A complete guide to setup your employee engagement calendar in 2023
An employee engagement calendar is more like a workplace magical spellbook for creating good vibes and enhancing productivity. In other words, the chamber of secrets helps you, the people leader or a manager, to keep your workforce motivated, energized, and excited to come to work.
How can they do that? Calendars are a great way to track employee engagement activities and measure employee engagement ideas over time. They provide a framework to track, measure, and increase employee engagement in a company.
HR calendars typically consist of activities, such as team-building activities, staff development programs, and employee recognition events throughout the office.
Each activity is assigned a number of points, which are then used to measure engagement levels. For example, if an employee participates in a team building activity, they would receive a certain number of points, which can then be used to measure their engagement.
In addition to tracking activities and engagement levels, HR calendars can also be used to set employee goals and objectives.
Employers may set a goal to increase employee engagement by a certain percentage within a certain period. The HR calendar can then be used to measure progress toward this goal.
Table of contents:-
- Benefits of establishing employee engagement calendars
- 5 Tips for keeping employee engagement calendars effective
- Best practices for promoting engagement through the calendar
- Types of activities and events to include on the employee engagement calendar
- How to create an effective engagement calendar?
- Conclusion
Benefits of establishing employee engagement calendars
With a bit more effort, your employee engagement calendar will help build a quality organizational culture, increase productivity, and keep the workforce engaged.
So without further ado, let's dig deeper into some crucial benefits you can achieve through employee engagement.
Regular communication
A well-planned HR calendar helps employers to communicate in a timely and consistent manner with their employees. It also helps to ensure that your workforce is aware of upcoming events and initiatives that may affect their work.
Employees can use the calendar to plan their own activities and evaluate their performance. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that expectations are clear.
Improved employee mental health
Employee engagement activities can help to reduce stress levels and improve overall mental health. When employees are involved in activities that promote team engagement, collaboration, and communication, they can work together to find solutions and learn from each other.
Improved performance
An engagement calendar can help employers track the progress of their employee engagement efforts, identify areas where improvements can be made in your company, and measure the impact of their efforts.
Employers can identify areas where employees may need additional training or support by tracking performance. This can lead to improved performance, which in turn can lead to better employee morale and productivity.
Increased employee retention
Employee engagement is an important factor in employee retention. A well-planned HR calendar can help employers encourage employees to feel valued and appreciated.
This random act of kindness also helps employers recognize employees for their contributions and show that they care about them. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and improved employee morale, which can lead to increased retention.
Increased employee satisfaction
An HR calendar can help employers to create a company environment where employees are valued and appreciated.
When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to be satisfied with their job and less likely to look for other opportunities. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and improved employee morale
Better teamwork
Employee engagement activities can create a sense of spirit among the workforce. It can foster collaboration and cooperation, which can lead to better teamwork and more effective problem-solving.
By engaging employees in meaningful activities, employers can create an environment where employees are connected and supported.
Stronger company culture
A strong company culture is an essential part of any successful business. An engagement calendar can help employers create a culture conducive to employee engagement and satisfaction.
By planning and promoting meaningful activities, employers can create an environment where employees are supported and valued. This can lead to a strong sense of community and a shared commitment to the company’s success.
Improved employee morale
Employee engagement activities can help to improve employee morale. By recognizing your workforce for their contributions and showing that they care about their employees, employers can create an environment where your workforce feels supported and appreciated. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and improved morale.
Increased productivity
Engaged employees are more productive. When employees are appreciated and supported, they are more likely to be motivated to do their best work.
An HR calendar can help employers to create an environment where employees are valued and motivated to do their best work. This can lead to increased productivity and improved performance.
5 Tips for keeping employee engagement calendars effective
- Make it relevant - The HR calendar should be tailored to your organization’s unique culture, values, and goals. It should reflect the company’s current initiatives and needs.
- Get input - Get input from employees when creating the calendar. This will help ensure that events are relevant and engaging.
- Be flexible - Be flexible when it comes to scheduling and planning. Consider how events may need to be adjusted due to external factors such as the weather, holidays, or staff availability.
- Utilize technology - Utilize technology such as online calendars and communication tools to help keep employees informed and engaged.
5. Measure results - Measure the results of events and activities to ensure that they are having the desired impact. This will help identify what is working in your company and what needs to be changed.
Best practices for promoting engagement through the calendar
- Utilize automated reminders: Automated reminders are a great way to ensure that your teams or customers are reminded of events, meetings, and other activities. This can help boost engagement and ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Create personalized messages: Personalized messages can help to make your calendar events stand out and attract more attention. You can include specific details about the event or meeting, such as the location, time, and agenda.
- Leverage social media: Social media is an effective tool for promoting events and activities on the calendar. You can share event reminders and updates on social channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
- Add visuals: Visuals are a great way to draw attention to calendar events. You can include images, videos, and infographics to make your calendar events more engaging.
- Host contests or giveaways: Contests and giveaways can help to increase engagement with your calendar events. You can offer prizes for attending or participating in events or for sharing calendar events on social media.
- Make it easy to share: Make it easy for your staff and customers to share events on their own social media accounts. This helps spread the word about your calendar events and increase engagement.
Types of activities and events to include on the employee engagement calendar
Here are some of the types of office activities and events to consider for inclusion on an engagement calendar.
Team-building activities
Team-building activities are essential in fostering better relationships and collaboration between employees. These activities range from simple exercises like icebreakers to more complex activities requiring problem-solving skills. Team-building activities help break down barriers, strengthen relationships between your workforce, and foster employee communication throughout your company.
It can also be an opportunity for employees to showcase their random act of kindness. The random act can be anything; it can also help with employee stress, employee satisfaction, or gathering local charity for the nearby local children's hospital. And you can name them "act of kindness day."
Celebrate International day
International day can help boost employee engagement by making employees feel valued and appreciated. These key dates can take the form of team-building activities, fun, lunches, or even a casual dress day.
And are a great way to create a fun, relaxing atmosphere in the organization or even local park and help to promote employee morale.
The good thing about celebrating key dates is that the day can be anything like international women's day, international coffee day, world health day, kindness day, computer day, innovation day, world cancer day, national trivia day, national pizza day, nation clean day, earth day, groundhog day, independence day, or even bagel day.
Workplace celebrations are only limited to our imagination; it can be an office potluck, Chris-ma Chris child, a joke day (where every employee gets to display their best joke), or even creating a book club; everything is fun when you have an engaged workforce.
Employee appreciation day
Employee appreciation day is an opportunity for employers to show their appreciation and gratitude for their employees. It helps to boost morale, increase motivation and loyalty, and can result in higher job satisfaction and productivity.
It is also a great way to recognize employees for their hard work, dedication, and individual contributions to the workforce and company.
Professional development opportunities
Professional development opportunities are a great way to encourage employees with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their current roles and prepare them for future opportunities. These activities can include seminars, workshops, and classes on topics related to their job duties.
Mental health awareness month
Mental health awareness month can help to educate people about mental health, reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and promote conversations about mental health. It can also provide resources to those struggling with mental health issues and help raise funds for mental health research and services.
Social events
Social events are a great way to build relationships between employees and foster a sense of community. These activities range from lunches and dinners to happy hours and game nights.
Encourage employees
Recognition programs are a great way to show employees that their hard work and contributions are appreciated. These programs can include awards for employees on their work anniversaries, who demonstrate exemplary performance, or for team members collaborating on a successful project.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and build relationships between employees. Companies can organize group volunteer activities or allow employees to take part in fun, individual volunteer efforts.
Health and wellness activities
Health and wellness activities are the top priorities for promoting a positive work-life balance. These activities can range from yoga classes to nutrition seminars to fitness challenges.
Learning opportunities
Learning opportunities are a great way to provide employees with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their current roles and prepare them for future opportunities. These activities can include webinars, seminars, and workshops on topics related to their job duties.
Outings
Outings are a great way to provide employees with a break from the office and build relationships between employees. These activities can range from picnics and bowling to hikes and camping trips.
These are just a few of the types of activities and events to consider for inclusion on an HR calendar.
With the right activities and events, an engagement calendar can help foster better relationships, collaboration, and communication between employees.
How to create an effective engagement calendar?
An engagement calendar is a great way to ensure that your team is motivated and engaged. Here are seven steps to creating an effective employee engagement calendar:
- Set SMART goals: Before creating your calendar, set SMART goals to ensure that it helps your workforce reach their desired objectives. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
- Research employee interests: Talk to your employees and find out what activities they’d like to do together. This will help you create a calendar that caters to their interests.
- Create a schedule: Create a schedule that works for everyone. Ensure you include enough time for the planned activities and stick with them.
- Involve employees in the planning process: Involve your employees in the planning process. They would be more likely to participate in activities if they had a hand in planning them.
- Promote the calendar: Once you’ve created the calendar, promote it to your workforce. You can do this through email, posters, or even team meetings.
- Track progress: Keep track of how well the activities are going. This will allow you to make changes and ensure that everyone is engaged.
- Celebrate success: Celebrate the successes of your workforce. Acknowledging their accomplishments will help keep them motivated and engaged.
By following these steps, you can create an effective calendar to help your team reach its goals.
Conclusion
You, a people leader, must focus on employee engagement, as engaged employees are more productive, motivated, and loyal to the organization.
But you can't make sure that your employees are engaged in their workplace. It's a two-way process that requires their input as well. So, listen to your employees, understand their needs, make them feel heard, and provide a supportive and collaborative environment where they should be excited to show up.
Creating a workplace HR calendar is a great way to ensure that the workplace is engaged and part of a successful team. This helps create a collaborative culture and encourages employees to take the initiative and develop new ideas.
Here's where CultureMonkey understands and thrives on helping you build an engaged workplace and a positive company culture.
Send your employees CultureMonkey's employee engagement surveys, employees’ pulse score, and employee life cycle surveys to enhance your operations with the collective feedback from your employees.
At CultureMonkey, we help companies enrich their company culture by providing an easy-to-use dashboard to share regular feedback, recognize achievement, and create a collaborative work environment.
Contact us to book a demo on how we can help you enhance your workplace.