How does employee engagement impact a company’s culture?
Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is characterized by the level of involvement an employee has with his organization at a macro level and with his job responsibilities and duties at the micro level. The more an employee is committed to his tasks, takes onus for his job and conducts his key responsibilities with passion and enthusiasm, the better it is for the organization, provided the duties being performed by the employee is in the larger interest in the achievement of the organizational goals. Higher the motivation and the enthusiasm levels, greater will be their participation and productivity in fulfilment of team and business objectives and lesser will be the absenteeism and attrition rates. This helps sets a positive organizational a culture that attracts other qualified people from the industry to join the organization while strengthening the loyalty of internal and external stakeholders.
Here are some employee engagement activities that can help in motivating individuals to give their best to their professional commitments and help create an outstanding company culture.
1. Pyramid Building
A true example of the effectual use of the resources at hand and manage a project professionally, this game involves building up of a giant pyramid. An interesting team activity that can be conducted, both indoors and outdoors, it does not require too much preparation in advance and can be arranged for on an impromptu basis too. All the employees are divided into various teams and each team is provided with similar basic materials using which the pyramid must be made. Each team is also facilitated with a construction plan that they need to follow while making the pyramid. After the pyramid has been made, teams are asked to decorate it with their choice of colours, texts, graphics and drawings, while keeping it aligned with the company’s vision and mission. Finally, each individual pyramid is conjoined with the next to form a gigantic pyramid.
Not only does this activity focus on teamwork, bonding and working as a collaborative team, it also highlights key team parameters like decision making and leadership skills.
2. The Drum Jam Session
A perfect icebreaker and motivator, this activity focuses on individuals rather than a team. The purpose is to encourage employees to step out of their inhibitions and prejudices and challenge their own limitations, take the onus and work in complete sync with others. Each member, in this case, is handed over a Djembe music instrument that is a percussion drum that needs to be beaten by the hand. Even if employees are not confident in the beginning, their pent-up energies are let loose as the tempo rises. With each rhythmic beat of the drum, the passion levels multiply and finally by the end of the activity, all individual members are at very high energy levels and motivated that leads to better team bonding and high productivity levels.
A great stress release, this activity helps employees’ bond with their team members at a professional and personal level thereby creating a great collaborative workforce. With enthusiasm and motivation running high, this leads to better employee engagement and thereby laying the foundation to an envious corporate culture.
3. Beatbox challenge
Beatbox is the art of making sound from the mouth. Beat-boxers can mimic the sound that drums generate. The beat-box challenge becomes interesting because this is not something that most of us indulge in daily. Hence the challenge provides a good opportunity for employees to learn a new art and who knows if this really interests them, they can go onto take it up a hobby. Trained beatboxers are assigned to different teams teaching the members the art of making sounds. Once the basic sound making art is perfected, the group is now taught different beats. With different groups having learnt a few beat-boxes sounds they perform together rhythmically serving as a great stressbuster and icebreaker.
With great sound and music in the background, it forms a great stimulus for the participants to work together as a well-bonded team. It is a great motivator that encourages employees to shed their shyness and self-consciousness, creating elevated levels of enthusiasm and interest in employees that is extremely vital for enhanced employee engagement and inspiring corporate culture.
4. Footloose
Another participatory team activity, this dance session is good not only for people who are interested in dance but it also serves as a good platform for the non-dancers to pick up some good steps. The dance sessions are facilitator-led where the big group is divided into two smaller groups. These teams are then taught few easy-to-grasp steps ensuring that every team member can perform the moves in coordination with that of the other team members. What makes the activity extremely interesting is that the dance moves can pull out people from their comfort zones and let themselves loose. With each member following the steps to perfection, the passion and fervour rise till everybody is at high motivated levels. At the end of the activity, both teams are required to perform their steps in front of the other making it competitive too.
With zeal comes to the spirit to perform the best that is a good basis for enhancing the corporate culture.
5. Rod Bending
An interesting team building activity that requires extreme commitment and involvement, this is a serious activity that involves individual team members to give away their fears. On the face of it, the activity looks difficult. But if it is done by following the steps thoroughly, it can result in elevated energy and enthusiasm levels in participants. Two team members need to stand facing each other at a distance. A bendable rod needs to be balanced by both at the nape of their neck. As the facilitator starts to count, the participants need to start moving towards one another and finally come completely close to each other. In the process, the rod starts to bend and finally bends off completely from the centre.
This is an exhilarating experience encouraging people to build their self-belief and trust in their partner. It sets the right example for synchronized work helping people give up their fears and go beyond their limitations to work as a team for the achievement of organizational goals.
For more interesting team building activities, employee engagement program, corporate event, etc. visit, Trebound.
