In many cases, issuing out a paycheck and offering health benefits are no longer enough to keep employees engaged with your company. This is especially true when it comes to the emerging and soon-to-dominate millennial workforce who prefer having a higher quality workplace over a fatter salary.

So how do you increase engagement for all of your employees without simply offering financial incentives? First, you need to start with the base understanding that the best way to engage employees is to ensure they understand that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Use the following powerful ways to double down on this message and boost your employee engagement:

ME and then WE.

While it is essential for your employees to work together as a team and successfully collaborate on projects, this should not take precedence over the emphasis on the importance of individual employees. Each employee must feel valued and appreciated as a key component of the working company. Recruit employees for their skills and invest the time and resources necessary to mentor each on their strengths and put them in teams where they can use those skills to compliment others. The greater emphasis management and higher ups put on the development of the individual employee, the more engaged (not to mention loyal) that employee will be for the benefit of the group and company.

Make first days, birthdays, and company anniversaries special.

Employee appreciation goes a long way towards employee engagement. Ensure that the people you employ feel recognized and valued from day one with a comprehensive welcome strategy. This might include preparing their workstation ahead of time, offering an organizational chart with the names and titles of all the team members they’ll be working with (remembering names that first month is often an embarrassing ordeal for new hires), and planning a special lunch or similar group engagement with take-home swag.

For existing employees, recognize their personal (birthdays) milestones as well as their professional ones (closing a great deal). This doesn’t have to be expensive, a simple hand-signed card from senior management paired with a gift certificate can go a long way in making employees feel valued, which in turn encourages them to put value back into the company.

Keep lines of communication open so that feedback is easy and effective.

Arguably the most important aspect of any manager’s job is listening and paying attention to how employees communicate. Ensuring that your employees have an open line of communication and can easily offer their feedback will help you identify potential workplace issues early on and assist in building a more connected and collaborated workplace. Consider implementing an organized system for feedback, such as a 15-minute call out at the end of each week for employees to send in their comments. Have managers read, review, and respond to each personally, and to send the best ideas up to senior management. By responding to such feedback, you demonstrate to your employees that their opinions matter and that they are a valued member of your company.

As a manager or business owner, you can help ensure that your employees stay engaged by investing in them as individuals and working to build their skills within the team. Contact Equal Parts Consulting today to learn more about boosting your employee engagement and attracting quality employees who will add lasting value.