WESST Blog

Global surveys indicate that many people are unhappy at work. In fact, it’s been estimated that over 70% of the workforce consists of passive job seekers. These people are not actively looking to leave their current jobs but would consider a move if something better were to come along.

This should be alarming news for the business community considering that the acquisition and retention of talent is critical for an organization’s success.

Why does the evidence suggest that employees are more distracted and less engaged than ever?  The internet, social media, even our cell phones… Sure, we’re bombarded daily by distractions at work. However, is that why employees are not fully engaged in a meaningful way?

What can well-run, successful companies do to combat this critical problem? Obviously, organizations must recognize they have a problem and be committed to fixing it. Then, important questions should be asked and answered.

First, does an organization’s leadership truly understand what its employees want from their jobs? Second, does an organization have the right people in leadership positions to move the needle on employee engagement? Face it, businesses often live and die based on the answers to these questions. Unquestionably, organizational success is directly linked to employee engagement and productivity. Why then are so many employees unhappy in their current jobs and willing to move on given the right opportunity?

LET’S LOOK AT CORPORATE CULTURE

Is the culture in your company highly political in nature where making a decision becomes incredibly inefficient? Do the decision[1]makers in your company look to blame others when things go wrong? Is leadership overly concerned with taking credit when things go right? What about fear of conflict? Are people afraid to bring issues to the boss for fear of reprisals? These are all incredibly harmful to an organization’s overall productivity and employee morale.

It’s important for managers to understand that each employee is an individual with unique motivations and values.

Does management take the time to learn what makes their people tick? They should understand that employees have a need to build relationships within the workplace, and it’s important to create a culture that fosters these positive relationships.

Leaders should certainly understand that people want to be successful in what they do. Therefore, it’s management’s responsibility to ensure that their key employees are offered a clear career path and encouraged to “sharpen their saw” as they grow with the company. That said, it’s clear that many companies need to do a better job of identifying and selecting talent for leadership positions.

Quite often the best leaders are those that are modest, self-aware, and have a high degree of emotional intelligence. They allow their teams to share the credit for the organization’s successes. They are honest and work hard to keep the lines of communication open. These leaders are open to ideas that come from their teams and give thoughtful consideration to those ideas.

To succeed in a highly competitive business environment, it’s crucial that organizations work diligently to make certain that their employees feel heard and valued as individuals contributing to the overall team’s success.