How Managers Can Boost Employee Engagement in 30 Days: A Practical Sprint Framework
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Employee engagement is critical for productivity, retention, and workplace culture, but it can be hard to know where to start. Many engagement initiatives fail because organizations attempt a “big bang” rollout or rely solely on HR to drive programs.
In our latest Engagement Lab webinar, our CEO and co-founder, Alex Grande, and employee experience expert Ellen Butler, introduced a practical, results-driven approach for managers: The 30-day Engagement Sprint.
What Is a 30-Day Engagement Sprint?
Derived from Agile software development, a sprint is a short, focused experiment designed to test ideas, gather feedback, and iterate quickly. For managers, this means you don’t need to launch company-wide initiatives or wait for HR approval. Instead, start small, measure impact, and scale what works.
Alex explains, “It’s not about rushing. It’s about breaking a large goal into bite-sized pieces and making sure you’re moving in the right direction.”
Whether you want to improve morale, streamline onboarding, or build a peer-to-peer recognition program, sprints give managers the structure to take action and see tangible results, without feeling overwhelmed!
Why Managers Struggle with Engagement Initiatives
Ellen Butler highlighted the main challenges managers face:
- Time and bandwidth constraints: Competing priorities often leave little room for engagement experiments.
- Lack of a clear framework: Without guidance, managers may not know where to start or how to track success.
- Skill gaps: Engagement requires soft skills like listening, coaching, and building psychological safety, areas many managers haven’t been trained in.
- Delayed results: Managers may hesitate to invest in engagement if outcomes aren’t immediately visible.
The sprint framework solves many of these challenges by providing a structured, time-bound approach that emphasizes iteration over perfection.
How to Run a 30-Day Engagement Sprint
Here’s a week-by-week approach managers can adopt:
Week 1 – Kickoff and Goal Setting:
Set a clear goal for your sprint. Engage employees in co-designing the experiment to foster ownership and buy-in. Use tools like Notion or Kanban boards to visually map goals and tasks.
Week 2 – Collect Feedback:
Check in with employees to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Psychological safety is key! Anonymous surveys can help employees speak freely.
Week 3 – Iterate and Adjust:
Analyze early feedback and refine the approach. Focus on actions that move the needle and adjust initiatives that aren’t delivering.
Week 4 – Measure Results and Report:
Compile data and qualitative observations to present outcomes. Ellen emphasizes connecting results to business objectives and organizational values. This is absolutely critical for leadership buy-in.
Practical Tips for Managers
These tips help managers roll out new initiatives in a way that feels simple, flexible, and easy for teams to adopt.
- Frame initiatives as pilots, not trials. Pilots signal learning and iteration.
- Tailor experiments to employee types: Deskless, Remote, or Front-office teams require different approaches.
- Keep check-ins short but consistent. Asynchronous tools like Geekbot can help remote teams stay aligned.
- Make participation simple for managers with clear guidance, templates, and examples. This all serves to reduce friction.
The Impact of Small Wins
Starting small doesn’t mean thinking small. Early successes attract advocates, build momentum, and create a culture of experimentation. Even modest improvements in engagement can have a ripple effect across teams and departments.
Ellen Butler reminds us, “Experimentation is how innovation comes about. Moving the needle even slightly on engagement can have a lasting impact.”
Why This Matters for HR and Leadership
Engagement sprints empower managers to take ownership of the employee experience. They allow HR to provide structure while letting teams experiment, iterate, and learn quickly. Over time, small wins accumulate, creating meaningful, measurable impact across the organization.
Whether you’re designing a recognition program, streamlining onboarding, or simply trying to understand what motivates your team, a 30-day sprint offers a practical, proven framework for real engagement.
Ready to level up your HR department?
Whether you’re looking to launch engagement sprints, build a recognition program, or just get practical tools to improve employee experience, you don’t have to go it alone. Reach out to Alex Grande and Ellen Butler for expert guidance.
And don’t forget to check out the Recognize App for all your recognition needs with peer-to-peer recognition, rewards, and insights all in one platform to help your teams thrive!
To watch the full webinar, click HERE: Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!