personality.

We would love to hear any of the simple but effective ideas you have used or come across for inspiring engagement within organisations.  Call us on 01255 850051 or email us to find out more about our approach to employee engagement.