Jumpstart Employee Engagement Activity Planning Ideas

As an HR manager, you know that conducting an employee engagement activity is integral to the success of your company and the satisfaction of your people. You also understand that keeping employees engaged isn’t always easy. After all, it’s not just a one-and-done type of thing. It’s an ongoing process that requires careful thought, planning, and implementation if it is to be successful.

Luckily, there are plenty of activity ideas out there for you to plan for and create in order to get employees engaged. From team-building games to happy hours and everything in between, there’s bound to be something that catches everyone’s interest (or at least piques their curiosity).

In this article, we’ll cover how HR Managers can use activities as a way to jumpstart employee engagement. By the end of this post, you’ll have plenty of creative ideas up your sleeve to help get your team involved in something they actually like – which we all know is essential to success!

Planning Activities to Engage Employees

You know how important it is to engage your employees, but developing activities that truly motivate them can be a challenge. The good news is that you have the potential to create activities that go beyond quick wins and give your team long-lasting engagement.

When planning activities to engage employees, here are some key things to keep in mind:

• Be creative and try different types of activities – from team building exercises and social events, to volunteering opportunities and virtual meetings/events.
• Take feedback from your team on what kind of activities they would like.
• Find ways for employees to share their knowledge and skills with each other, as well as learn from each other.
• Organize activities in a way where everyone can participate, regardless of location, job role or seniority level.
• Reward participation in the form of recognition or tangible rewards like vouchers and prizes.

Make sure each activity has an aim that reflects your team’s overall goals—and goes beyond simply increasing productivity or profits. Engaging your team requires understanding their needs and interests, while also creating an environment that encourages collaboration and appreciation.

Ideas for Virtual Team Building Activities

It’s a well-known fact that workplace engagement leads to higher productivity, morale and increased job satisfaction. But what are some of the practical ways you as an HR professional can help achieve this? Enter Virtual Team Building Activities!

Virtual team building activities offer an engaging way for your team members to get to know one another, create camaraderie and have a bit of fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Trivia competitions – provide some fun trivia questions and encourage teams to answer the questions together.
• Virtual scavenger hunts – create various tasks or challenges for your team members and reward them upon successful completion.
• Online movie screenings – find an online movie with a great message about teamwork or resilience, watch it together, then have a discussion about it afterwards.
• Game nights – host theme nights with rotating games such as virtual charades or jeopardy.

Get Creative With Outdoor Activities

Do you want to get creative with outdoor activities to jumpstart employee engagement? Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Trips and outings

Organize a group outing or a trip to a nearby landmark or nature spot. Give your team the opportunity to explore someplace new and make lasting memories. Trips and outings can be used as a reward for hard work or just as an opportunity to bond with one another in a new setting.

Team-building activities

Employee engagement is crucial for the success of any business. While many companies prioritize customer satisfaction, it’s important not to neglect the needs of your employees. After all, they are your greatest asset. To foster a strong team, it’s important to incorporate team-building activities into your company culture. These activities can boost morale, productivity, and communication among employees, ultimately leading to increased success and profitability for your business. So, whether it’s a company retreat, team-building exercises, or regular social events, investing in your employees is always a wise choice.

Outdoor sports games

Outdoor sports games are a great way to get employees active and working together. From flag football to basketball to soccer, these activities promote teamwork, build relationships, and provide a fun break from the daily grind. By encouraging employees to participate in these activities, you can boost morale and create a more cohesive team.

Incorporate Volunteer Work in Your Plan

If you’re looking for an activity that will inspire your team and build their sense of purpose, why not consider incorporating volunteer work into your plan? Not only does this provide a great opportunity for colleagues to come together and help others, it can also be incredibly powerful in terms of forging meaningful relationships and creating a shared sense of purpose.

There are many great ways to get involved in volunteer work. Here are just a few ideas:

Local Neighborhood or Coastal Clean up

Improper waste disposal and littering are major environmental concerns that affect both wildlife and communities. To combat this issue, organizing a local neighborhood or beach clean-up can make a significant impact. Not only does it help to improve the environment and property values, but it also provides a team-building opportunity for groups to work together towards a common goal. By giving back to the community and promoting environmental responsibility, clean-up events can bring people together and make a positive difference.

Tree Planting

Engaging employees in outdoor team-building activities can be a great way to boost morale and foster a sense of community. One activity that can be both fun and impactful is planting trees. By partnering with a local organization, your team can contribute to creating more green spaces in your community, while also helping to reduce climate change, purify the air, provide habitats for wildlife, fight soil erosion, and offer cooling shade. Not only will your team feel a sense of satisfaction from their efforts, but they will also bond over the shared experience of making a positive impact on the environment.

Care Packages

Engage your employees by organizing a care package drive for local homeless shelters. Encourage your team to bring in items like non-perishable food, toiletries, and clothing to create care packages for those in need. This not only helps the community, but also fosters a sense of teamwork and giving back among your employees.

Soup Kitchen

One way to engage employees is by volunteering at a local soup kitchen to help provide hot meals to those in need. Not only will your team be making a positive impact on the community, but they will also bond over the shared experience of helping others. This type of activity can create a sense of purpose and fulfillment that goes beyond monetary rewards.

Mentorship Programs

Engaging employees in activities that give back to the community not only benefits the organization but also helps employees build their skills and confidence. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is a great way to give back, but employees can also share their expertise for a good cause. For example, a graphic designer can design brochures for a non-profit organization’s fundraiser, or a help desk employee can provide computer training to a charity that may not have access to an IT professional. These activities not only make a positive impact on the community but also provide employees with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Fundraising activities

One of the activities to engage employees is by organizing fundraising activities. Running races or baking competitions are great options that not only bring employees together but also raise money for charities and organizations that support important causes. By participating in these activities, employees can feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment while also building camaraderie with their colleagues.

Volunteer work is a great way to jumpstart employee engagement, while also making a positive impact on your local community. It’s real-life proof that when we work together we are capable of achieving amazing things!

Mix It Up With Online Activities

If you’re looking for ways to mix things up and shake-up your regular activities, then you might want to consider adding some online activities to the rotation. Online activities have the added benefit of being accessible from anywhere and can be fun for everyone.

So what kinds of online activities should you plan?

Team Building Activities

Team building activities like virtual escape rooms or virtual movie nights can work amazingly well for remote teams. And if you want something a little bit different, why not try out an online version of a favorite board or card game? Not only can it be fun, but it also helps everyone get to know each a little better.

Professional Development Opportunities

It is also possible to create professional development opportunities in an online environment so your team members can get the most out of their time together. Udemy and Skillshare are great resources with comprehensive courses on a wide range of topics, from coding and data analysis, to communication skills and project management!

Online activities give you the opportunity to:

1. Mix it up with something different every time
2. Leverage what’s available on the internet
3. Create professional development opportunities while having fun

Boost Morale With Rewards and Recognition

It’s not enough to just plan activities for employees—you also need to boost morale with rewards and recognition. Doing this sends the message that your company values and appreciates their hard work.

So what does rewarding and recognizing employees look like? It could be something as simple as employee of the month awards or a reward for exceptional performance. It could also include gift cards or other tangible prizes.

The key is to mix it up so that everyone feels recognized in some way. Here are some ideas:

1. Create an internal employee awards program that recognizes certain achievements over time—think ’employee of the quarter’ or ‘most creative idea.’
2. Send out thank-you notes or emails. Not only will this make the winners feel special, but it will give them recognition in front of their peers, too.
3. Host lunchtime pizza parties or after-hours happy hours to recognize a job well done, and encourage team bonding outside of work hours.
4. Set up an employee referral program that rewards staff for recruiting new talent. This can increase job satisfaction and loyalty among current employees, as well as help you find the right candidates faster than ever before!
5. Provide personalized gifts or small tokens of appreciation for top performers, like company swag items like t-shirts, hats, water bottles, travel mugs, etc.

When you reward and recognize your team members frequently and fairly, they’ll feel appreciated—and that pays off big time in terms of engagement!

Conclusion

With the help of activity planning ideas, HR Managers can plan for success and bring about employee engagement. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach but with the right combination of activities, you can craft meaningful experiences for your employees that can boost productivity in the workplace.

You don’t have to break the bank to make a successful employee engagement plan. All it takes is creativity and knowledge of your employees’ needs, likes, and dislikes. Give them enjoyable activities that are both challenging and educational, and your efforts will be rewarded. Get started now and jumpstart employee engagement the right way.