These disturbing trends from research spell the continued dearth for employee engagement. Only: 
- 21% of employees believe their performance planning is any good.
- 24% of employees feel connected at work.
- 25% of employees feel managers are transparent with employees while nearly twice as many managers truly believe that they are.
- 26% of employee feel valued at work.
Talk about poor employee engagement! All of these are going backward from prior years. Is there any wonder why employee engagement stinks in many places? For example, a CEO in a highly competitive market faced huge price pressures and under-performing businesses that rocked the bottom line. Morale was seriously low and employee turnover high. When does he want to work on it? Next year sometime!!! He needs the transfusion NOW! All business leaders need to learn and understand that turned on employees increase productivity, customer service, sales and profitability!
George Bernard Shaw’s quote identifies a solution. Any manager–first line supervisor to CEO–must master the art and science of communication. Whether an employee is listened to and feels wanted mostly depends on the relationship to their direct supervisor.
How to Eliminate Poor Employee Engagement
Excellent companies partner with employees by committing to these actions:
- Value people, listen to them and help them succeed.
- Treat employees as #1 in the business.
- Invest in on-going training, coaching, communication and recognition for employees.
- Train and coach all of your managers in good leadership and emotional intelligence skills.
With poor employee engagement a global phenomena–85% worldwide–one thing is obviously true: companies have to do a better job. Consequently, this costs companies $7 trillion in lost productivity! As Doug Conant says you have to win in the workplace to succeed in the marketplace. Therefore, each manager needs to take this personally in order to make a positive difference. Certainly, consider this quote by Richard Branson, “Train people well enough so they can leave; treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Also, why not commit yourself to your team’s success. See this complimentary white paper: 5 Cultural Habits of Customer Driven Companies.
In addition, go here for our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. Over 140 micro-learning and career development resources at your fingertips!
Finally, do you want to accelerate your leadership success? Go here for Rick’s Superstar Leadership eBook.
