Employee engagement is critical to the success of any company. Your employees are your most valuable asset, and it can be costly to lose top talent. In fact, research suggests that employee turnover can cost as much as 20 percent of the employee's salary. Turnover costs include the cost of recruiting and training a new hire as well as lost work while the position is vacant.

This data is demanding the attention of organizational leaders across the globe. Employee engagement is more important than ever before and companies can't risk ignoring these needs. Here are a few simple ways to improve your overall employee engagement strategy. 

Provide Management Training

Most people don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses. Effective management is extremely important to an employee's happiness and productivity. You should ensure your management team is well-versed in good management practices. Communication, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution are important tools for every manager and should be regularly visited. Attention to this process ensures you've communicated expectations for the management team.

Encourage Inter-Department Projects

Employees enjoy the opportunity to use their best skills whenever possible. Designing cross-department projects where your staff has the opportunity to contribute and showcase their skills is a great way to increase engagement. Employees will feel valued and will be enthusiastic about using their skill set in other areas. They'll also be excited about the opportunity to make new connections throughout the company and learn about the big picture of the organization. 

Develop a Recognition Program

Employee recognition is another important piece of the employee engagement puzzle. Most employees are motivated by recognition and many companies are using employee recognition awards and programs to boost morale. A simple token of gratitude can make a huge difference in your employee's attitude and effort.

Nip Bad Behavior

Another road block to employee engagement is failing to address bad behavior. One bad apple can ruin the whole bunch, so it's critical that you address toxic behavior before it festers. You'll want to train your managers on documenting these scenarios and practicing preventative measures. This process ensures you maintain a positive and team-oriented environment where your employees can thrive and grow.  

Offer Career Progression Models

Career advancement is extremely important to most employees. If you want your employees to remain committed, you'll want to continually offer new challenges and opportunities for growth. This means you'll have to spend some time mapping out various progressions within the company, and grooming your best people for the next step.

Design a Performance Management Process

Feedback on performance is essential to an engaged workforce. Everyone needs to receive both positive and negative feedback and understand how they contribute to the organization's overall goals. Lack of feedback on performance can lead to frustration and a lack of direction. Consider creating a more formalized performance management process where your managers can work with employees to identify strengths as well as areas of improvement. This can also be a time to craft more targeted goals which will provide clear expectations and direction for the future.

Create Feedback Channels

In addition to receiving feedback, employees also need the opportunity to provide feedback on a regular basis. Leadership should encourage open forums for communicating ideas and should regularly solicit feedback from the staff before making major decisions. This involvement will make a big impression and will help your employees feel more connected the company and its overall goals.

These are just a few of the many ways to increase employee engagement at your company. In today's competitive market, companies can't risk to ignore these important strategies. If you're looking to improve morale, consider these simple tactics.