How engaged are your employees? In the 2012 Global Workforce Study, Engagement at Risk: Driving Strong Performance in a Volatile Global Environment, conducted by Towers Watson, they found that:
- 35% of workers are engaged
- 22% are unsupported
- 17% are detached
- 26% are disengaged
Engaged workers scored high in:
- believing in company goals, having an emotional connection to the company, and demonstrating a willingness to put forth extra effort to support success
- feeling enabled by being free from obstacles affecting their success, having the resources to perform well, and the ability to effectively meet work challenges
- maintaining energy at work, having a supportive social environment, and feeling enthusiasm and a sense of accomplishment at work
Unsupported workers were engaged in the traditional sense, but lacked the resources to do their jobs, encountered stumbling blocks that held them back, didn’t have the capacity to meet work challenges, and/or acted without enthusiasm or commitment.
Detached workers had the resources and support they needed to do the job, but they didn’t connect on an emotional level with the company and its goals, and therefore, didn’t put forth maximum effort.
Disengaged workers scored low on all the attributes of the engaged worker. They were disconnected; lacked resources, support and/or the ability to perform well; didn’t have a supportive social network; demonstrated low energy; didn’t feel excited or motivated by their work; and therefore performed poorly.
What does this mean? It means that in most companies: one-third or more of the employees lack the drive to work to capacity and therefore are not as productive as you’d like, even though they could be; are not emotionally attached to the company or its values, mission, and strategic goals and therefore have little or no buy-in; and do not feel they have the physical and/or social support or resources to do their jobs well. Do you want two-thirds of your staff operating under par? I don’t think so.
So, what can you do to engage all employees? Towers Watson suggests focusing on these five areas:
1) Initiate a leadership program for all employees.
2) Help workers manage work/home stressors, balance the workload among the group, andcreate work flexibility.
3) Share goals and objectives and indicate how each worker contributes to achieving them; everyone is a valued employee.
4) Work with supervisors so they can do their jobs well, coach team members, and treat all employees with respect.
5) Consistently strive to create a highly respected organization brand.
Sound simple? It can be with the right partner.
Let SyN partner with you to create a unique leadership program (we have a new Build A Leadership Certificate Program that’s just been developed) that uses your mission, your vision, and your values to engage every worker. Learn how to communicate your company’s strategic objectives and get buy-in from all the staff, with training provided by our master instructors. Use us to help you design an environment that recognizes and appreciates all the stressors workers deal with – at home and on the job – and provide workers with the skills to manage them, and create on-site arrangements that make it work for you, them, and their families. Let us teach your supervisors and managers the skill sets that allow them to build a close-knit team (on-site and virtual) where they model engaged behaviors and help others become engaged to the max. And let’s talk about how SyN can assist you in branding your organization and the team, to show all stakeholders – internal and external – that you are a company to be respected, trusted, and one that can meet their needs, each and every time.
E-mail me at SusanFennerPhD@Speakersyou Need.com and I will have someone contact you to show you how to increase employee engagement, enhance productivity, and drive profits. Let’s make 2015 a Banner Year for Employee Engagement!
