Disengaged employees are no fun. They lack energy nor are they interested in solving problems and making progress. They’re also the ones that are most vocal about inconveniences and like to stir up trouble for little to no reason.
Yuck, right? Well, you might be the problem. Luckily, you might also be the solution. Employers are often all too quick to assume that an disengaged employee is just ungrateful or lazy – and that there isn’t a fix. But, there is.
This Millennium Omaha post will help you identify disengaged employees and some tactics you can use to help them become more engaged.
The Tell-Tale Signs of Disengaged Employees
According to Gallup research, 15% of employees are actively disengaged while 36% are engaged throughout the workday. This means that a large majority of employees are somewhere in the middle – somewhat disengaged.
Disengaged employees will usually exhibit the following trends:
- Withdrawal from their team/company
- Increased number of sick days or time off without justification
- Coming in late on a regular basis
- Reduced productivity
- Reduced quality of work
- Unwarranted aggression or complaining
- Consistently negative attitude
- Breaking away from workday routines
- No desire to learn, improve, or solve
3 Actionable Strategies to Engage Your Employees
Want to recharge and re-engage your team? Here are some impactful, yet simple ways to accomplish this goal.
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- Dish Out More AppreciationEmployees become disengaged when they perceive putting in high effort, and getting little reward. Show your employees that you appreciate the work they do. Train yourself and your managers to start giving genuine compliments and praise hardwork. Something like a praise wall may also do wonders when it comes to dishiing out more appreciation.
- Add Feedback LoopsAre you unknowingly causing tension in the office? You won’t know unless you get feedback. We talk about feedback loops a lot here at Millennium Omaha, but it’s only because they’re actually important. Offer your employees confidential and anonymous ways to send you and your management feedback. This information can give you insight on if there’s anything actively causing disengagement.
- Give Employees Tools for SuccessWithout the right training or tools, even the simplest of tasks can quickly become mundane nightmares. When employees feel overwhelmed or frustrated on a regular basis, these emotions can manifest into disengagement. To avoid all of this, give your employees a strong foundation – even if it requires extra training or patience. Trust us, the long-term benefits of engaged employees are 100% worth it.