More than any other reason disengagement is why top talent report leaving their jobs for new positions. In fact, according to a recent Gallup report, nearly 70% of employees state that they are actively disengaged at work. This is clearly a huge problem and unfortunately one that is not being appropriately addressed.
Perhaps the biggest issue is that disengagement does not happen in isolation. When an employee is disengaged this sentiment tends to spread throughout the team. This is particularly true with managers. Underlings can feel this dissatisfaction and it will start to taint their own professional experiences. However, the opposite is also usually true when managers are satisfied and engaged this positive energy will also radiate throughout the workplace.
This being the case the focus should really be on how to effectively foster satisfaction and engagement throughout the office and particularly with leadership. There are a few surefire ways to go about doing this.
Enforce time away from the office
Mental health needs to be more of a priority. Work can be extremely stressful for many of us and particularly those in leadership positions. This stress is exacerbated by not getting sufficient time away from the office. According to some studies, nearly half of all paid vacation days go unused. By encouraging workers to take time away from work – whether it’s “off hours” or breaks during the workday – you can help ensure that your team is fresh when they are on the job. This can have a huge impact when it comes to things like job satisfaction and productivity.
Stop micromanaging your team
It is important that your team feels encouraged and empowered to do the work that they were hired to do. If you are constantly looking over their shoulders and having to approve every process then it communicates that you do not believe that they are capable of doing their job. Instead, you should allow your leaders to manage their own time and complete the work in the way that they deem best. Of course, you should still make yourself available for questions, as needed.
Provide opportunities for professional development
Many employees will start to look for new positions if they feel like they are in a “dead-end job.” Of course, you cannot realistically give everyone a promotion every year. However, you can seek to provide opportunities that allow your team to grow their skillsets and still feel as though they are “climbing the ladder.” Training programs are an excellent opportunity that also allows individuals to share what they have learned with the larger group.
By actively investing in the satisfaction and engagement of your team and particularly your leadership team you can help keep up workplace morale. In turn, you will likely see stronger retention rates as a result.
Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash
