Gallup recently reported that 70 percent of American workers are disengaged. In a recent Forbes article, leadership development experts Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman claim that this data is wrong. They “question the accuracy of this number” and “are particularly concerned about the impact this message has on the executives of organizations.”
Gallup measures absenteeism, or lack there-of, as an engagement metric. Really? Talk about rewarding people for just showing up. There is no such thing as being absent from work. We are working all the time. The problem is that certain organizations are choosing to measure engagement by the wrong metrics. We lend too much credence to surveys, pay attention only to the squeaky wheels, buy one-size-fits-all programs from uninventive vendors, and think technology can solve human problems.
The professional world is shifting and so are our workforces and workplaces. If we don't change the way we design organizational initiatives, and promote those initiatives to tomorrow’s rock stars, we’ll sabotage efficiency and productivity. We should invest in our people by listening to and rewarding their ideas. We should kick down the boardroom door and put our plan on the table.
We can change the world....one employee at a time!
Please join @weknownext at 3 p.m. ET on November 20 for #Nextchat with special guest, Next Official Blogger, David Kovacovich (@DavidKovacovich). We’ll chat about what disengagement really looks like, how it’s caused and ways to remedy this epidemic in a new world of work.
Q1. What does disengagement in the workplace look like?
Q2. What are the leading causes of disengagement? Are generational differences in the workplace now a big factor?
Q3. How does culture affect disengagement and can organizations combat “bad seeds” with a strong culture?
Q4. What is the manager's role in the engagement -- or disengagement --process?
Q5. Has social media enhanced employee engagement or increased disengagement? How?
Q6. How can HR assist in taking the pulse of the employee culture and of employee engagement?
Q7. How can HR help combat employee disengagement and burnout?
Q8. What tools are you using to prevent disengagement in your organization?
David Kovacovich is an Engagement Strategist, Organizational Culturalist, and Behavioral Economist. He has been a member of the SHRM Annual Conference Social Media Team since 2013 and is a keynote speaker in the NCHRA lecture series. David is on Twitter at @DavidKovacovich and blogs at Dave's Weekly Thought.
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