Operational Pivots to Increase Engagement
If you’re not achieving the desired engagement level, consider the following:
Communications Plan
Are you following the recommended launch, reminder, final call e-mail formula? Are you supplementing e-mail with face-to-face communication from your executive sponsor and his/her direct reports? Are there other communication vehicles that are often successful in your organization (e.g., your intranet, announcement boards in the cafeteria, etc.)?
Communication Content
Is your communication compelling? Would it inspire you to take action? Did you include all relevant instructions to get into the event and what to do once there? Who is your communication from? It may be beneficial to have someone who is easily recognizable (like a team’s direct boss) to help in communicating the message.
Quick Root Cause Analysis
Were there some individuals you anticipated would have gone into the event, yet they have not? Give them a quick call and find out why. Ask a few people about their initial impressions of the communication and if they haven’t gone in, find out why. Sometimes, just a few quick changes can make a big difference.
Rewards and Recognition
Do you have a recognition and rewards mechanism in place? Does it include highlighting individuals who are entering the system? Is it effective in your company’s culture to spark friendly competition between work teams? If so, display the number of people who have entered the system by work team on the portal.
Engage the Management Staff
Your management staff can talk about the importance of your initiative in staff meetings and one-on-one with your target audience. If someone’s immediate boss asks him or her to do something (such as go into your event by a specific date), it’s more likely to happen.