What’s With All This Disengagement?
I was truly disappointed in January when I read the Gallup Engagement Report. They reported employee engagement in the U.S. at a 10-year low. According to the Gallup Report, only 23% of the workforce is engaged, meaning 87% of the workforce polled is disengaged, including 15% who are reported as actively disengaged. This lack of employee engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion dollars—or 9% of global GDP.
When Gallup asked employees why they were disengaged, some of their responses included:
- “I would change the boss.”
- “I would like it if the managers were more approachable.”
- “I would like there to be a good working environment where we all treat each other with equality and respect.”
- “The boss must treat everyone fairly.”
- “It would be nice to be able to express your opinions without fear of repercussions at work.”
It’s interesting to note that many of the respondents specifically mention concerns with their manager.
If an effective manager is the key to employee engagement, then learning to interact and deal positively with people is critical. Here are 12 points to consider adding to your leadership skillset.
Get to know your people
What do you know about your people aside from their names and what they do? What do you know about their education, their family, their dreams and aspirations? Do you spend time visiting with them and learning about them? Do you ever check in with them just to see how they are? Taking the time to establish a relationship with your employees will demonstrate your care and concern for them as a leader and will help to encourage their loyalty.
Provide frequent feedback
Most people value and appreciate feedback. They want to know how they are doing. If they are not doing well, people want to know sooner than later. People are eager to make corrections to their performance and improve as quickly as possible. They also appreciate hearing about the things they are doing well, which encourages them to continue. Saying nothing to those who work for you is one of the worst things you can do as a leader. If you don’t provide feedback, people will assume the worst. Don’t overlook the importance of providing information to those who want to hear from you.
Offer support
Leaving people on their own for long periods of time without checking in will likely impact efficiency and productivity. You can’t assume that people will come to you if they are having problems. The last thing a person wants to admit is that they are struggling and may not know what they are doing or what they should do next. Unless you have a great relationship and know that someone will seek you out if there are challenges, most people are not going to admit when they are struggling. Check in regularly and ask them what they need. When they tell you, sincerely provide support and encouragement as you work with them to resolve their concerns.
Express appreciation for a contribution
I once worked with a large company who wanted to create a recognition program for employees which included rewarding employees with wonderful and expensive gifts. As part of the project development, I held a number of focus groups to identify the forms of recognition people preferred. Surprisingly, people identified that they would rather be recognized verbally by their manager than receive expensive gifts. The company was shocked, as was I. People want to be recognized in meaningful ways. Find ways to identify people’s contributions and express frequent, sincere appreciation for their efforts.
Celebrate success
Not only does success often go unrecognized, but it is generally not celebrated. Looking for opportunities to celebrate team and individual success is not only fun, but it is energizing. When employees are valued, recognized, and celebrated for their contributions, they will respond by being more productive, engaged, and invested in their work.
If an effective manager is the key to employee engagement, then learning to interact and deal positively with people is critical.
Provide opportunities for growth and development
If you take the time to explore skills that people would like to develop, you will likely learn some things that you never knew about the person, including aptitudes and strengths you didn’t know they had. Providing people with chances to learn and develop new skills will keep them engaged and connected while expanding the capabilities of your team.
Clarify your expectations
When giving directions, it is important to identify your specific expectations. When I don’t receive the results or performance I expect, I make it a point to reflect on exactly what I said and how specific I was in my communication. I am often surprised to discover that my directions were not as clear as I intended, leaving room for misinterpretation. Check the clarity of your expectations and ask the person to repeat back to you their understanding of your request. If you discover that they misunderstood you, you will be glad you asked for clarification so you can make needed corrections before they get off course.
Provide a clear vision
People want to be part of something that is bigger than themselves. They want to have a shared purpose and know how what they do contributes to that purpose. Taking the time to craft a team vision that connects to your organization’s broader mission encourages increased motivation and commitment to the achievement of the team’s goals and objectives.
Communicate, communicate, communicate
A key element in the tactics discussed thus far is the need for effective and frequent communication. If you ask questions or invite the input of others, listen. If you ask for ideas and people contribute, try to find ways to incorporate or address what people are sharing. One of the biggest complaints about why people quit speaking up is that management rarely implements or seriously considers their ideas and suggestions.
Be excited about the work you do
Positivity, optimism and enthusiasm are choices. Granted, not all tasks may be exciting, but these characteristics are contagious. If you are excited about your work and tackle the challenges you face with a positive attitude and enthusiasm, others will be excited and encouraged as well.
Cultivate self-awareness
When things don’t turn out as planned, it is easy to become frustrated and angry and say things you will regret later. By taking steps to increase your emotional intelligence and self-awareness, you can learn to manage your responses and actions and interact in a respectful and professional way. Being able to remain calm in the face of stress and anxiety is a leadership trait all leaders would do well to develop.
Be respectful
There is not a justifiable excuse for being demeaning or talking down to people. Some leaders tend to use sarcasm in a way that comes across as veiled threats or putdowns. No one deserves to be treated in a less than dignified manner. As the leader, you set an example for your team of how others are to be treated. Take an active role to ensure that members of your team don’t engage in behavior that is demeaning to others.
Striving to become an engaging leader is a wonderful opportunity to make work not only successful but wholly rewarding for you and your team. Your efforts to increase employee engagement will not only increase work productivity but will encourage a satisfying and productive environment that will be valued by all employees. Your team will be engaged to the degree that you are. Take advantage of the opportunity to set the standard and be the key to greater employee engagement.
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