70 unique employee engagement activities: boost hybrid teams

What is employee engagement and what are the benefits?

Employee engagement is essential for the success of your company. Gallup's analytics experts identified 12 key elements of employee engagement in a comprehensive study.³ These included clear expectations, leveraging strengths, recognition, and positive relationships. Additionally, they encompass development opportunities and a sense of purpose in work.

The bottom line is that employee engagement initiatives and a positive workplace culture are good for your business. In 2017, Gallup also identified that fostering employee engagement can help businesses reduce turnover.⁴  This, in turn, leads to savings on recruitment costs. Their findings also revealed that disengaged employees were less motivated to perform. Engaged workers lead to increased productivity and improved profitability. In fact, organizations with engaged workers achieved a 22% increase in profitability. These results shouldn’t be surprising. When employees find their work dull and tedious, they’re not going to be excited about it—much less interested in doing it well.

What are some creative employee engagement activities?

In an evolving workplace, the idea of a whole-employee approach is gaining traction. It signifies a shift from viewing employees as mere cogs in a corporate machine. Instead, organizations acknowledge them as multifaceted individuals with unique needs, aspirations, and potential.

It signifies a shift from traditional employer-employee dynamics to a more holistic view. This approach is gaining momentum, particularly as younger generations enter the workforce. Younger employees value well-being, purpose, and personal growth alongside their careers.

To foster thriving workplaces, organizations must consider their employees' lives and experiences. This allows them to bring their whole selves to work and achieve their full potential. The result is a positive work environment, greater employee engagement, productivity, and retention. All of which benefits your company's bottom line. We’ve lined up more than 70 strategies, creative ideas and practices to put in place for a successful whole-employee approach.

Acknowledging and celebrating diverse lives

Employers should recognize all aspects of their team members' lives. This could be having children, partners, pets or even hobbies that are important to them. These can create a more inclusive and enjoyable work environment and are excellent drivers of employee engagement and increase employee retention rates.

At F4S, we've set up Slack channels such as #club-parent, #club-pets, #club-music, and #club-neurodiversity. These channels serve as a valuable platform for our team to connect on a personal level. They allow team members to share aspects of their lives that don't come up in formal meetings. They help us understand each team member as a person beyond their professional role. Other engagement activities for employees include;

1. Partner appreciation

Organize an event for team members to introduce their significant others. This can help humanize your colleagues and create connections beyond the workplace.

2. A workshop swap

Encourage team members to share their skills or hobbies during office lunches. Whether it's a cooking or yoga session or a crafting tutorial, it promotes learning and bonding.

3. Wellness Wednesdays

Dedicate a mid-week time slot to focus on physical and mental well-being. Share tips for staying healthy or meditate together to promote a balanced lifestyle. You can also consider organizing discounted gym memberships or introducing short exercise breaks on a daily basis for a healthier workplace.

4. Virtual workouts

Getting a workout in with your teammates, even over Zoom, can result in quality bonding time. You can ask a member of your team who knows yoga or pilates to lead a class on a daily basis or weekly basis. You can even hire an online fitness instructor on a regular basis.

5. Talent showcase

Are you aware of the hidden talent in your midst? A fun employee engagement activity is to uncover who in your workforce is a piano virtuoso, juggler, or comedian. Etsy and Zappos feature employee acts, from singing to stand-up, before all-hands meetings.

Embracing team member side hustles

Many employees now embrace side hustles driven by personal passions and entrepreneurial aspirations. Research indicates that this trend is on the rise as a means to diversify skills and income. A 2023 Bankrate survey revealed many Americans have side gigs outside their main job. Their research showed two in five (39 percent) of all US adults have a side hustle. And that 50% of millennials have a side hustle and a whopping 70% of Gen Zers are looking to start one.⁵

Organizations can encourage and harness the power of team members' side hustles to foster a workplace where employees feel free to share their passions with complete transparency. Here are a few ideas for your employee engagement program.

6. Side Hustle Show and Tell

Create a Slack channel or a regular meeting for team members to showcase their side hustles. This promotes transparency while sparking interesting conversations and even potential collaborations.

7. Skill synergy

Encourage employees to find synergies between their side hustles and their day jobs. This can lead to ideas and a crossover of skills that benefit both employees and the company.

8. Recognition and support

Celebrate and support team members' side hustle milestones. Recognize their achievements within the company, offer resources, or provide opportunities for cross-promotion.

9. Learning opportunities

Invest in training and development programs that align with employees' side hustle interests. This enhances skills, boosts confidence, and contributes to their growth within the organization. Occasionally, the investment in training and development programs necessitates business travel, providing employees with valuable experiences beyond the confines of the workplace. Consequently, offering seamless business travel experiences without breaking the bank fosters improved employee engagement and productivity, and also contributes to significant savings for the company overall.

Create an inclusive club catalog

Clubs can contribute to team engagement and a positive workplace environment by promoting personal development, creativity, and well-being. They offer a space for employees to celebrate diverse interests and can motivate disengaged employees. They can create deeper connections through shared passions, and build lasting relationships. They can also lead to work social events. This enhances the workplace culture and sense of belonging.

Offer a diverse range of virtual team clubs to cater to various interests. For remote or hybrid teams, virtual clubs ensure all employees can take part. To ensure the organizational success of these clubs, set up online forums or social media groups for discussions, resources, and connections. Schedule meetings for clubs and promote them in your company newsletter.

Here are a few ideas for implementing hobby and interest clubs in the workplace;

10. Book or Movie Club

Start a virtual book or movie club where team members can chat about their favorite books or films. Something every team member can join and enjoy. It's a fun way to explore diverse perspectives and interests.

11. Creative clubs

Creative clubs connect employees who share common creative interests and passions from sharing favorite songs to photography tips or a writing group, clubs encourage employees to exchange ideas. This can lead to collaboration on projects, and ignite imaginations, enhancing employee engagement. These creative connections infuse the workplace with fresh perspectives and innovative thinking.

12. Wellness clubs

Wellness programs play a pivotal role in promoting employee health and well-being. Clubs might include hiking and running groups, yoga classes, or meditation groups. This encourages activities and resources that support physical fitness, mental health, and wellness. It also leads to a healthier workplace and less sick leave.

13. Charity or volunteer clubs

Create clubs dedicated to charitable activities or volunteer work. They promote purpose and strengthen a company's corporate culture and commitment to social responsibility. To help lend meaning to your team’s work, encourage them to volunteer together. Points of Light has a running list of virtual volunteer opportunities.

New ways of working

The way we work is undergoing a transformative shift. Flexible hours, hybrid work arrangements, and remote workforces are becoming the new norm. Adapting employee engagement strategies is essential in this evolving landscape. This list of employee engagement ideas aligns with this new way of working;

14. Flexible work hours

Allow team members to choose their work hours and locations. By granting your team a flexible schedule, you can ensure productivity and engagement. A 2019 FlexJobs Survey showed 30% of respondents left a job because it was inflexible.⁶ What's more, 14% said they considered quitting for the same reason—but decided to stay anyway.

15. Hybrid work weeks

Install a hybrid work model. This allows team members to spend part of their week in the office and part in a remote location. This balance allows for face-to-face collaboration while respecting employees' preferences.

16. Results-oriented work

Shift the focus from tracking hours worked to measuring results achieved. Define clear objectives, consistent messages, and deadlines for employees to manage their time and workload.

17. Virtual coffee breaks

Virtual coffee breaks are an effective way to foster camaraderie among remote teams. At F4S we hold a virtual coffee break on a weekly basis. This offers a chance for colleagues to socialize and take a break outside of more formal work meetings. These weekly meetings help us maintain engaged employees and a sense of social cohesion among team members in remote settings.

18. Support learning and career goals

In 2019 The Work Institute conducted a Retention Report. It found that 22% of employees left jobs due to career development concerns.⁷ This included a lack of advancement opportunities and growth opportunities for employees.

Provide employees with a learning and development budget. Employees can use this to explore courses or conferences relevant to their careers.

Ideas for benchmarking employee engagement

A benchmarking survey measures an organization's survey results to external or internal benchmarks. Pulse surveys can be conducted at frequent intervals, such as weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, and provide immediate valuable feedback. This enables companies to address issues early. It also allows them to align with agile approaches, allowing for quick adjustments. Pulse surveys also help organizations understand how employees feel about their jobs or company culture. It can also help gauge the well-being and needs of remote workers.

Tailor the benchmarking employee engagement survey to your company mission and culture. Approach employees with respect and a well-defined strategy. Once the analysis is complete, create an action plan outlining the changes required. Ideas for pulse surveys designed to enhance employee engagement include;

19. Engagement benchmark survey

Start with a baseline survey to measure current engagement levels. Identify areas where engagement is high and where it may be lacking.

20. Work-life balance and well-being

Gather feedback on how well employees are able to balance work and personal life. Use this to assess the availability and effectiveness of well-being programs and resources to ensure a healthier workplace.

21. Recognition and feedback

Check how often employees receive recognition for their work. Collect input on the frequency and quality of feedback from managers and peers.

22. Career development and growth

Determine if employees see opportunities for career advancement within the organization. Inquire about the support and resources available for professional growth.

23. Company culture and values alignment

Measure employee alignment with company vision and values. This can help assess whether employees feel a sense of purpose in their work.

24. Team collaboration and communication

Test the effectiveness of team collaboration and communication. This can help identify any issues that hinder teamwork.

25. Anonymous employee feedback

Anonymous pulse surveys are a valuable tool to gather candid and unfiltered input from employees. Anonymous employee feedback offers organizations valuable feedback that might otherwise be held back.

Internal communications to drive engagement

A culture of effective internal communication is essential for fostering collaboration and engagement. Remember that building a culture of internal communication takes time and consistent effort. Tailor the following ideas to suit your organization's unique culture and needs.

26. Interactive intranet platform

Develop or license an interactive intranet platform that encourages employees to share updates and ideas on a daily basis. Include features such as discussion boards, a regular company newsletter, forums, and personalized newsfeeds.

27. Meet one-on-one

It’s easy for employees to begin to feel like another worker in a sea of faces, especially in a large company. To show you care, consider instituting regular one-on-ones between team members and team leaders. This provides a chance to voice concerns, review progress, and bond with their manager.

28. Host all-hands meetings

How often do you and your entire company get together? All-hands meetings (“all hands on deck”) are a great way to make sure your team feels connected and shares a company vision. As a 100% remote team, Buffer hosts a virtual monthly all-hands meeting. This includes things like an icebreaker question, celebrations, CEO updates, and team building. Schedule meetings regularly for maximum engagement.

29. Podcast it

Create an internal podcast for employees. Then create virtual teams to share industry trends, and insights, or conduct interviews with colleagues. This can make complex topics more accessible and engaging. It also helps to build connections among team members.

30. Host AMAs (Ask Me Anything)

Offering complete transparency, An AMA session can help keep employees in the loop or help them learn about a new topic. During an AMA, people can submit any question they want about a certain topic and one person will answer. Bonusly is an employee recognition platform. They use AMAs to keep their team engaged while working in remote locations.⁸ Every Friday, employees submit questions via Zoom chat, and the CEO will answer them. This opens communications and results in a transparent workplace.

31. Cross-departmental collaboration challenges

Start challenges for employees from different departments to collaborate and solve problems together. This encourages communication across silos.

32. Internal competitions

Organize friendly competitions related to work tasks or skills. This sparks creativity and friendly rivalry, leading to more engagement and team bonding. In 2020 Cloud software company Okta transformed its hackathon into a virtual one. The company shipped T-shirts to teams and held a watch party with activities. They even invited aerialists, DJs, and magicians to perform.

33. Position employees as experts

OC Tanner conducted a Global Culture report that found a 59% increase in engagement when employees were sought out for help by colleagues.¹⁰ Position employees as experts. Empower them to conduct workshops on topics they excel in. Or connect them with others who might need their expertise.

Identifying internal engagement influencers

Seek out internal influencers to drive employee engagement. This can have a significant impact on your organization's culture. You could assign a couple of hours a week to someone on your team and have them do little things to brighten others’ days.

Our free motivational assessment can identify employees with a high motivation for driving engagement. This could be individuals with strong Affiliation or Tolerance motivations.

Once identified, involve them in discussions about employee engagement initiatives, such as;

34. Advocate programs

Establish an employee advocate program that includes passionate individuals who share company core values. Advocates can receive training, resources, and recognition to empower them in their role.

35. Dedicated engagement team

In larger companies, consider forming a dedicated employee team to build an engaged workforce. This can comprise HR, your marketing team, and communication experts to plan team engagement activities.

36. Engagement ambassadors

Name engagement ambassadors within various departments or teams. They can then act as liaisons between employees and the organization's engagement efforts.

37. Peer recognition and nominations

Allow employees to nominate their peers for engagement champion roles. Positive reinforcement through peer-driven recognition can be motivating and authentic.

Creative ideas to engage around your vision, values, and goals

38. Write your company values and mission statement together

Company purpose is essential to employee engagement. If your company doesn’t yet have its values and mission outlined, involve your team in creating your mission statement together. That way, your employees get a solid reminder of company policies and culture and what they’re working towards

39. Vision quest workshops

Organize workshops where employees explore and discuss the company's vision. Encourage them to visualize their role in achieving that vision. Then create vision boards or artwork to represent their aspirations.

40. Involve your team in the creative process

An exciting employee engagement activity is unleashing their creativity on a new project. Southwest Airlines needed a new uniform design. So, instead of outsourcing it, they tapped into the talent of their own employees to get the project done. 43 team members from Ground Ops to Cargo — worked together on the new uniform. Help on a company-wide creative project offered employees a chance to feel ownership.

41. Let employees shadow different departments

Each of your teams specializes in different things, but they all need to work together as a cohesive unit. Let employees shadow members of another team to help them gain an appreciation for what they do. Use job shadowing as an engagement and retention tool. If an employee in, say, the marketing team, has an interest in engineering. Shadowing gives them a chance to find out more.

42. Profit sharing

Engaging employees in profit-sharing initiatives can boost motivation. It also enhances alignment with company goals and job satisfaction. Employees can offer workshops on financial literacy and wealth management. This helps employees make informed decisions about their profit-sharing earnings and investments.

Activities to celebrate employee milestones

Employee milestone celebrations play a crucial role in enhancing employee engagement. It also fosters a positive workplace culture. Celebrations, like work anniversaries or successes, motivate ongoing excellence.

43. A warm welcome for new team members

Creating a distinctive and unique welcome ritual for new team members can set a positive tone and remove barriers to success. The OC Tanner report also showed that 69% of employees who experience great onboarding are likely to stay longer in a company.¹⁰ Here are a few ideas to make your new employees’ welcome a warm one.

44. Welcome kits

Prepare customized welcome kits for each new employee. Include a personalized welcome letter from the CEO or team leader. A handbook that highlights the company's culture as well as company policies is invaluable. Consider adding a unique item or keepsake that represents your company's personality.

45. Video welcomes

Record short video messages from team members welcoming the new employee. This personal touch can go a long way to making them feel valued.

46. Team building exercises

Incorporate employee engagement activities into your onboarding process through team-building exercises. This can connect new hires with existing employees to show them the ropes.

47. Connect them with a mentor

Many companies, such as Buffer and LinkedIn, pair new hires with mentors or “buddies” from day one. That way, any time a new employee has a question, they know they can count on their buddy to help them.

48. Get social

Holding a casual event, from an office lunch to a breakfast, and including both remote workers and office workers, allows new employee to meet colleagues in a relaxed setting. For virtual workplaces, consider sending an employee care package to team members with snacks (always considering dietary restrictions) and decorations for their office space to make it feel more like a party.

Celebrate personal milestones

Appreciation of birthdays, anniversaries, and work milestones are excellent drivers of employee engagement. Some personal employee appreciation ideas include;

49. Celebrate birthdays

Birthdays are worth celebrating, even in remote settings. It’s nice to know co-workers are thinking about you. Recording short video messages from virtual teams can be a fun and personalized approach to birthday messaging.

50. Employee care packages

Send a little celebratory cheer through a care package. Use an office snack delivery service such as WorkPerks. Surprise them with a cake delivery. Or package custom items, gift cards, virtual credit cards, or a limited edition swag. A gift goes a long way in boosting morale in virtual teams. It reminds employees that, though they may be remote, they’re still very much a part of the team.

51. Work anniversary recognition

Show your appreciation of loyalty by rewarding employees on their work anniversaries. This doesn’t have to be extravagant. Gather written praise from coworkers. Or give them the day off work or grant a bonus.

52. Create a dedicated Slack praise channel

It feels good to know that what you do matters to someone. If you want to boost employee engagement, show your team that you notice their hard work. Dedicate a Slack channel to praising team members for their achievements and milestones. There are even apps, such as Kudos, that make it easy to celebrate wins with your team.

Activities to engage employees throughout the employee experience

Engaging employees from hiring to retention, creates a thriving workplace. This approach recognizes every stage of an employee's journey. It plays a role in job satisfaction. productivity, and long-term commitment to the organization. Here are some employee engagement ideas to foster employee satisfaction from day one.

53. Onboarding

An effective onboarding process goes beyond paperwork and office tours. It's about creating an experience that integrates new employees into the company culture. Research by Brandon Hall shows solid onboarding can increase employee retention by 82%.

54. Uncover workplace motivations

A key part of employee engagement is ensuring team members know their strengths. A people analytics tool like F4S shows evidence-based information about team workplace motivations. As well as what individuals need to work on. For example, an employee is argumentative with teammates or seems to be disengaging. After having him take the F4S assessment, you may find he is better motivated to work independently in a solo environment. Based on this knowledge, you can create a more private environment for him to work when he needs to focus.