According to the State of the Global Workplace report, 85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work. This is because organizations fail to prioritize employee engagement.
So, the question now is, why do organizations fail to keep employees engaged in the workplace?
Here are the main reasons why your employee engagement plans are failing.
1) Poor Communication
Poor or a lack of communication is one of the leading causes of employee disengagement.
You set clear goals and objectives for your organization, but if your employees are not aware of them, they will be unable to contribute towards your mission, and more importantly, you will not be able to meet your employee engagement goals.
2) Ignoring Employee Concerns
If your employees feel that their voices are not being heard and their concerns are not being addressed, they are likely to stop trusting management. No matter how good your employee engagement plan is, if their concerns are ignored and unaddressed, they will eventually disengage, lose faith in the leadership, and seek opportunities elsewhere.
3) Lack of Employee Acknowledgement
When you do not value your employees’ work and fail to recognise their efforts, it may lead to a lack of employee engagement, resulting in lower productivity at work. Research says employees who feel appreciated are 5x more likely to stay at their organization.
If an employee is hardworking but is not recognized or acknowledged for their performance, it is obvious that this will reduce their motivation, and as a result, they will not be able to contribute their best.
4) Unhealthy Work Environment
The culture of a company plays a significant role in employee engagement. Studies show that 88% of employees believe a strong company culture is key to business success.
If the work environment is not supportive, employees may not enjoy their work and may refrain from socializing actively. An unhealthy office environment can stop employees from connecting with their organization on both physical and emotional levels. Employees who don’t like their organization’s culture are 24% more likely to quit.
5) Assuming that Employee Engagement Rests Entirely on HR’s Shoulders
It’s often assumed that employee engagement is just HR’s job. However, that’s not the case. It also requires managers and leaders to contribute and encourage employees to remain engaged in the workplace. No matter how many employee engagement initiatives you implement, if the relationship between managers and employees is not strong, it won’t make a difference.
6) Neglecting the Importance of Employee Relationships
When a senior manager overlooks maintaining good relationships with their team members, employees often feel undervalued and less inspired, which weakens their engagement at the workplace.
7) Frequent Changes in Management
When managers change frequently, work styles change, and direction shifts, which can leave employees confused and frustrated. This affects employees’ regular work, which reduces overall productivity.
Their energy shifts towards understanding the new boss’s expectations and necessities, which leads to “change fatigue,” and eventually, they stop trying to adapt and only deliver basic work requirements.
8) No Professional Growth and Career Guidance
When employees see no growth opportunities professionally, they feel like they have no future in the company, which makes them less motivated and engaged. This also increases the likelihood of them pursuing an opportunity elsewhere and moving on from the company.
According to a report by Great Place To Work Belgium and Vlerick Business School, career development is the number one reason why employees quit their jobs.
9) Minimal Support from Managers
If employees lack support from senior management, it can kill their engagement level. No matter how good your employee perks and growth opportunities are, if there is not enough support from managers, employees will be disappointed and dissatisfied with such a workplace.
10) No Action on Employee Feedback
When quick action is not taken on the feedback given by employees, they feel their voices aren’t being heard and that the company doesn’t care about them. Over time, employees stop reporting their concerns and problems, because they think nothing will change anyway.
According to studies, employees are 18x more likely to recommend their company to others if they see their feedback leads to positive change. When employees feel that you close the loop on their feedback, they are likely to be employer evangelists.
What Approaches Can You Take to Fix Employee Disengagement?
1) Use two-way communication during onboarding. Don’t just tell employees your company’s goals; engage with them and show them how their daily work helps them achieve those goals. Have regular team huddles and one-on-one sessions to keep everyone on the same page. Encourage employees to ask questions and clear up any confusion in their minds.
2) Host face-to-face meetings to address and resolve any issues employees may be facing. When employees see that their concerns and issues are being addressed and resolved, they will regain their trust in you and be encouraged to stay committed to your company.
Even if you cannot resolve their issue immediately, explain why that is the case and assure them that it will be fixed. This will showcase to your staff that you are aware of their problems and truly care about them
3) Build a company culture where employees’ hard work is appreciated and recognized. Give them “real-time” praise for their hard work and even small successes. Allow coworkers to celebrate each other’s wins, which builds a stronger sense of community. When employees see that their efforts are acknowledged, they will be motivated to work even harder and fulfill the company’s goals.
4) Encourage open communication between your employees and managers. Consider rewarding employees for their outstanding performance rather than just praising them. You can offer bonuses, awards, gift cards, a flexible work schedule, remote working opportunities, or extra time off. This will motivate them to do their best work, resulting in them remaining engaged and loyal to the company.
5) Encourage senior managers to build a good bond with their employees, helping them to succeed. Provide training to leaders on skills like empathy, active listening, supporting, and giving constructive feedback. Train managers on how to support and meet the needs of their team.
6) Encourage senior managers to actively listen to employees and build personal relationships with them. Building good relationships helps leaders understand what employees really want. When managers help employees with their achievements, their trust builds, and they remain engaged.
7) Frequent manager changes can be frustrating. So create a consistent “blueprint” that will remain the same even if leaders move on from the company. If certain changes are necessary, then clearly explain the reason for this to your staff.
8) Establish a clear path for how employees will advance in their careers. Provide them with tools and opportunities to learn new skills and develop professionally. Hold professional development programs across your organization, such as training programs, mentoring programs, skill development sessions and more.
9) Encourage senior leaders to work with the new hires or junior team members as supportive coaches or mentors, rather than just supervisors. When managers support and empathize with employees, a foundation of trust will be built among them, resulting in their satisfaction with the workplace.
10) Take immediate action on employee feedback. Accept their feedback and take the next step. This will show you care about them, value their feedback, and that their opinion matters.
Final Thoughts
Employee engagement is actually critical to business success. It not only improves the work culture and environment but also makes employees more dedicated to the company’s goals and values. Improving employee engagement positively impacts your work culture, overall productivity, operational efficiency, customer relationships, as well as your bottomline.
FAQs
The signs of disengaged employees are
- Taking excessive breaks or vacations from work without a reason
- Lack of participation in meetings
- Reduced productivity and quality of work
- Having a more negative attitude
- Not fulfilling the given responsibility
- No desire to learn new skills
When employees are fully engaged at the workplace, they are motivated to work to the fullest potential, which enhances regular job efficiency as well as strengthens relationships with customers. Moreover, employee participation helps create a positive work culture within the company, which not only encourages teamwork and collaboration but also builds respect for each other.
You can hold the following activities, exercises, and games to boost employee participation and engagement.
- Team lunches
- Happy hours
- Peer-to-peer learning
- Mentorship programs
- In-person team event
- Content or challenges
- Wellness programs
