Enhancing employee engagement is crucial for any successful business, and an effective HR Support Center can play a pivotal role in this. In a perfect work world, all employees would be deeply invested in their roles, fully aligned with the company’s mission, and highly productive.

In a perfect work world, all of our employees would be in love with their jobs, laser focused on their day-to-day assignments and fully connected to the company’s core mission. Unfortunately, according to recent data, it’s hard to find a business where even half of its staff is satisfied with the work environment. According to 2024 Gallup poll, employee engagement in the U.S. dropped to just 30%, its lowest level in over a decade.

Reasons for employee detachment and dissatisfaction range from uncertainty over their job responsibilities to not feeling valued by their superiors. For business owners, it’s a concerning trend. This isn’t simply a low morale issue; employee disengagement leads to decreases in productivity, retention, quality of work and ultimately profitability.

But there are employee engagement techniques you can begin implementing that will make a worker feel valued, empowered, and eager to hit company goals…and it can begin before they even say yes to the job!

1. Make a Good First Impression by Using an Applicant Tracking System.

An applicant tracking system is a human resource solution that helps make a strong first impression to potential new hires. An ATS helps managers simplify the recruiting process by improving the quality of candidates and moving them through the funnel more quickly and efficiently.

It’s one of the services Accu Data offers to our clients and it’s one of the most popular…and not just because it makes their job easier. It shows candidates that you are organized and professional and that you value their time by making the hiring process a streamlined experience.

2. Define Their Role and Culture Through the HR Support Center During Onboarding.

One of the biggest human resources challenges managers face is getting a new hire acclimated on their first day at the office. It’s much more than “here’s your desk,” “fill out these forms,” and “please don’t microwave leftover fish for lunch” (though that’s an important one).

You should also specifically lay out what their job responsibilities will be and give a holistic view on how their role will help the company achieve its goals. Educating them on the culture of the company is also key.

All of this equips a new hire with the information they need to confidently immerse themselves in their new job.

3. Empower Employees with an HR Support Center Self-Service Portal.

Employee self-service software has become a must-have workforce management tool, and it’s a solution Accu Data highly recommends to all our clients. ESS empowers staff members to view their schedules, monitor salary payments, update their information, enroll for benefits, request time off and more.

Allowing anytime access to their information and equipping them with multiple self-management tools fosters greater employee satisfaction and with that, greater engagement.

4. Make Them Part of the Company Culture.

A recent report shows only 9% of employees believe their bosses are committed to cultural initiatives. It’s a shockingly small number. Building a company culture is key to keeping your employees engaged. But it’s also an ongoing journey.

Make sure your employees are part of the process. Find out what’s important to them – hybrid schedules, give-back programs, celebrating personal accomplishments — and be open to trying new ways to make them feel valued and connected to your company.

A happy workplace is a productive workplace! Using modern HR support center strategies (like robust, cloud-based software) and simple old school methods (like saying “thank you” or “great job”) can go a long way to earning employee engagement and all the benefits that come with it!

At Accu Data, we’re committed to help make that happen with our host of Human Capital Management (HCM) services, including payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance and more.

Contact us today for a free consultation.