I see asking the question as more important than answering it.

Your Employee Engagement Plan (maybe even Strategy?) may focus on any or all of these results:

• Initiating engagement among new employees;
• Increasing engagement among all employees;
• Maintaining current (high?) levels of engagement among employees;
• All of the above.

That Plan may (should?) include

• Communication assignments for all managers, using meetings, e-mail, newsletters, presentations….
• Opportunities for employees to engage: projects, forums, training, cross-functional assignments….
• Resources to expedite employees taking on engagement: learning materials, coaching/mentoring programs, tutorials, networks….
• Engagement by management in designing/implementing the Plan, engagement that is visible to employees.

And your Plan should pay attention to When? The timing factor–whatever it is–deserves consideration. There may be benefits for you, for your business, for your employees, for your customers if you emphasize employee engagement all the time. Or…there may be advantages if you target specific times for employee engagement events or seasons or spotlights.

What is important is that you incorporate When? and How often? into your plan, more important than how you answer the questions. By asking, you allow yourself a broader, longer view of the strategy and tactics you will implement.

But don't dismiss your answer. Asking When? How often? may be more important, but your answers put your plan on a schedule and make implementing it all the more viable.