23 employee engagement strategies to empower social good through workplace community

Key Takeaway

Employee engagement is the commitment employees feel toward their organization and its goals and mission. Typically, the more engaged an employee is, the more productive and loyal they’ll be. Strong employee engagement strategies lead to higher retention, increased morale, and better productivity.  

When employees feel connected to their work and the values behind it, they don’t just clock in — they contribute. They collaborate more, stay longer, and help drive outcomes that matter.

That’s why employee engagement strategies aren’t just productivity tools — they’re a way to foster purpose and belonging across your organization.

Disengaged employees drain your culture through lower productivity and higher turnover, while highly engaged employees are motivated, loyal, and better equipped to achieve critical goals. Company-sponsored volunteer work is a way to increase engagement, with employees being five times more engaged than those at companies without such programs.

In this article, we’ll walk through impactful employee engagement strategies — and how to build a program that fits your people and mission.

1. Encourage open communication 

Creating a transparent environment that encourages open communication is a great way to start building a culture of trust among your employees. For starters, make it apparent to the team that you want everyone to feel free to share their thoughts. Then, consider options like setting up channels for two-way feedback, holding town halls or all-hands meetings, or creating suggestion boxes where employees can share ideas.

Why it works

Employees will feel heard and like their thoughts and ideas are taken into consideration. This helps them feel valued and goes a long way toward increasing their commitment and engagement with the organization. 

2. Set clear expectations  

Make sure employees clearly understand what’s required of them. They should understand the details and requirements of their roles, how to meet the expectations, and the impact of their contributions. Consider creating detailed job descriptions and career ladders, then work with employees to create specific goals. Offer them consistent feedback along the way.

Why it works

Clear expectations help employees remain focused and on track to success. Clarity reduces confusion, which in turn mitigates frustration and disengagement. Plus, when employees have clear expectations, they’re held accountable and will feel a sense of ownership over their work.

3. Optimize your onboarding process 

There’s no better time to set employees up for success than their first few days. First impressions matter, so make your onboarding process impactful and welcoming. Give new employees a strong introduction to company culture and offer mentorship to help them acclimate. You can also develop 30-60-90 day plans for an employee’s first few months, which creates additional clarity. 

Why it works

Employees who are engaged from the start will buy in right away, leading to longer-term engagement. And when you set employees up for success from day one, giving them clarity into their roles and the opportunity for support via mentorship, chances are you’ll see stronger performance. 

Impact Insight

Connections made during onboarding can improve employee engagement by 20% to 40%. 

4.  Define and promote company values

If your company already has a strong set of values, promote them to employees. If not, now is a great time to define the values your company lives by. Then, communicate these values often and make sure to integrate them into relevant company policies. For instance, a company that values transparency should foster a culture of open communication. 

Why it works

Strong understanding of company values helps create alignment and shared purpose among employees. They’ll feel like they’re working toward something bigger than themselves, and the values can act as a North Star for their work. 

Impact Insight

When a company has well-defined values, employees are up to 115% more engaged. 

5. Incentivize employee giving with donation matching 

Another way to support causes close to employees’ hearts is by matching their donations to nonprofit organizations. When they donate to their cause of choice, your organization will donate the same amount. (You can set a maximum match if you wish.) Promote this via company channels so employees are aware of the program. 

Bonterra’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) software can help you build a tailored giving program, with features that allow you to streamline the gift matching process, show employees a database of verified nonprofits, and manage employee giving in a single system.

This user-friendly system makes it simple for employees to donate, log volunteer hours, and request matches, while ensuring they donate to trustworthy causes. For administrative teams, Bonterra automates tracking and reporting, saving time and allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and driving greater social impact.

Why it works

Matching donations shows employees that your organization cares about what’s important to them. It can also help boost employees’ connection to company values, if said values are related to doing good in the world or making an impact. 

Impact Insight

58% of employees find it crucial for their employer to match personal donations. 

6. Celebrate and reward wins 

Everyone loves to feel valued, and a great way to do that is by celebrating and rewarding employees’ accomplishments. These don’t have to be major celebrations — simply giving a shout-out for small successes can go a long way. You can develop a peer recognition system where coworkers can recognize each other, pay out a bonus for major achievements, or hold celebratory team-building events. 

Why it works

Not only does celebrating wins reinforce positive behavior and make employees want to continue achieving, but it also makes employees feel valued. When they see their hard work is recognized, they feel appreciated and inspired to continue working hard, which leads to higher morale and performance. 

Impact Insight

A Deloitte survey of Millennial and Gen Z employees found that 51% of Gen Z and 53% of Millennials listed a lack of recognition as a major contributor to stress and anxiety.

7. Equip employees with the right tools for success

Make it simple for employees to do their jobs by offering them helpful tools and resources. For instance, make sure they have technology on hand to reduce manual efforts. Ensure critical technology systems are updated and running smoothly and that adequate support is available. Avoid an overload of tools, though, as that can lead to overwhelm.  

Why it works

Strong technology can reduce manual work, increase productivity, and reduce frustration. In turn, employees can fully engage with their work and teams instead of stressing about slow systems or too much manual effort. 

8. Create an inclusive work environment  

Invite employees to bring their whole selves to work by fostering an inclusive culture that celebrates everyone’s unique differences. Offer diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training to leaders and employees, and make sure hiring and management practices are unbiased. 

Cultivate a diverse leadership team and develop employee resource groups (ERGs) for different populations — for example, women, veterans, or Black employees. Most importantly, be sure company policies support equity and belonging and are free from bias. 

Why it works

Inclusion directly impacts engagement by increasing psychological safety and a sense of belonging. Plus, employees may have a deeper commitment to the organization when they feel included. 

Impact Insight

Employees care about diversity and inclusion — 62% feel their company doesn’t do enough to improve equity, but 57% do trust their employer to be inclusive. 

9. Conduct employee satisfaction surveys 

To understand current engagement levels and discover opportunities to increase engagement, consider conducting an employee satisfaction survey. This type of survey can be done annually or semi-annually, or you can do smaller pulse surveys every quarter or month. Either way, you’ll collect actionable feedback from your employees about what they like, dislike, and suggest.

Why it works

Employees may not always feel comfortable sharing feedback directly with company leaders, but letting them write out their thoughts can help them open up. Survey data can reveal gaps in engagement, letting you make changes and see progress over time. 

10. Develop mentorship programs  

Mentorship programs can take various forms. One option is to match new hires or junior staff with more experienced mentors who can help them learn the ropes and grow their careers. Or, consider creating a mentorship program to match workers from different departments who want to learn about new roles. You can also try a “reverse mentorship” that lets more experienced employees or leaders learn from junior workers’ experiences. 

Why it works

Having a formal program in place may inspire more mentor/mentee relationships than simply waiting for them to happen organically. Mentorship programs encourage education and connection for those in the program, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction at work. 

Impact Insight

Per LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report, only about half (55%) of organizations engage in mentorship programs.

11. Prioritize work-life balance  

Help employees rest and recharge by promoting work-life balance. Offer flexible schedules, opportunities for remote work if possible, and a healthy amount of paid time off (PTO). Make sure leadership takes time off, too — it sets an example for the rest of the company. Set boundaries for after-hours communication and on-call work so no one feels like they must be available 24/7.

Why it works

No matter how passionate an employee is about your organization’s mission, they still have a life outside of work. Ample time away helps prevent burnout and stress, ultimately cultivating a healthier, more productive workforce. 

Impact Insight

A 2025 Deloitte survey found that employees listed flexibility among the top 10 motivators driving them to high performance. 

12. Facilitate career development planning 

Help employees map out their futures with the organization by offering career development planning. While not every worker will be promoted or change roles, there are always opportunities to learn and develop. Facilitate growth plans and identify stretch assignments for employees to try new things. If you can, set aside a dedicated training budget for development as well. 

Why it works

Developing employees are engaged employees. When they have something to work toward and feel that leadership prioritizes their career growth, they’ll likely be more driven and engaged to achieve their individual and the organization’s goals. 

Impact Insight

Surveys have found that 21% of Gen Z and 21% of millennials rated learning and development opportunities as a top reason they chose their jobs.

13. Encourage cross-department collaboration

Employees can learn a lot from each other, so find ways to drive interdepartmental collaboration and teamwork. Set up joint projects that bring together members from different teams, or allow employees to cross-train on the work other teams do. If you’re a goal-driven organization, consider setting shared objectives across teams so everyone must work together to succeed. 

Why it works

Cross-departmental collaboration lets employees learn from others while building connections outside their immediate teams. It also breaks down silos that can leave workers feeling isolated. When employees understand the work that goes into other teams’ work and projects, it helps foster a culture of empathy and shared goals. 

Impact Insight

Research by Deloitte found that cross-functional collaboration can lead to innovation and better problem-solving, making it a win for employees and organizations. 

14. Lead by example  

As managers, you’re the carriers of organizational culture, so model what you want to see from your employees. This means being the first to communicate transparently and openly, leading with empathy, and taking accountability. Do these things publicly so your employees see them in action. 

Why it works

Leader behavior strongly influences employee engagement. Working for disengaged leaders or unempathetic management certainly won’t motivate anyone. By setting the right example, leaders build the culture they want while modeling the behavior they hope to see from employees.

15. Offer paid time off for volunteering 

No matter how strong your organization’s mission, many employees will still want to find ways to give back to the world outside of work. You can facilitate this by offering paid time off for volunteering. Employees can support causes they care about and, as an added bonus, your organization will get its name out to others. For an even bigger benefit, consider offering group service projects that let employees give back while strengthening their team bonds.

Why it works

Employees who work for an organization that clearly prioritizes giving back will feel a stronger sense of purpose, which can lead to higher levels of engagement. Plus, offering time off for volunteering makes it clear you see your employees as whole people with passions and concerns outside of work.  

Impact Insight

Employers offering paid volunteer time to employees found employees to be more productive and motivated. 

16. Hold ongoing employee check-ins 

Stay in tune with your employees by holding regular check-in meetings. These don’t need to be overly formal — even a casual one-on-one chat can suffice. What’s important is that you give them a chance to share their feedback and experiences. Focus these meetings on goals, feedback, needed support, and career growth and development. 

Why it works

These types of meetings boost trust among employees because they see that leadership values their insights and wants to offer meaningful feedback to help them grow. Check-ins also give employees the chance to share their hopes for development and start working on goals to get them to where they want to be. 

Impact Insight

80% of surveyed employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week said they were fully engaged. An SHRM survey found that instituting regular feedback channels — like check-in meetings — led to 14.9% lower turnover.

17. Promote employee well-being  

There are several ways to start offering perks and benefits that promote employee well-being. Consider providing a wellness stipend employees can use to improve their physical health, whether through exercise classes or home equipment. You can also offer access to an employee assistance program (EAP) that supports mental health. Another option is to simply normalize taking care of oneself, whether that’s allowing employees to take mental health days or simply leading by example and sharing personal experiences.

Why it works

Employee well-being initiatives can boost employees’ mental and physical health, which not only leads to happier employees but can also reduce absenteeism. And when employees know their company cares about their well-being, they’ll feel supported and more willing to stay engaged. 

Impact Insight

Surveyed employees shared wellness and mindfulness as a top learning and development opportunity they would appreciate from their employer.

18. Create a fun and engaging workplace

Work doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Instead, foster engagement by scheduling fun events, theme days, or team games. You can even have employees suggest or co-create some of these experiences, letting them put some skin in the game. If you have a remote or distributed team, you can find plenty of virtual team-building options, too.

Why it works

Having fun together lets your team build camaraderie and get to know each other better in a setting that’s not just focused on getting a job done. Plus, fun games and events break up the monotony of work, ultimately improving productivity. 

Impact Insight

A Gallup report estimated that if the global workforce was fully engaged, the global economy would add $9.6 trillion in productivity.

19. Offer impactful employee perks and benefits  

While standard benefits like health insurance and retirement plans are critical, you can take it a step further and offer additional benefits to really engage your employees. For example, you might offer fertility support, commuter benefits, or pet insurance. If you have remote employees, consider a stipend for home office equipment. To get started, add a question to employee surveys asking what additional benefits employees would like.

Why it works

Adding meaningful benefits shows employees they’re valued beyond their work output and cared for as a whole person. These benefits can also lead to higher retention — if an employee requires a certain benefit and you don’t offer it, they may have to leave and find it elsewhere. 

Impact Insight

70% of Generation Z workers ranked mental health support over pay when it comes to employer offerings. 

20. Encourage employee autonomy 

Let employees choose how they get their work done. This could mean setting basic parameters for objectives and deadlines, but letting the employee determine everything else. Autonomy can also extend to where an employee works, if remote work is feasible. 

Why it works

Providing employees with the trust and autonomy to get their jobs done increases their ownership and motivation, and it can also lead to greater innovation across the team. When employees feel empowered in this way, chances are they’ll feel more engaged.

Impact Insight

Employees whose jobs could be done remotely but aren’t given the autonomy for remote work have seen the largest drop in engagement since 2020. Allowing autonomy about where and how to work likely has the opposite effect. 

21. Provide learning and development opportunities

Learning and development opportunities are critical to an engaged workforce, and there are plenty of options. You might provide a training or educational stipend employees can use toward certificates or degrees. Or, bring expertise in-house and offer workshops or courses at your company. There are also training platforms you could invest in so workers can take whatever trainings they’d like. 

Why it works

Just like with career development, general learning opportunities can unlock employee engagement by giving employees a sense of purpose while helping them feel valued and supported as individuals. Plus, if they feel like they’re continuing to learn and grow in their role, they may be less likely to feel disengaged or want something new. 

Impact Insight

7 out of 10 employees say learning deepens their connection to their company. 

22. Build community for remote employees

If you’ve got remote workers, make sure they feel included and like part of the community. Avoid making every team-building event an in-person one, and instead offer some virtual meetups. Create virtual team chats so remote workers don’t miss out on watercooler conversations. And consider bringing everyone together for off-site retreats when possible. 

Why it works

Remote workers will feel more connected to the company and their teammates, helping them feel more engaged overall. 

Impact Insight

A report from Randstad found that 84% of U.S. workers want their workplace to feel like a community, 85% feel they perform better when they feel in community with colleagues, and 64% would quit a job if they lacked a sense of belonging.  

23. Recognize leading contributors 

A key part of understanding employee engagement is knowing the importance of recognition. This is especially important when it comes to high performers. Keep track of wins and achievements across teams, and when employees accomplish big things, offer awards, send personalized thank you cards or gifts, or include them in an internal spotlight. 

Why it works

Employees who do great work remain motivated if they feel their work is recognized and appreciated. Plus, as other employees see this recognition, they’ll be inspired to make their own achievements.

Impact Insight

Over half (53%) of employees surveyed said they were more likely to remain at their company if they received adequate recognition from leadership. 

How to build an employee engagement strategy 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your own comprehensive employee engagement plan or strategy:

1. Collect and analyze data: Start by assessing your organizational culture and sourcing feedback from employees. 
2. Set measurable goals: Based on that data and the insights you discover, put specific objectives in place. 
3. Design initiatives: Focus on those that will move the needle on engagement while also aligning with organizational goals and vision.
4. Get leadership buy-in: Ensure leaders are not only open to the idea but ready to actively participate in engagement initiatives.
5. Communicate broadly: Share initiatives with employees as clearly and transparently as possible. Make sure to be consistent and share via multiple channels.
6. Measure success and iterate: Pay attention to what works and doesn’t, and don’t forget to seek employee feedback. As you learn, make iterations over time. 

Boost employee engagement with Bonterra

The right employee engagement strategies can transform your organization’s productivity, morale, and culture. Whether you’re starting from scratch or want to improve existing strategies to drive employee engagement, consider trying a few of these ideas. 

If you’re still wondering how to improve employee engagement, check out Bonterra CyberGrants. Here at Bonterra, we’re driven to empower social good through community, purpose, and belonging is underemphasized. Our tools help your organization achieve this by supporting donation matching and volunteer programs, helping you stay aligned with purpose-driven strategies. It’s easy to keep track of participation and impact, too, which can further drive engagement. With Bonterra, you can cultivate a strong community and culture, all in a single system.

FAQ

How do you improve employee engagement?

Organizations can improve employee engagement by focusing on strong communication, employee recognition, career and skill development, and building a purpose-driven culture. 

Why is employee engagement important?  

Employee engagement is important because it drives worker performance and productivity, improves retention, and ultimately leads to stronger business outcomes.

What are the 5 C’s of employee engagement?  

The 5 C’s of employee engagement are care, connect, coach, contribute, and congratulate. These demonstrate the different ways leaders can foster engagement among their workforce.

What are the 4 types of employee engagement?  

The four main types of employee engagement are emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social. They are all integral to a healthy culture and high engagement.