Addressing the Challenge of Worker Engagement
Employers need to address the challenge of diminishing employee engagement sooner rather than later. According to a poll from Gallup, younger workers are more detached from their jobs than ever. Since the pandemic, engagement has dropped off dramatically among young and middle-aged workers. The poll showed declines in:
- Feeling cared about by someone at work.
- Having opportunities to learn and grow.
- Feeling connected to the mission of the organization.
- Having progress discussions with managers.
- Being given opportunities to develop.
- Feeling that their opinions count.
When employees are disengaged, they are more likely to keep an eye on job sites. For employers, it’s significantly more expensive to replace employees than it is to nurture the talent you have. Therefore, this poll may be a predictor of what is to come when the economy turns back into a hot job market.
Recommendations on Improving Employee Engagement
If you want to improve employee engagement, upgrade your leadership skills first. There are four tenets to leadership: 1. Learning Agility – be more flexible and willing to change as you learn new things. 2. Self-Reflection – continue to grow and develop your leadership skills. 3. Influence – build strong relationships, expertise, and trust. 4. Communication – be transparent and foster open communication. All of these tenets require investment of your time and money.
Do not be afraid to invest time and money in your employees. I have heard business owners say that they do not want to invest in an employee just to see them go their competitors for more money, which they do not have because they invest it in them. That is one way of looking at it. Another more growth-oriented way to look at it is that people are your most important asset. Therefore, the more you sew/invest in every employee, the larger and more widespread the harvest you will get back. Even if a few employees leave, you will still have a fertile harvest with the employees who stay, and they will continue to grow. Those that go to your competition will not continue to learn and grow, so their impact will diminish over time.
Citations: Engagement at work among elder millennials and Gen Zers is in “dramatic decline” new Gallop Poll says. Fortune magazine. Jane Thier. March 5, 2024