According to a recent Gallup article, employee engagement is down for the first time in a decade. The dip in engagement occurred in the latter half of 2021, right around the time of The Great Resignation, confirming that lack of engagement was a significant contributor.
The percentage of engaged employees dropped from 36% to 34%, and the percentage of actively disengaged employees rose from 14% to 16%. The ratio of engaged to actively disengaged workers in the U.S. is 2.1 to 1, down from 2.6 to 1 in 2020. An actively engaged employee is one who approaches their work with passion and enthusiasm. An actively disengaged employee isn’t just unengaged – they are acting out and undermining the work of others.
It’s important to note that the largest percentage of employees in the United States (50%) are neither actively engaged nor actively disengaged. Rather, they are simply not engaged at all. They may not be maliciously undermining the company, but they certainly aren’t pouring their hearts and souls into it either. They are ‘putting in the time’, counting the minutes until the day is done.
What Can Companies Do?
There are tons of statistics out there that prove that an engaged workforce is better than a disengaged workforce – higher productivity, increased retention, larger profits, lower rates of absenteeism, lower turnover, higher customer loyalty, etc. At this point, we all know and understand the importance of employee engagement. But what can companies do about it?
The truth is every company is different. There is no ‘formula’ or cookie cutter solution that will work for all. That’s because every company has different people working for them, with their own unique needs and desires. Plus, every company has its own unique culture, policies, procedures, working conditions, etc.
However, there are three main steps every company can take to help them understand what they can do to increase the engagement of their employees:
1. Find out what your employees think.
If you want to understand how to better engage your employees, the best thing to do is find out from them where you stand right now. What are you doing well? What are you doing poorly? Where is there room for improvement? What are the strengths you can build on?
2. Share the findings and take concrete action.
If you’ve reached out to your employees to gain a better understanding of where you stand, it’s important that you share your findings with them, as well as what you plan to do next. Communication and transparency are imperative, especially in the areas where you’ve come up short. Employees are more likely to ‘hang in there’ with you if you clearly communicate what, how, and why you plan to change, and then take concrete action steps towards that change.
3. Check back in with your employees again.
Employee engagement is not a one-time investment, but rather an ongoing pursuit. Even if you do ever achieve ‘engagement perfection’, it won’t last because employees come and go, times change, life happens, etc.
How Envision2bWell Can Help
Our KSAA® Workplace Wellness Assessment (KSAA® Assessment for short) is a survey that provides insight and data into the engagement, satisfaction, and well-being of your employees. It tells the story of how they experience – and are impacted by – your organization in eight areas of health, well-being, and workplace culture.
With this survey, you will gain critical insight into the extent to which your employees experience Knowledge, Support, Access, and Autonomy (KSAA®) in the following eight areas:
– Physical Health
– Emotional Health
– Social Connections
– Financial Health
– Education / Training
– Life/Work Balance
– Company Mission
– 10 Pillars of 360° Well-Being
Reach out today to learn more about our proprietary KSAA® Assessment and how it can help you increase employee engagement.
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