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13 Scary Statistics on Employee Engagement

There is a serious problem with the way we work.

Most employees are disengaged and not passionate about the work they do. This is costing companies a ton of money in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. It’s also harmful to employees, because they’re more stressed out than ever.

The thing that bothers me the most about it, is that it’s all so easy to fix. I can’t figure out why managers aren’t more proactive about this. Besides the human element of caring for our employees, it’s costing them money, so they should care more about fixing it. Something as simple as saying thank you to your employees can have a huge effect on their engagement, not to mention it’s good for your level of happiness.

The infographic that we put together has some pretty shocking statistics in it, but there are a few common themes. Employees feel overworked, overwhelmed, and they don’t like what they do. Companies are noticing it, with 75% of them saying they can’t attract the right talent, and 83% of them feeling that their employer brand isn’t compelling. Companies that want to fix this need to be smart, and patient. This doesn’t happen overnight, but like I mentioned, it’s easy to do. Being patient might be the hardest thing for companies, and I understand how frustrating it can be not to see results right away, but it’s important that you invest in this, because the ROI of employee engagement is huge.

Here are 4 simple (and free) things you can do to get that passion back into employees. These are all based on research from Deloitte.

1. Encourage Side Projects

Employees feel overworked and underappreciated, so as leaders, we need to stop overloading them to the point where they can’t handle the workload. Let them explore their own passions and interests, and work on side projects. Ideally, they wouldn’t have to be related to the company, but if you’re worried about them wasting time, you can set that boundary that it has to be related to the company. What this does, is give them autonomy, and let them improve on their skills (mastery), two of the biggest motivators for work.

Employees feel overworked and underappreciated, so as leaders, we need to stop overloading them to the point where they can’t handle the workload.

2. Encourage Workers To Engage With Customers

At Wistia, a video hosting company, they make everyone in the company do customer support during their onboarding, and they often rotate people into customer support. When I asked Chris, their CEO, why they do this, he mentioned to me that it’s so every single person in the company understands how their customers are using their product. What pains they’re having, what they like about it, it gets everyone on the same page. It keeps all employees in the loop, and can really motivate you to work when you’re talking directly with customers.

3. Encourage Workers To Work Cross-Functionally

Both Apple and Google have created common areas in their offices, specifically and strategically located, so that different workers that don’t normally interact with each other can have a chance to chat.

This isn’t a coincidence. It’s meant for that collaborative learning, and building those relationships with your colleagues.

4. Encourage Networking In Their Industry

This is similar to number 2 on the list, but it’s important for employees to grow and learn more about what they do. It helps them build that passion for their industry. It’s important to go to networking events, and encourage your employees to participate in these things. Websites like Eventbrite or Meetup have lots of great resources, and most of the events on there are free.

13 Disturbing Facts About Employee Engagement [Infographic]

What Do You Do To Increase Employee Engagement?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

 

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This infographic was crafted with love by Officevibe, the employee survey tool that helps companies improve their corporate wellness, and have a better organizational culture.

Jacob Shriar

I currently serve as the Growth Manager at Officevibe. I'm passionate about web and mobile. I love online marketing, and I have Google and Hubspot certifications to show for it. I believe that good marketing comes effortlessly through honesty, transparency, and a solid product. I'm passionate about startups and culture. It's something that I read and talk about a lot. I also believe that you should never stop learning.

  • Al Smith

    Love all this Jacob. None of it is surprising to me. Like I have been saying to Ted, Shawn and anyone else who will listen, a good place to start is to CARE; Communicate, Appreciate, Respect, Encourage.

    I really appreciate your post, the stats and your work. Continued success.

    Al

  • Ben Simonton

    Your fix to the problem is thin. Cherry picking one idea from a company’s culture is problematic. You appear to think that encouraging workers to do something will be effective. What we need are actions by the CEO. Take a look at what I used to create several fully engaged workforces who loved to come to work and were at least 300% more productive than if not engaged.
    http://www.bensimonton.com/how-to-create-engaged-employees.html

  • Billjw

    One thing that won’t help is when senior managers turn up drunk to an appreciate on night! Also, give them the right tools to do the job. People will work better and be “happier” if the work itself is actually do-able. We talk about productivity and effectiveness then simply throw crap tools in. Why?

  • Michael R M Bina

    CEOs now say Employee Engagement is Number 2 on their Top 10 Factors of Success Today AND Tomorrow: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141126175405-7306211-ceos-measure-of-success?trk=object-title

  • JohnRichardBell

    Stunning infographic, Jacob. The issues point out a glorious opportunity for regaining and sustaining competitive advantage via culture strategy. Thanks for the insights.

  • Valerie Reed

    Those are definitely scary stats. That’s why I’m pursuing work in a company who values employee engagement, trust and integrity…all things that impact the bottom line more than people realize.

  • There’s a more human way to do business.

    In the Social Age, it’s how we engage with customers, collaborators and strategic partners that matters; it’s how we create workplace optimism that sets us apart; it’s how we recruit, retain (and repel) employees that becomes our differentiator. This isn’t a “people first, profits second” movement, but a “profits as a direct result of putting people first” movement.

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