When Employees Become Disengaged……

 Do you know for certain that all of your employees are “engaged employees?” The benefit of having engaged employees is that they are fully involved in and enthusiastic about their work, and they will act in a way that furthers company interests. But what if some of your  key employees are not engaged? And what can you as a business owner, CEO or hiring manager do to ensure your key personnel remains engaged in the work of your company?

While there are profound repercussions to employee disengagement, there are tools that can help ensure the right people are in the right jobs. By hiring people who are naturally rewarded by the type of work they perform, they will be more engaged and, therefore, more productive.

 When I took my first motivators assessment, I was finally able to put into words what I valued in an employer. I learned that I was a high Utilitarian and that my Social concerns, while not my highest motivator, were quite high above the national average. In laymen’s terms, I enjoy investing my time and energy into a project, and value a healthy return ($$$) on the sacrifice that I am making. Furthermore, being able to see a higher social use to my work, encourages me forward on the project.

In a former position at another company, despite the fact that I was qualified for and enjoyed the work I did, I was unhappy. I served on a team, but the environment didn’t feel like a team, and I was responsible for doing much of the work on my own. While my work was strong, the company’s leadership never really knew what I was capable of because my team leader consistently took credit for the work I was producing. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to matter how hard I worked, or how much I tried to expand my education, because the company traditionally rewarded those employees who had the most seniority. If I worked harder, put in extra hours, and continued to develop my education, I would not be compensated in any manner for doing so. I learned that promotions were for those with the greatest number of years under their belts. Without any control over my own career path, I began to feel frustrated and unfulfilled, and I started to wonder how I was going to grow in my field and develop the expertise I desired under these circumstances. I knew then that this company was not the right place for me.

How many potential “star employees” are you losing each year because their motivators are unfulfilled and they become disengaged? With the expense of replacing an employee at three times that person’s salary, how many employees can you afford to lose this year?

Chris Wilkinson.                              

Certified Business Behaviour & Attitudes Analyst.               

Business Coach.

Tel: (905) 275-2907 (Mississauga).

E-mail: buspilot@bell.net