Why Do Your Employees Feel Disengaged?

You may be facing dilemmas in your company due to disengaged employees. These are the workers who seem uninterested in their jobs, lack motivation to accomplish basic tasks and may be costing your company productivity. Here are three key elements that illustrate why your employees may be disconnected from their jobs, and what you can do about these issues.

1. Career Opportunities

According to Recruiter.com, a Gallup survey from 2014 illustrates that two out of three people are disengaged employees who feel as if they should be getting more out of their jobs. These workers may blame their bosses and management, but the truth is that workers must motivate themselves to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.

Disengaged employees may find they chose a job that closed off chances for career advancement opportunities. People who love their profession like being around their colleagues and love to network with others. Do your part to foster employee engagement by creating an environment that forms workplace friendships. Create projects that span many departments, which lets employees interact with one another on important aspects of a larger goal. Consider sponsoring events that occur outside of the office where employees can participate in these events voluntarily.

2. Company Culture

After a long, drawn-out job search, candidates might not pay attention to the cues they received about the company culture. Perhaps some disengaged employees started as candidates who missed the part about personal work values or what's expected of them once they are on board. Alleviate this by using a personality testing procedure that aligns with the company's culture. The algorithm might help you match the right people with the right fit for your firm. The computer program should not be the cure-all for determining if someone is the correct match for your company, but it can help eliminate mistakes in the hiring process.

An OfficeVibe survey from July 2016 shows that up to 75 percent of companies struggle to find the right hires, or the people who fit with a company's culture. Disengaged employees who don't fit in with a company from the start may leave shortly thereafter, and that costs employers even more money. A few extra additions to the hiring process might help narrow the field to the right choices before problems arise.

3. Undervalued

As many as 37 percent of employees feel as if they are undervalued and underappreciated by their supervisors. Recognize someone's hard work, and give credit where credit is due. On the other hand, you must also give constructive criticism when warranted so employees know how to move forward with projects.

The problem of disengaged employees comes from several areas, but these three key elements recognize that employee interest is a two-way street. Take the lead when it comes to fostering interest in your employees' work environment, and gauge how employees respond in kind when they take the initiative to work hard.

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