Employee disengagement is a silent productivity killer that can cripple your organization. Four forces contribute to this problem, and they all revolve around misalignment between the employee and one of the following: role, manager, team, or culture.
Ignoring any of these forces can have catastrophic results on your bottom line.
1. Role Misalignment
New hires often fail within 18 months due to poor hiring practices. 46% of these failures result from a misaligned role. Many hiring managers overlook key predictors of job fit, such as emotional intelligence, motivation, and temperament, in favor of skills and resumes. This misstep can result in disengaged employees and costly turnover.
2. Manager Misalignment
A manager's impact on employee engagement cannot be overstated. In fact, 75% of employees in the US view their manager as the worst part of their job. 65% of employees would even take a pay cut to change bosses. Unfortunately, only 21% of employees believe their managers are capable of motivating them to do their best work. Investing in manager training and development is key to ensuring their fit and preventing disengagement.
3. Team Misalignment
A disengaged team is a recipe for disaster. A lack of collaboration and ineffective communication can lead to 86% of workers feeling disengaged. Cross-functional reporting and geographically diverse teams only exacerbate the problem. Organizations must prioritize teamwork and communication to keep their employees engaged and productive.
4. Culture Misalignment
At the heart of employee engagement is love and belonging, a basic human need according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. A lack of corporate culture or a toxic workplace culture can cause employees to feel disconnected, leading to disengagement and a detrimental impact on your bottom line.
The Fix
To address employee disengagement, organizations must measure their people data. Surveys can help diagnose the problem, particularly when it comes to culture.
The costs of disengagement are high, with losses estimated to be between $450-$550 billion.
Disengaged workers experience 37% higher absenteeism, 49% more accidents, and 60% more errors and defects. Organizations with low engagement scores experience 18% lower productivity, 16% lower profitability, and 37% lower job growth.
Don't let this be your reality. Take action now to ensure your employees are engaged, happy, and productive.
