Are your employees engaged? Chances are if they’re like 1/3 of Americans, they aren’t. According to Gallup, engaged employees are defined as, “those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.”
While only 1/3 of Americans aren’t engaged, the majority are apathetic towards their work. This lack of engagement can be linked directly to management and how employees feel about that management, therefore it falls to managers to resolve this issue. Improving workplace culture is one of the best ways to maximize employee engagement. In fact, “managers account for up to 70% of [the] variance in engagement”? It’s true! Without effective communication strategies and development opportunities, employees become more and more complacent. Here are some top reasons why employees become disengaged.
High Stress
Ongoing stress without an outlet of some kind pushes good employees to the brink. While some thrive on stress, it is not a long-term working strategy as it tends to affect their lives at work and at home making it very difficult to find a comfortable work life balance. Taking note of your employees’ stress levels is important because if you notice them early on, you can combat them by helping them re-prioritize or restructure rather than letting them burn out under pressure. You can also offer programs within your company that promote a healthy balance such as exercise options, increased paid time off and more.
Lack of Communication
When employees feel like management isn’t listening or that they aren’t being given clear directions, a rift can develop. This is because employees feel both disrespected and confused. A lack of communication can also breed unnecessary work and frustration. For instance, an employee who didn’t receive a clear set of directions from their manager will try to come up with solutions that may not be in line with the manager’s thinking, thus wasting the employee’s and the manager’s time.
No Feedback
When employees do an excellent job or if even they are doing poorly, they want to know. People have an innate desire to please and to improve, especially when it comes to work. As Rumi said, “everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.”
Even if employees enjoy the type of work they do, if they aren’t provided with feedback, they will not have a way to judge their progress towards their goals. We all want to reach our ultimate potential and when we feel that we are losing track of how to get there, passion for work tends to dwindle.
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According to Gallup’s Q12 Employee Engagement research, “When employees are engaged, they are passionate, creative, and entrepreneurial, and their enthusiasm fuels growth. These employees are emotionally connected to the mission and purpose of their work. When employees are not engaged, they are indifferent toward their jobs -- or worse, outright hate their work, supervisor, and organization -- and they will destroy a work unit and a business.”
In summation, a lack of employee engagement can contribute to the destruction of your employer recruitment brand, a higher turnover rate and an increased level of recruitment difficulty due to the aforementioned inferior brand. Don’t let your employees become disengaged! Communicate regularly, provide feedback, reduce stress where possible and consider your overall workplace culture!
