Engage Employees Through Thoughtful Meetings

By Janine Osborne, Corporate Sales Manager, The Abbey Resort and Avani Spa

The statistics about employee engagement should be frightening to every bottom-line minded CEO, CFO, and department manager in business, and provide meeting planners an opportunity to seize. According to recent Gallup studies, only “32% of employees in the U.S. are engaged – meaning they are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace.” And more than two-thirds of the U.S. workforce is either not engaged, or worse, actively disengaged! 

Although we know having engaged employees leads directly to success in the bottom line, the percentage of engaged employees in our workforce has remained stagnant at this 33% for nearly 15 years; it is time to better engage employees!​

These numbers bring both good and bad news. The bad news is obvious; the two thirds of unengaged employees at their company are disinterested in the company’s mission, philosophy, and overall success. These employees are on payroll, but they are unenthusiastically going about their roles, doing the minimum required of them. Beyond their own day-to-day responsibilities, they are doing very little that contributes to the success of their employer. 

The good news about the unengaged two-thirds is that it provides a tremendous amount of room for improvement! Engaged employees who feel part of a mission bigger than themselves are known to stay with a company for longer periods of time, share more creative ideas, suggest process and procedure improvements, and give their best work which, in the end, all adds up to a better bottom line. When employees feel their own success is tied to the success of their company, they are more likely to give their best while on the clock. 

Through analyzing these studies about employee engagement, Gallup has recommended five best practices for improving employee engagement, including the one that caught my eye – align engagement efforts with other workplace priorities.  This is about how work gets done, and incorporating opportunities for engagement into the day-to-day work environment. 

Stepping into a new and relaxing environment for a meeting is a great way to do this, because it promotes innovation and learning. For example, here at The Abbey Resort our relaxing and beautiful environment allows groups and corporations an opportunity to meet for their retreats or planning sessions, while also giving attendees ample opportunity to engage with their company in a whole new way.  Attendees are just a short drive from their Midwestern offices, but feel miles away with the open air and natural beauty of the Lake Geneva area. Imagine top-level management and the newest entry-level employee roasting marshmallows side by side at a bonfire on the shores of Geneva Lake; imagine treating the hard-to-impress millennial staff to a massage or facial at Avani Spa; or even a department taking in the crisp morning while strolling together along the picturesque Lake Shore Path. 

From teambuilding activities with our Group Pursuits programs to enjoying the amenities and perks of a beautiful resort, meeting attendees are engaged in an inviting way that doesn’t feel quite so forced. See, employee engagement isn’t finding the one thing that will engage your employees – not even a complimentary massage at the spa is a magic solution. Employee engagement is achieved by consistently offering opportunities for employees to feel part of a mission bigger than themselves by incorporating engagement into daily operations.  

You can read more about these engagement studies on the Gallup website
​http://www.gallup.com/poll/188144/employee-engagement-stagnant

As Corporate Sales Manager, Janine Osborne collaborates with businesses of all sizes on meetings and events ensuring objectives are met and programs are executed with ease.