Unfortunately, Gallup tells us that only 14% of Aussie and Kiwi employees care enough about their jobs to help move their organisations forward. Even more concerning? Gallop says a whopping 67% of employees across ANZ are "quiet quitting" – that's noticeably higher than the global average of 59%.
Those numbers aren't great. But they make sense when you think about how many businesses treat engagement like just another box to tick. To be fair, they are boxes you absolutely have to tick, because employee engagement works – companies with the most engaged employees are 23% more profitable.
But creating an environment where your team genuinely wants to contribute takes real effort and practical strategies that go beyond boardroom bingo. It means putting in genuine effort, time, and energy. Yes, it's more work. Yes, it takes more planning. But when you design your workplace strategies with this human reality in mind, that's when you see real change.
So let's skip past the jargon. Here are 20 proven ways to build the kind of workplace where people actually want to show up and do their best work.
Understanding what really matters in employee engagement
Before we list off strategies, let's put ourselves in our team members' shoes. People want to know their work matters. They want to grow. They want to trust their colleagues and leaders. When you build your initiatives around these basic human needs – not just operational targets – everything else tends to fall into place naturally.
20 ways to build a team that moves in the same direction
1. Make onboarding count
Paperwork is only part of the job – onboarding is your first chance to show new hires they made the right choice. Create clear 30, 60, or 90 day plans so people know what success looks like in their role. It’s always a great idea to set up buddy systems that pair new hires with experienced team members. Most importantly, use this time to help them build real connections across teams and understand how their work impacts the bigger picture.
2. Put your values front and centre
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream is a great example of this – they use ice cream to change the world, addressing everything from voting rights to climate justice. Their values guide every decision, from supplier diversity to animal welfare. Make your values more than some “Live, Laugh, Love” wall art by connecting them to daily decisions and celebrating when team members bring them to life.
Discover more: Company culture: your secret weapon for driving employee productivity and success
3. Get specific about goals
Vague goals kill motivation. Work with your team to set clear, achievable targets and create spaces where people can share progress and support each other. Do your best to approach accountability from curiosity, not blame. When someone misses a mark, ask "What got in the way?" instead of "What went wrong?"
4. Match personal charitable giving dollar for dollar
People are far more likely to give when they can choose their own causes. Set up programmes that make it easy for your team to support what matters to them personally. This can be as simple as allowing employees to donate directly from their pay. If you do this, make sure you match their donations dollar for dollar to amplify your team's impact – it shows you're willing to put your money where your mouth is with causes that matter to them.
5. Offer paid volunteer time
When BNP Paribas gave their team paid time for community work, 260 employees contributed over 850 hours to local nonprofits in just one year. Paid volunteer time shows you value giving back and trust your team to use their time meaningfully, which goes a long way. Plus, it creates opportunities for people to step (literally) outside their usual roles and build new skills while helping others.
6. Make well-being more than a buzzword
Create genuine support for mental and physical health. This means having meditation rooms (it could just be an unused server room with a splash of paint and a bean bag), offering gym memberships, and providing healthy food options. But more importantly, it means building a culture where taking care of yourself isn't just allowed – it's absolutely expected. Have policies that actually address burnout, not just talk about it.
7. Create real recognition programmes
Get rid of those condescending "Employee of the Month" plaques. Instead, give your team the power to celebrate each other's wins. Set up a simple system where anyone can highlight a colleague's great work, backed by actual rewards (gift cards, extra leave days, whatever makes sense for your team). When recognition comes from the people working shoulder-to-shoulder with you every day, it comes from the community, not the higher-ups.
8. Build communities within your workplace
Employee Resource Groups are spaces where people can find their tribe at work. Support these groups with real resources (yes, that means budget) and give them actual influence in company decisions. Whether it's a working parents' network or a sustainability committee, these groups help people feel less alone and more connected to their workplace.
9. Trust remote/hybrid work actually works
The days of watching the clock or mouse wiggles are over (or should be). Focus on outcomes, not hours spent at a desk. If someone can nail their targets while working from home Tuesday and Thursday, fantastic. If they're more productive starting early and finishing early, brilliant. Your team are adults – treat them that way and watch their engagement soar.
10. Talk about pay (yes, really)
Hiding salaries behind smoke and mirrors breeds mistrust faster than anything else. Set up clear pay bands, be open about how people can move up them, and explain exactly what goes into compensation decisions. If you're using benchmarks, share them. If you've got a bonus structure, make sure everyone knows precisely how it works (and yes, that means showing the actual math).
11. Create career maps that make sense
Don't just tell people they have "room to grow" – show them exactly what that looks like. Map out clear career paths, complete with the skills needed for each step up (or across). Better yet, connect your team with people who've actually made those moves. Regular check-ins about career goals shouldn't feel like pulling teeth – make them part of your team's normal rhythm.
12. Turn feedback into your superpower
Quick pulse surveys are great, but only if you actually do something with the results. Keep them short (nobody loves a 50-question survey), make them frequent, and – this is the crucial bit – show your team exactly how their input leads to real, tangible changes. When someone raises a valid point, act on it. Then tell everyone you acted on it and why.
13. Set up internal teaching networks
Your team is full of experts on all sorts of things (whether they think so or not). Create spaces where people can share their knowledge, whether that's lunch-and-learns, skill-sharing sessions, or mini-workshops. That marketing whiz might actually love teaching others about social media, and your tech god probably has productivity tricks that could help everyone.
14. Make celebrations count
Skip the cold pizza and create celebrations that actually matter to your team. Hit a major milestone? Let the team decide how to celebrate. Someone finished a massive project? Give them an extra day off to actually recover. New parent returning to work? Have their team stock their desk with supplies they might need.
15. Build cross-team projects that actually work
Instead of just talking about breaking down silos, actively mix your teams up. Create projects where different departments have to work together (and give them the time and resources to do it properly). Someone from finance might have the perfect insight for your customer service team, but they'll never know unless you create those connections. Just make sure there's a clear purpose – nobody likes forced collaboration for its own sake.
16. Give learning budgets real teeth
Don't just offer training – give each team member their own professional development budget that they can actually use. Whether it's $100 or $10,000, make it clear that this money is theirs to spend on growing their skills (as long as there's a connection to work, of course). Your project manager is keen on advanced Excel training? Absolutely. A developer wants to learn a new programming language? That's exactly what this budget is for.
17. Create 'innovation time' that's not just talk
Google's famous 20% time might not work for everyone, but the principle is solid. Set aside real time for your team to work on projects they care about. Maybe it's one afternoon a month, maybe it's a full day each quarter. The key is making it genuine, protected time – no emergency meetings, no urgent emails, just space to think and create.
18. Set up mentoring that matters
Skip the formal mentoring programmes that feel like arranged marriages. Instead, create opportunities for natural connections to form. Host casual sessions where experienced team members can share their stories, set up informal coffee chats, or create a simple system where people can raise their hand to mentor or be mentored. The best mentoring relationships grow organically – your job is just to create the right conditions.
19. Make feedback a two-way street
Your managers need feedback just as much as their teams do (maybe more). Create safe channels for upward feedback – and make it clear there won't be repercussions for honest opinions. Anonymous surveys are fine, but building a culture where people feel safe giving direct feedback is even better. When a junior team member points out a problem, thank them – they just helped you improve.
20. Actually listen to exit interviews
When someone leaves (and they will), don't treat their exit interview like a box-ticking exercise. These conversations are gold – they're often the most honest feedback you'll ever get. Take notes, spot patterns, and most importantly, make changes based on what you learn. Then tell your current team about those changes. It shows you're committed to improving, even when the feedback is tough to hear.
