Leadership is complex how do we tackle employee disengagement

In Kareena's latest Business Brief article, she looks at Gallup’s ’State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report’, stating that most of us spend at least 81,396 hours at work in our lifetime. In reality, this is probably higher, and for many this is not good news. 

The report says that 60% of people are emotionally detached at work and 19% described as miserable. That’s 79% of the global workforce unhappy or disengaged in the workplace, leaving only 21% enjoying their work. Exploring the figures closer, the UK is ranked 33rd out of 38 European countries when it comes to employee engagement (this figure has no correlation to the recent Eurovision!) with only 9% of employees engaged in their workplaces. 

As leaders this should ring alarm bells in our head and make us stop and take stock. These are some striking figures that if not understood correctly and heeded, can lead to more problems for leaders. We need to ask ourselves: 

• How are our people experiencing the workplace?  

• Are 79% of our people really disengaged and unhappy?  

• Do these figures have any meaning to us in the Channel Islands at all?  

• How do we know how we are doing? 

There will always be some people who are more engaged than others, and of course, engagement isn’t a one-time state of being, people’s engagement will ebb and flow. But you cannot manufacture engagement, you cannot make someone feel like they belong, you cannot make someone want to go above and beyond - these are oxymorons. As human beings we have a sense of agency and we flourish when we can use it. The truth is that everyone responds to the environment around them and it’s a leader’s responsibility to create an environment where employees want to be engaged. 

You don’t have to carry out extensive employee engagement surveys to find out. Surveys do have their place, but they are a tool. A leader needs to know how to best use them. Hint - not just as a tick box exercise.  

A leader must be open and prepared to receive and process the feedback on these surveys, and then act. Otherwise, it is a waste of everyone’s time and energy and will erode trust in leadership, not build it. 

Here are three things you need to provide as a leader to cultivate an environment where your people can thrive, feel motivated, valued and enjoy their work. 

1. Meaningful work: People work best when they understand how their day-to-day work connects with the broader purpose of the organisation. It is a leader’s responsibility to ensure that the organisation’s vision, mission and values are communicated clearly and often. But more than just communicated, a leader needs to make the vision, mission and values live, they need to paint a verbal picture so that others can ’see and feel’ how they contribute to the picture and how significant their work is. This is inspirational leadership, it motivates people, energises them and begins to create the conditions where they feel they belong and want to be engaged.

2. Autonomy: When people have autonomy, they are much more likely to feel invested in their work. Giving people the authority to make some meaningful decisions within their role creates a greater sense of ownership and encourages innovation and creativity, leading to greater job satisfaction. When delegating decision-making or responsibilities, a leader must also guarantee the right support and resources are in place to ensure the ask is possible, therefore setting their people up for success.

3. Trust: It is a leader’s responsibility to be trustworthy and create an environment of trust. This means identifying and dealing with any hint of toxicity before it can poison the workplace culture and destroy trust. The aim should be a psychologically safe workplace where people can ask questions, challenge decisions and systems (respectfully), giving and receiving feedback that is both clear and kind, and do all these things without fear of negative backlash. When employees feel heard, respected, and included in decision-making processes, they become more engaged and invested in their work. 

While these three actions are highly effective in creating an engaged workplace, it is important to reiterate, leadership is a complex and ongoing process. Effective leaders must continuously assess and adapt their approach based on the evolving needs and dynamics of their teams. By fostering purpose, empowering autonomy and cultivating trust and open communication, leaders lay the groundwork for an environment where employees are motivated, enthusiastic, and actively engaged in their work.