It might sound like fostering a culture of employee engagement is a simple sort of “touchy-feely” process. Get everyone to feel connected, make them happy, and you’re golden. True, it’s not hard to do. And it does involve an emotional appeal. But it also takes thought, resources and planning.

If you’ve read our last few articles, you know what constitutes an engaged workforce, how it benefits your organization and how to get there. (If you haven’t, go back and read them now!)

Hopefully by now, you’re convinced that an engaged workforce is a productive and successful one. This is the time to write up a formal – but simple – action plan to get and keep your employees motivated. Here are some key points to remember as you begin crafting your plan:

Start with vision and values. These are the motivating force, the answer to the question, “Why am I working here and not at a competing corporation?” If it’s been some time since you crafted your corporate vision statement, this is a good time to revisit it. Is it still valid? Does it inspire loyalty and diligence? Are your values current and have you lived up to them? Make any necessary adjustments and determine when and how to communicate them to your employees.

Move on to strategy. Now that you’ve established the why, you’re ready for the how. This includes management assessments to build optimum teams, communications strategies that inform and encourage feedback, employee satisfaction surveys and meaningful recognition programs. Again, see articles posted in the previous several weeks to prime the pump!

Build a timeline. Don’t plan to do everything at once and don’t expect results overnight. Base your timeline on the size of your organization and your available resources.

Be flexible. As you implement your plan, you may see that some areas need a little more time to pan out. That’s okay. Some areas may take less time or effort than you think. Be open to feedback as you go along and be willing to make some adjustments. Remember, even negative feedback is a sign of an engaged workforce – and tells you that you’re going in the right direction overall! Show them that you’re listening and keep moving along.

Think long-term. Employee engagement is an ongoing process. Once you’ve checked off the to-do items on your plan, go back and look at them again. Communicate, listen, adjust and execute. Repeat. And remember Award Concepts as your go-to for all things motivational!