If you lead a team, then you should be worried about ongoing research into employee engagement. The Gallup organization has been tracking this important indicator in the United States for several years. The latest survey shows that the percentage of workers who say they are engaged in their jobs is less than 32%.
The indicator has been stuck at this level for the past few years.
Why should you care? Employee engagement has been shown to be essential to an organization?s financial success, including productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. It’s fuel for team building.
Thinking of it another way, less than a third of employees are likely to drive things like innovation, growth, and revenue. These are the lifeblood of a healthy business.
Gallup estimates that the unengaged will cost the U.S. $450 billion to $550 billion in lost productivity per year. They do this by coming in late, performing their duties with the least amount of work possible, and undermining your top performers.
In my experience, this slide into mediocrity is often rooted in poor communication. Consider these issues for motivating the unengaged and keeping your engaged people from joining the majority:
You Stopped Talking
Every day, you are faced with a complex, ever changing business world. It’s easy to be so focused on the changes that you forget to keep everyone in the loop.
I’ve seen leaders go out of their way to avoid speaking with their employees. This creates a You vs. Them scenario.
You’re supposed to be on the same team.
When people don’t know what you’re doing, your goals, and how they fit into them, they start to make assumptions. Usually these do not favor you or your business.
Communication reduces uncertainty, which lets employees know why they should be engaged.
They Lost the Vision
It’s hard to get excited about a car ride if you don?t know where the driver is going. As the one in charge, you are excited about where you can go.
If you’re a passenger on this mystery trip, then you’re thinking about how long you’ll be riding, when you’ll get to eat, and when you’ll get a bathroom break. Very little thought is given to a possible destination. They get nervous.
Remind people of your big picture goals and how your business helps your customers solve a problem. If you’re looking to become more, let them know that as well.
While expansion and growth may require some secrecy, at a certain point, you need to put your cards on the table, especially with those who will make those plans become a reality.
Consider the Chicago Cubs
Engagement does not have to mean achieving the ultimate in success right away. Fans of the Chicago Cubs passionately love their baseball team even though the Cubs have not been to the World Series in more than 100 years.
The fans don’t abandon the team when it underachieves because they know that one day, victory will come. They want to take the ride from last place to World Champion, no matter how long it takes.
Summary
Don’t expect employee engagement to increase unless you are taking an active role in explaining why your team should care and how they can be a part of an improved future. Just because you pay someone, doesn’t mean they?ll be your partner in success.
