For most business leaders today, creating an engaged, motivated and productive work team is at the top of their list of priorities. So much has been written about the disengaged global workforce that disengagement has almost become a buzzword, but it is much more than that.
It used be that compensation, PTO and annual evaluations were the keys to happy employees. Then people like Patrick Lencioni and Daniel Pink arrived on the scene, Gallup did their survey, and suddenly, the buzzword became a movement. Today’s global employees have access to so much information about their company’s priorities, goals and performance that they now identify with what the data says.
It’s easy to see why leaders may not be able to identify which people are disengaged. Gallup research says that up to 70 percent of U.S. employees and 90 percent of global employees are disengaged – they come to work but are not contributing what they were hired to contribute. Often, unless there is a major manifestation of the disengagement (like low employee retention), leaders may not be aware of the extent of the problem or the impact it has on the bottom line.
People who are not engaged aren’t always forthcoming about why they aren’t happy in their jobs. When asked, many lie, sugarcoat the reality or avoid the subject altogether. And why shouldn’t they? In some cases, they are fired or moved to another position for “not being on board.” But what if leaders could identify the people who are engaged and then use that information to improve engagement overall?
Here are five statements you might hear from engaged employees.
1. “I don’t know why we haven’t fixed that yet.” According to Blake Thorne, we love negativity. We are hardwired to be aware of negativity. However, people want an efficient place to work where they don’t have a lot of procedural nonsense hampering their ability to get things done. Too often, organizations have procedures and regulations that may have once made sense but are no longer relevant. Lunch is every day from 12-1? Why? Does it have to be that way? Make it part of cultural development to look for problems and fix them, not work around them.
2. “I know it’s not my job, but I’ll work on it anyway.” Engaged employees are team players who understand the bigger picture. Erika Andersen says that people who embrace challenges are more successful at work. They think about business results and the positive outcomes for the company when things get done. They know that in most cases, helping out, being a leader and staying positive will reward them later.
3. “What can I do to be prepared for this meeting/presentation/conference call?” Engaged employees know that sometimes, this question will result in more work, but it’s what the manager needs for a successful meeting. They know that having a meeting without a plan isn’t a meeting; it’s a group of people wishing they were anywhere else. Hearing this question also shows you that the employee wants to contribute to the meeting, not just show up with a notepad. Wade Mayfield says that knowing what you want to accomplish “is often the most neglected aspect of being prepared.”
4. “If I don’t answer my phone, call my cell.” It’s true that many people might immediately think, “Ugh: workaholic.” And not everyone has to adopt this policy with every person in every situation. But engaged employees see the value in their contribution and understand that there are occasions when making themselves as much of an asset as possible is good for the team.
5. “I’d like to take on more responsibility by…” This one seems obvious, but more and more people report that their managers are threatened by employees who want to advance their careers or personal abilities. Today’s employees are deluged, with the average person doing the work of two or more people. That said, anyone asking for more wants to stay with the organization, do more and not be anonymous. These people are engaged.
There are so many ways observant leaders can judge the level of their employees’ engagement and then take the actions necessary to change the culture of their companies, skill their people and lead for better results. All it takes is knowledge, intentionality, the desire to change, and the skills to challenge themselves, their people and the status quo.
Kevin Kopald is an organizational development professional with Global Performance Group, a performance improvement firm with a deep and focused expertise in developing the dialogue skills necessary for a higher level of employee engagement, sales and negotiation skills, and innovative thinking.
