Do you have employees who are not focused, lack enthusiasm, and show no interest in their work? Have you wondered why they’re feeling this way? Part of the answer could be you.
When these employees joined the company, they were (presumably) full of vim and vigour. They were excited, curious, and highly motivated.
So what happened along the way?
Research shows a person’s direct supervisor has the biggest impact on whether an employee gives their best effort.
According to Gallup, a whopping 7 in 10 employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged in Canada. This means only 30 percent of the workforce enjoy doing what they do and are loyal to their company.
In addition to the obvious unhappy employee, disengaged employees are not always so stereotypically easy to spot. They may be just doing the minimum job requirements and have no intention of taking on extra initiatives.
Take a look in the mirror
Employee engagement starts with you. If you want others to be engaged, you, too, must be engaged. Whatever you want from your employees you must be prepared to give the same.
If you don’t practice what you preach you will lose their enthusiasm.
Albeit it’s a tough needle to thread to keep everyone engaged, leadership credibility is a crucial factor for employees to be emotionally connected to their work.
You’re not going to get all your employees skipping into work every day with broad smiles on their faces. Some may never be fully engaged; but the odds are in your favour to re-engage them if you provide the time, support and encouragement they need from you.
Somewhere along the way, their expectations were not met. As their leader, it’s your responsibility to find the root cause of why they are not aligning with your company’s vision.
Look in the mirror and ask yourself these questions, to start:
- What have I done to build a relationship with these employees?
- Have I clearly defined their role and responsibilities?
- Am I a good communicator?
- Do I give them praise and recognition?
- Have I provided a comfortable, safe place for them to be open with me?
- Have I given them opportunities to grow?
There are many reasons why employees disconnect from their jobs. First, apply oneself.
If you want employees to get their heads back in the game, they need to believe in the messenger before they will believe the message.
