Employee Engagement Hits a 10-Year Low – Here’s How to Turn It Around

According to Gallup, employee engagement in the United States is at its lowest level in a decade. Only 31% of employees are engaged and 17% of employees are actively disengaged, matching numbers last seen in 2014.

Among the engagement elements measured by Gallup, clarity of expectations, feeling someone at work cares about them as a person, and someone encouraging their development saw the most significant declines.

How can you combat those concerns in your workplace, so your employees don’t disengage? Here are some suggestions.

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. Even if you think it’s obvious what your expectations are, talk to your employees about them anyway.
• Be specific when you explain your expectations. Is “as soon as possible” today? Sometime in the next week? When you say “when you have a minute” does that mean the earliest moment they can get to it, or whenever it’s convenient for them? How much should they prioritize this task?
• Offer flexibility. Giving employees the freedom to fit family and personal obligations into their workday when possible can demonstrate that you know (and care) that they have lives outside of work.
• Get to know your team members as people. Have conversations with them and ask them about their hobbies, weekend plans, kids’ activities, etc. Show them you appreciate that they’re not just work robots!
• Check in regularly. Whether it’s an informal chat or a more structured check-in using a platform like 15Five, frequently take a minute to find out how your employees are feeling. And if you find out they’re not feeling great, make sure do something with that information! You might help them lighten their workload, support their need to take breaks, recommend your EAP, etc.
• Create learning and development plans. Collaborate with employees to create personalized plans that will help them develop the skills they need for their career goals (and your organization’s goals).
• Invest in employees’ learning and development. Give employees a budget that can go toward conferences, certification courses, etc.

If you’re looking for more advice on creating engaging work environments, check out The JoyPowered® Workspace Podcast!