The term employee engagement is thrown around so loosely nowadays that it has lost much of its meaning.

Many organizations talk about employee engagement as a program — something they squeeze out of their annual budgets to check off some box they’ve been tasked with from the powers that be.

And don’t get me wrong, some of the perks that HR offers with their employee engagement programs can be great. For more info on the ones your employees want, check out the Top 6 Company Perks to Consider for your Talent.

But these types of perks are now becoming so common that employees almost expect them, and they’re no longer serving as a major motivator of engagement.

The best organizations, the ones who continuously see ROI from their employee engagement programs, have 2 key elements:
1. They use learning and development as a key motivator
2. They personalize their recognition

The key to not having the same old boring engagement program is enabling your employees and empowering them with skills and competencies needed to excel in their role and grow in their future.

Why do employees want learning opportunities? When you provide your employees with learning they feel acknowledged and they feel connected to your company’s growth and vision. When you invest in your employees, they will want to invest their motivation and energy back in to your organization. This sense of purpose motivates them to feel part of something bigger than themselves. Watch this quick video for more information on

Next, you must recognize and reward them in a personalized way. This means getting to know your employees, and asking them how they want to be engaged and recognized. Build rapport with your employees — this allows you to understand what motivates and drives them and to personalize their employee experience. When you truly know them and what they want, you can acknowledge and recognize them in a personalized way, which will make them feel visible and valued. Recognition can range from monetary rewards, extra vacation time, or be as simple as looking them in the eye and giving them an authentic, personalized “thank you”.

The keys to perking up that boring engagement program is with personalized recognition and enabling your employees with learning and development. What kind of recognition resonates best with you? Share in the comments below!

From Global Engagement Solutions.