Gallup recently reported that the percentage of engaged workers in the U.S. in 2021 was just over one-third (34%), and that a full 16% of employees were actively disengaged in their work and workplace. This marks a decline from 2020, and the first decline in more than a decade.
Given these troubling numbers, there’s a good chance you are facing that same challenge in your workplace. While there is plenty of speculation about what might be the reasons for the disengagement, the questions that we’re going to address in this article are 1) How can you tell if your employees are disengaged? and 2) What can you do about it?
Three signs that your employees are disengaged
Slow to voice opinions or share ideas
When you hold team meetings where group participation is encouraged, do all of your employees actively participate? Is there room for general discussion and shared opinions, or do a handful of people tend to dominate the room? While it’s natural and healthy that some people will speak up more than others, a red flag to look for is when one of your employees never voices his or her opinion or contributes to group discussions. This is especially true if the person used to be more involved—but even for someone who tends to be reserved, a sure sign of disengagement is if they never speak up or share their thoughts and ideas with the rest of the group.
Decline in quality of work
In the same way, an employee who used to take pride in her work and paid close attention to detail but now makes frequent mistakes is sending a signal. She no longer has the motivation she once did to do her best. Maybe you’re noticing something small like skipping steps at closing time, or maybe it’s something bigger like missing client deadlines. Whatever the case, an employee who no longer performs at the same level she previously did is not a fully engaged employee.
Late to arrive, early to leave
Are you watching the parking lot each morning to see when employees arrive? Do you schedule meetings first thing or at the end of the day in order to keep tabs on everyone and make sure they stay the full workday? If so, you have disengaged employees at your company. Simply showing up on time should be a bare minimum for employees to show their commitment to work. While occasionally everyone gets delayed or has good reason to leave early, anyone who makes it a pattern is demonstrating that work is not a priority.
Three ways to improve employee engagement
It’s possible you didn’t need any help with knowing how to spot a disengaged employee. If that’s the case, we’ve come to the piece you’ve been waiting for! While no one can transform the behavior of someone who simply isn’t interested in working, there are things that you as a leader or manager can do to address common concerns that cause employees to hold back.
Meet one-on-one on a regular basis.
Disengaged employees often feel as though their opinions don’t matter. This leads to a vicious cycle in which the employee doesn’t speak up because he thinks no one will listen, and the supervisor assumes he has nothing to say because he won’t speak up. When a supervisor and an employee meet face-to-face, it creates a shift in the dynamic. In this situation, there is no competition for airspace, nor is there someone else to hide behind.
Start with a clear agenda so that each person knows what to expect. (Needless to say, being called into the boss’s office at a moment’s notice doesn’t make for a relaxing conversation.) Give each person a chance to talk about what’s working, what’s not working, and areas where further support is needed. Create a list of follow-up tasks and stick to them.
These meetings are most effective when they are held on a regular basis. Ideally, you’ll meet one-on-one with your direct reports every four to eight weeks. When you implement this process, you’ll find it creates a culture of personal responsibility and builds a bond of trust, both of which are key to helping your employees be successful and engaged.
Make your company values crystal clear.
Every company has its own unique culture. The problem lies when the expectations and norms that guide the culture aren’t written down or expressly stated. Through no malicious intent, company owners can simply assume that the people they hire will catch on naturally to “the way things are done around here.” That’s not an efficient approach, however, and can lead to misalignment between the company and its employees.
Be intentional about creating strong internal values for your company. Think of them as a promise to your team. When you are interviewing candidates, tell them what your values are and let them evaluate those along with all other aspects of the job. That way, when you add a new person to the team, expectations governing behavior are clear.
Another advantage to having clear company values is that you are giving your employees something to be enthusiastic about. Perhaps the day-to-day work they’ll be performing can become monotonous or routine, but everyone responds more positively to work that has meaning. If they can connect their tasks to the broader mission and understand how they contribute, they are much more likely to be engaged.
Set clear expectations and boundaries around roles and responsibilities.
Clarity is never a bad thing, and it’s especially important when it comes to making sure your employees know what their responsibilities are. A major reason that employees become disengaged is that they’re unclear as to what they’re supposed to be doing or where they’re heading.
Take time to review all employee job descriptions. Are they accurate? If not, what needs to change? Are the changes substantial enough to warrant a new title? Different compensation? If you’re not clear on what the employee should be doing, you can bet that he or she won’t be clear either. Well-defined roles give employees the benefit of knowing what is expected and what is outside of their purview. The anxiety of wondering is eliminated.
The other component that benefits employees and leads to greater engagement is knowing what opportunities for development lie within the company. If the employee is in an ill-defined role with no idea what advancement might look like, he’s less likely to be engaged. Show him not only what he’s doing today but also what opportunities there are for tomorrow.
While there’s no overnight solution to boosting employee engagement, there are practical steps you can take to improve. It’s well worth the effort, too – businesses lose revenue, resources, and profits through disengaged employees and high turnover.
At the ReWild Group, our mission is to multiply the number of exceptional businesses globally. In this article, we’ve touched on three of the 11 Elements of an Exceptional Business – One-to-One Process, Brand and Core Values, and Organizational Structure. Click to learn more about the guidebooks for each of the elements, and start the journey towards making your workplace exceptional.